Photo Courtesy: Port of Portland, Ema Peter
The roof’s immense scale at 400,000 square feet, much of it locally sourced Douglas fir, dominates the four-year, $2 billion renovation unveiled August 14. A second phase began the next day and is expected to run through early 2026. Meanwhile, 22 local shops and restaurants are open in an indoor space reminiscent of the outdoors, featuring abundant greenery and nearly 50 skylights.
At the same time as its renovation, PDX has continued to expand its reach for flyers. The airport announced more than a dozen nonstop destinations that may become available in 2025, including new routes to New Orleans, Nashville, Baltimore, Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Flint, Michigan.
With those, Oregon and southwest Washington travelers now have a vast choice of nonstop destinations to more than 60 domestic and 11 international locations. Along with Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, PDX is an oft-used hub for travelers headed to Alaska, Mexico, Hawaii and beyond.
Photo Courtesy: Dror Baldinger
The Nonstop Newcomers
Visiting the Big Easy just got a whole lot easier from Portland, with Alaska Airlines starting seasonal New Orleans nonstops in January 2025. Mardi Gras falls on March 4 this year, but crowds pack Bourbon Street nightly. All around, the smells of frying fish and oysters compete for sensory attention with the sounds of music drifting from doorways.
On a similar note, Nashville (on Alaska Airlines since March 2024) offers an incredible mix of Southern cooking, such as barbecue or spicy chicken, and world-class music. Stop in at the Grand Ole Opry or the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.
Southwest Airlines has announced plans for new red-eye PDX-to-Baltimore service to start in June 2025. Budget carrier Allegiant Air also recently announced it will open up three Midwest destinations from PDX in May 2025: Cincinnati, Indianapolis, and Flint.
Best of the West
Whether it’s pool-hopping and high-end shopping in Las Vegas, a couple of winter rounds of golf in Palm Springs or brisket and live music in Austin, PDX is the gateway to a packed long weekend escape.
One ideal winter getaway is Phoenix and its environs, less than a three-hour flight from PDX. Hang out poolside at Mountain Shadows Resort Scottsdale, hike nearby Camelback Mountain or Quartz Ridge Trail and see wonders from the Sonoran Desert (and beyond) at the Desert Botanical Garden.
Hawaii, Canada and Alaska
PDX really shines with its nonstop reach to the 50th state, but most Canada and Alaska destinations require a transfer through Seattle. The Canadian nonstop exceptions are Vancouver, B.C., and Calgary, Alberta. Travelers can wake up any given day in Portland and cast a fishing line in Anchorage or feel Maui’s golden sand under foot before sunset.
Like Maui, the islands of Oahu and Hawaii are year-round nonstop destinations, but service to Kauai has been cut back and is now seasonal. On another note, Alaska Airlines completed its purchase of Hawaiian Airlines in September, but for now, the carriers will continue to be run as separate brands.
Photo Courtesy: Photo Courtesy: Port of Portland, Ema Peter
East of the Rockies
Portland’s most frequent nonstop flights eastward are to the much-traveled Midwest and East Coast urban centers of Chicago, New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. Each of those destinations offers exceptional dining, museums and shopping. Alaska Airlines added a seasonal nonstop to Miami in late 2023, easing travel for Caribbean cruise passengers. Alaska’s Sunshine State connections include year-round nonstops to Orlando and seasonal service to Fort Lauderdale.
International Flights to Europe, Canada and Mexico
Some of the marquee nonstop international routes are seasonal, such as Frankfurt, Germany; Reykjavik, Iceland or Cancun, Mexico. But Amsterdam and London are each year-round destinations, making it possible for travelers to consider lower-cost, off-season explorations of Van Gogh’s work at the Van Gogh Museum or Turner’s dreamy seascapes at the Tate Gallery.
Allison Ferré, the Port of Portland’s media relations manager, said PDX is constantly evolving to meet customer demand. Curtain walls hint at continuing construction in Phase 2 which will add post-security shops and exit lanes.
By creating a more open terminal layout, Ferré said, the port expects to be able to adapt better to changing demand over coming years. Amid all the changes, there remain some familiar touches, including a handful of swatches of the original 1988 teal carpet, in a nod to traveler preferences and the airport’s longtime popularity. “When we asked people what we should change during master planning, they said, ‘Nothing—keep it the same,’” Ferré said.
To blend the new with the familiar, dozens of trees and about 5,000 shrubs have been placed throughout the renovated terminal, creating harmony with nature and nurturing ties with the Pacific Northwest.
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Alex Pulaski is a freelance travel writer and former travel editor at The Oregonian. He writes for The Wall Street Journal, New York Times and other publications across the country.