A view inside the new tree-lined terminal at Portland International Airport

Portland International Airport (PDX) in Portland, Oregon, is undergoing a much-needed $2.15 billion renovation.

While construction continues through at least 2020, visitors will feel like it was worth the wait when the airport’s temporary walls come down in Aug. 14 to reveal the next (and best) part of the project.

Soon, visitors will enjoy an expanded and reimagined main terminal with a soaring wooden ceiling, the latest check-in and check-in technology, live trees and plants, and more art, shops, restaurants and inviting social spaces.

Wondering what to expect? Here’s a preview of what riders and the public will see at PDX.

Is this the airport?

As you enter the main storage area, just past the entrance, you will notice a large hall like a forest with more than 70 living trees, more than 5,000 plants, almost 50 skylights and a 9-hectare high ceiling that is completely made. Douglas fir wood is harvested from all kinds of sustainably managed farms in Oregon and Washington.

A sense of entry

The airline’s check-in counters are clustered on four carpeted islands adjacent to the check-in area. Passengers flying Alaska Airlines with checked bags will find a new iteration of the carrier’s bag drop system here. The self-service system encourages passengers to scan their boarding passes, print and affix bag tags, weigh their bags, pay for checked bags (if necessary) and send bags on their way.

Shops, restaurants and public spaces

On the main floor, you’ll find about a dozen convenience stores and restaurants (some are in pop-up mode at the moment). Current selections include Hello From Portland, Steven Smith Teamaker, Orox Leather Co., Paper Epiphanies, The Country Cat and Powell’s Books.

This main terminal area sports two stadium banks with hardwood benches perfect for outdoor pre-flight seating. This space has a live performance stage as well. During our visit, we saw a grand piano ready to be installed.

The return of the PDX carpet

At the top of each bank of stadium seats are lounges with seating areas. Underfoot, you’ll see carpet that brings back the much-loved teal-purple pattern that inspired thousands, maybe millions, of shoe selfies.

The pattern and colors of the original carpet, which was installed at the airport in 1988 and replaced in 2015, were carefully recreated for these lounges and several other areas in the main terminal.

Mezzanine restaurant with a view

The Loyal Legion, a popular local beer hall, will occupy the mezzanine level of the main security terminal. In addition to serving more than 90 Oregon beers on tap, this place will offer great views of the surrounding area, including the airport, and a perch to watch the bustling activity in the main hall.

New and improved security checkpoints

The new main hall at PDX houses two identical Transportation Security Administration checkpoints equipped with the latest security screening technology. Above each checkpoint is a 120-foot-long video wall that shows clips about some of the airport’s art, as well as images inspired by Oregon landscapes. The content of the screens is designed to provide “good distractions” and change according to the time of day, the weather and, to some extent, the number of people currently in the terminal.

At carpeted checkpoints, travelers will find TSA officers using Credential Authentication Technology to review travel documents. This means passengers will only need to show a photo ID, not their boarding pass, when passing through.

In the six Automated Check-in lanes for regular travelers (non-TSA PreCheck), three passengers at a time will be able to load their luggage onto trays. That should speed things up, as should the fact that liquids and electronics won’t be taken out of the bags.

As for the passenger screening process, each checkpoint has five new Advanced Imaging Technology body scanners, which use millimeter wave technology. These devices are wider than previous models and allow riders to keep their hands at their sides, instead of over their heads. According to the TSA, these machines can be used on people with metal hips, knees or metal pins in their bodies as they are not metal.

In an interesting twist, the wooden “hut” at each checkpoint in PDX serves as a private screening room for travelers who may need additional screening and request it be done in private.

Bottom line

Passengers at Portland International Airport are about to enjoy a sparkling new terminal, a much-anticipated development for this Alaska Airlines hub and one of the busiest airports in the Pacific Northwest.

From the touch of the place to the renovated public spaces, the renovation of the terminal brings a mix of technological advances and aesthetic improvements.

Even classic details like PDX’s iconic carpet are part of the reimagined space. Lovers of the original feature will notice its new version linking the old terminal with the updated one.

As airports around the US unveil long-awaited new terminals and facelifts, PDX could join the ranks of the airports you actually have. search spending time on.

Related reading: