So much is happening at PDX right now. Every month, it seems like a new piece of the puzzle moves into place. You may see more scaffolding in the ticket lobby this summer—but the payoff will be future airport trips packed with Pacific Northwest design, art, and food. 

At PDX, we think a lot about the countdown to May 2024, when the first phase of the new main terminal opens. With just 10 months to go, we wanted to share the seven biggest tasks left on our to-do list. They include window walls to hang, shops and security checkpoints to build, and work from nationally known artists to install.  

For the moment, the best place to catch a glimpse of this bigger, more beautiful terminal may be from your airplane seat as you fly in and out of PDX. As we work on the ticket lobby this summer and fall, though, we’re uncovering a new spot where you can take a sneak peak. Here’s a hint: Just head to the north end of the lobby and look up!

En route to your flight, have you ever stopped to admire a painting or sculpture? Art is everywhere in the airport. In fact, when the new main terminal fully opens, you’ll find 13 temporary exhibits and up to 20 new permanent artworks. As PDX’s collection grows, art program manager Wendy Given is connecting with artists across the region to make sure all of us see ourselves represented on the walls. In this short video, Renée Zangara, Jeremy Okai Davis, and other local, BIPOC artists talk about what it has meant to show their work at PDX. As Jeremy says, “The impact is different from a gallery, or different from any other sort of setting, because [people] are living with this work.”

Question: I heard that there’s some construction on the MAX Red Line. How do I take public transit to and from the airport?

Answer: The good news is that you can still take the MAX Red Line to PDX. From now until October 21, 2023, however, your trip could take up to 30 minutes longer, so you’ll want to plan accordingly. In order to reduce delays in the light-rail schedule, TriMet is building a second track leading into the airport MAX station. This summer and fall, when you ride the MAX to PDX, you’ll transfer to a shuttle bus at the Gateway Transit Center. If you’re catching the Red Line at the airport, find the shuttle at the entrance to the MAX station. To learn more, visit TriMet’s website.  

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