Travelers at Portland International Airport pass through the remodeled main terminal on opening day, August 14, 2024. The remodel cost just over $2 billion and includes skylights, a Northwest wood ceiling, and two 120-foot-long video walls featuring Northwest scenes.
Anna Lück / OPB
At Portland International Airport, people line up to pass through security under one of the new 120-foot-long video walls. Each of the two walls serves as a 24-hour art installation, displaying scenes inspired by the beauty of the Northwest.
Anna Lück / OPB
The silhouettes of travelers at Portland International Airport are visible through a new glass wall created by Portland artist Yoonhee Choi next to the TSA security checkpoint.
Anna Lück / OPB
People walk through the Delta ticket line at Portland International Airport on opening day of the new terminal. The white construction walls remain standing while renovations begin in the old ticket area.
Anna Lück / OPB
A person walks across the upper mezzanine of Portland International Airport’s remodeled main terminal, which features large glass walls.
Anna Lück / OPB
Chris Carlisle (right) works on his laptop in the newly redesigned mezzanine seating area. Carlisle had arrived earlier in the day on a flight from Indianapolis and decided to stay in the airport while waiting for a traveling companion arriving on a different flight. “I would have gone somewhere else,” he says, “but it’s so inviting here!”
Anna Lück / OPB
Travelers enter the TSA security checkpoint. According to the Port of Portland, the renovations will nearly double the airport’s capacity.
Anna Lück / OPB
Gary Shepard (left) takes a photo of the remodeled main terminal at Portland International Airport. “I’ve been coming to this airport since the ’60s,” he says. “I’m very impressed with what they’ve done.” Shepard doesn’t travel today and only came to the airport to see the remodel.
Anna Lück / OPB
Curtis Robinhold, executive director of the Port of Portland, on opening day on the upper mezzanine level of the remodeled main terminal at Portland International Airport.
Anna Lück / OPB
Ben Katz (left) holds his son Robbie Katz (3) to the arrivals and departures board at Portland International Airport, August 14, 2024. The family is not traveling today, but just came to the airport to look at the remodeled terminal, mainly because Robbie is “obsessed” with airplanes.
Anna Lück / OPB
Pianist Paul Herman (center) performs on opening day at Portland International Airport. Herman is one of more than twenty volunteer musicians on the airport’s PDX Music program roster.
Anna Lück / OPB
The remodeled main terminal of Portland International Airport on opening day, August 14, 2024.
Anna Lück / OPB
Maryanne Erb, left, shows Karen Thomas, right, details of the remodeled main terminal at Portland International Airport. Thomas and Erb say they are often at the airport, whether to pick up friends and relatives or for their own travel. “It’s so beautiful and calming now,” Erb says.
Anna Lück / OPB
After years of construction, the first phase of the most expensive public construction project in Oregon’s history is now complete.
A newly renovated terminal opened at Portland International Airport on Wednesday. The $2 billion project took four years to complete and includes large skylights, the return of the popular airport carpet and 120-foot-long video walls that will display a 24-hour art installation by local artists.
The renovation will also create open spaces and stadium-like seating for future events such as art exhibitions, New Year’s celebrations and more, which will also be open to the non-flying public.
“You can come here and collect your thoughts, prepare for your trip or wait for people, meet people, meet your family,” said Curtis Robinhold, executive director of the Port of Portland. “The idea is an open space that is welcoming and belongs to the community.”
For those heading to the airport to catch a flight, Robinhold said the experience should be smoother and faster thanks to updated TSA equipment to get through security checks.
Stressed-out travelers may also find it less stressful to be able to admire the dozens of large trees in the terminal or look at the video wall projections of typical Oregon landscapes.
“The tension is easing in some ways,” he said. “Take a deep breath, calm down and begin the next phase of your journey.”
Robinhold says visitors can expect more changes at the airport. The second phase of opening is expected to be completed in December 2025 or early 2026, according to Robinhold. There will be nearly a dozen new restaurants and shops, more restrooms, exit lanes to baggage claim and two new waiting areas for arrivals.
“So people won’t see the second phase first hand, but they will have to see the construction site on site and will probably have to expect some minor traffic disruptions.”
Curtis Robinhold spoke with “Think Out Loud” host Dave Miller. You can listen to the entire conversation here:
