Portland Airport

Absolutely horrible! Do not try to drop somebody off at curbside. It's a cluster mess. The airport still uses a 1930s era design- essentially the dropoff for all airlines is in the same spot. Eeeeks! Worse because it just can't handle the volume of cars and passengers they have traffic cops running around handing out $70 parking tickets like candy. I travel alot- PDX is the worst with this in the entire country. Get out of the drivers door the meter maid is at the ready runs up stands in front of your car so you can't drive away and writes you a parking ticket. Shakedown!! When you try to explain you were just helping your passenger with their bags they'll rudely argue that you are parked and the signs say no parking. Unbelievable! Also don't take a cab from PDX airport downtown- the meter rates are breathtaking- you'll hit $12 before you even get off airport property (about 1/2 mile). Lastly take your food in through security- the gate areas are small under-developed and over crowded. What an absolute mess- Portland grow up!

I live in Portland and fly out of PDX a couple times a year. TSA have always been nice to me. They have never lost my bags which I cant say for many other places. I love all the food choices and easy to read signs.

I connected through PDX on my way from FRA to YVR. Overall as far as US airports go PDX is quite nice. There are big airy atriums in the security area which gives it a much more open feel that then the claustrophobic low ceilings of many US airports. PDX is quieter newer and nicer than SEA where I connected on my departure. However my BIG complaint with Portland Airport? No duty free at all! I was connecting from Germany to Canada and was counting on there being duty free in PDX and was surprised to find absolutely none.

Love the free wifi and the Tri Met connecting the airport to downtown Portland (only for $2.05 too) but a pretty plain airport otherwise. The TSA staff were sometimes rude which isn't much to say since they are generally all work and low on courtesy everywhere in the US anyway.

I live in Portland and I find the airport nice with many restaurants and shops. However I find the TSA to consistently be rude. On my last flight from Portland I had a broken knee and was unable to walk. I was stopped at security because my metal leg brace set off the metal detector and I was searched for 40 minutes. I was only able to catch my plane as I continued to plead with them that I was about to miss my plane and I was in no condition to run to the gate. I was the last person onboard and I lost my seat so I had to hold my broken knee in the middle seat for 5.5 hours. The Portland TSA simply chose to harrass me. I have had many experiences in this airport that have been fine but based on this experience when I was disabled I would only give this airport a one star rating.

I would give PDX a five star rating if there weren't so many problems with the TSA staff here. I've flown in and out of PDX about a dozen times and PDX is easy to get in and out of easy to meet up with pre-arranged car service and the retail and restaurants are surprisingly diverse for an airport of its size. I travel a lot through many airports including all three NY airports and the PDX TSA staff is out of character for Oregon - aggressive poorly managed and obnoxious. My checked bag is opened by TSA virtually every time I've left from there my ID is scrutinized with loupes (it once took ten minutes for two TSA agents to find whatever they were looking for on my driver's license) and they are generally slow and procedure laden. I recently saw a TSA agent grab the lapel of a jacket worn by a Mexican woman who did not speak English and yell at her to take it off. I saw another TSA agent insist on taking away a walker from an elderly woman who obviously needed it to pass it through the X-ray machine. One TSA agent grabbed the laptop in my hands as I was putting it into a plastic bin for screening. I held onto it and he was incensed. He then had his friend at the X-ray machine single me out for a hand check of my bag. The original "grabber" then played out the hand check for a half hour in an attempt to make me miss my flight.

PDX is my home airport. As with others excellent points are: manageable size and layout shopping (interesting shops and food no state sales tax and airport does a good job at enforcing "same prices as in town" policy) connection to MAX light-rail right at the terminal. In addition I'll add that they do lots of nice musical promotions throughout the year: live music at various places both inside and outside of security. International connections are growing: NW to NRT and soon to AMS LH to FRA; transcon flights increasing as well. Often-slow baggage delivery is my only complaint and yes having to take checked bags from check-in counter to CTX machine is minor irritant as well. Still small price to pay for an otherwise great operation!

As a Southern Californian I consider PDX to be the Anti-LAX. Unlike LAX - PDX is clean bright modern efficient spacious and pleasant. The shopping and dining options in the mall connecting all concourses are among the most unique of US airports with lots of regional offerings instead of national chains. It's not a huge airport but rather a mid-sized airport for a mid-sized city. But just like Portland itself the airport is a gem. Did I mention how clean and sparkling PDX is? The modern MAX light rail line from the terminal into downtown and suburbs is a bonus and such a rarity in America. The only downside is that PDX is not the mega-hub that Seattle or San Fran is and so you sometimes have a hard time finding non-stop flights for transcon or overseas destinations. But overall PDX is one of America's most pleasant and manageable airports to spend time in.

De-boarding was quick and efficient. The terminal was airy and almost eerily empty - just one sleepy guard near the exit! On the way home Sun evening I took the light-rail MAX train to the airport from downtown Portland. It's about a half hour and goes through some interesting neighborhoods. This is a rarity for American airports and especially one as small as this but it very easy and only costs $1.50. Again the terminal was quiet and security was brisk. The selection of shops & restaurants was a bit underwhelming but I found everything I needed (magazine gourmet pizza oregon wine). I think calling this airport an "architectural masterpiece" is a bit of a stretch but all-in-all a well-designed and hassle-free airport. Can't wait to do it again!

PDX is a great airport in most respects: the lines move quickly there are separate security lines for Seattle-shuttle and Elite Frequent Fliers there is a good choice of food and the vast expanse of glass and skylights are great. Considering that Delta abandoned their hub here in 2001 the Airport did'nt fall apart but instead recruited Lufthansa an NWA nonstop to Tokyo and Alaska Airlines continues to grow PDX into a small hub. Now the negatives: when checking bags you must get them tagged at the ticket counter and then lug them to a TSA checkpoint which is sometimes far away. Worse is the baggage claim - it takes an eternity for your bags to appear on the belt - no matter which airline your are flying.