When I began traveling to Portland in 2000 and 2001, the Portland Airport was a mess. Construction was in full swing, and my experiences in the Portland airport were not good ones. I mostly remember walking for what seemed like miles next to construction barriers and ending up in isolated, unconnected terminals where food choices were very limited.
Fast forward a couple of years to the completion of the A, B, C terminal renovation. At the time, it was new and shiny, but unconnected to the poor D and E terminals. I was always a little sad when my flight was scheduled to leave from the no mans land that was D or E.
Now, we have choices. The gates are all connected by a walkway, so I can eat wherever I want and I can pick the shorter of the two security lines. We can choose between Starbucks or Coffee People and fast food or sit down restaurants in addition to Powells and other stores with entertainment for the flight.
However, my favorite thing about the Portland airport has to be the free and stable wireless. With the security rules in full force, the free wireless makes getting to the airport early bearable. If you are lucky, you might even catch one of the piano players or other musicians providing some free entertainment.
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I’m with you, Dawn. PDX is a great airport, especially when compared with the ones up and down the West Coast. It’s easy to get in and out of, the Max runs right to the airport (although I wish it was faster) and it’s a major center for my two favorite airlines (Southwest and Alaska). Compared with the Bay Area, Seattle and LA airport’s it’s a dream. Really the only one that is close is Irvine which has nice services as well (although it is much smaller).
I too love the PDX airport. Lines are always shorter than I expect, and there’s decent beer to drink pre-flight. It’s easy to dismiss, but spend a minute in Skyharbor, Midway, Atlanta, Miami or Dulles and you’ll miss everything about the PDX.
extra special bonus awesome: you can bike there, and it’s probably the safest possible place to park your bike, what with several CCTVs, and constant police presence.
Traveling to other airports always makes me really appreciate PDX.
I can’t believe that I forgot to mention the Max! I love taking it to the airport. It’s way less expensive than parking and so much easier.
PDX is the best. I actually enjoy having extra time to spend there. And now that we have direct flights to Tokyo, Frankfurt and Amsterdam (and Mexico still?) means I never have to fly out of those ghastly places L.A., SFO and Seatac.