Portland - PDX

Header photo via Pixabay; CC0 license.

Fly over the blue ocean to the Rose City’s “green” terminal!

Despite being one of the smaller cities on the West Coast, there’s always been a consistent demand for good Transpacific service from Portland, driven by its strong corporate presence, medical and educational assets, tourism, and historic Asian immigrant community.

In the 1980s and 1990s, United and Delta pioneered various routes from PDX to Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore, but the aircraft of the time were too big and expensive to operate, and the carriers couldn’t put enough connecting traffic together to keep the services viable.

In 2004, Northwest connected Portland to its Tokyo-Narita hub using new, more-efficient twin-engine aircraft, and this time the route proved sustainable. After the merger with Delta, the combined carrier now runs the route with 767-300ER equipment, just the right size for the job.

Sustainability is a keyword for the Portland airport, which like the Tokyo service, has prospered by employing its resources smartly. You’ll notice the solar panels, natural-gas-powered buses, light-rail-line, and water-saving toilet handles. You might not see the recycling / composting programs, stormwater management, or wildlife protection efforts. Portland’s “green” reputation is upheld at PDX.

Delta’s link to Tokyo allows for same-day connections on to Shanghai, Singapore, Taipei, and Hong Kong.

Coming home, Delta interlines with Alaska Airlines for domestic connections to the Cascades and California, plus Delta’s own services to the East, South, and Midwest.  Alaska Air is by far the largest carrier at PDX; Delta, United, and Southwest are the other dominant carriers. American, Frontier, JetBlue, Spirit, and Hawaiian offer more-limited services.

Customs Arrival

The Narita flight arrives at the end of Concourse D, where you'll be directed downstairs for passport control, baggage retrieval, and inspection. Your flight will be the only one unloading at that time.

If Portland is where you stop flying, you'll walk outside and board a shuttle bus which will take you securely around to the other side of the concourse and drop you off at the downstairs baggage claim area of the main terminal.

If you have connecting flights, check your bags at the airline counter and head back upstairs to Concourse D, where you'll clear security and be able to reach all gates.

Total time to clear Customs, including the shuttle bus ride to the terminal, can take 30-90 minutes. For connecting passengers, this should be ample, since the Narita flight arrives at 9:45 am (Winter 2016 schedule) and its domestic connections mostly departing in the 12:30 - 1:30 pm range.

Click here to open the PDX interactive map (Port of Portland)

Navigating the Airport

PDX uses a sideways-H shaped building, with the main terminal and parking areas in the middle and east side. On the south side are Concourses A (Alaska-Horizon's commuter gates), B (for Alaska Airlines), and the long Concourse C (Alaska, American, Frontier, Southwest, and JetBlue.)

On the north side are Concourses D (Delta, Hawaiian, Spirit, and Virgin America) and E (United and Air Canada.)

There is a connector passageway between the north and south sides so that you do not have to leave the secure zone to make connections. This passageway has moving sidewalks, as do stretches of the C, D, and E concourses. These concourses are noticeably wider than at most airports, so even during busy times you don't feel crushed by the crowd.

The A-gates for Alaska-Horizon are located on the ground level, which you can access by elevator or escalator. These are used by the commuter and regional aircraft heading to places like Medford, Boise, and Spokane. This part of the airport is busy and often crowded, although food and restrooms are convenient. If you’re connecting home on Horizon, finding private space to hold your family and bags will be a challenge.

Family-friendly Amenities and Hidden Gems

Portland offers two different kids' play areas. The larger one, with active-play elements such as a jungle gym, slides, and a lookout tower (with a telescope to view the tarmac), is in the main terminal just outside the security checkpoint for Concourses D-E. There’s a general seating area between it and the main walkway, so you’ll need to watch closely for it.

At the end of Concourse C, there's another, smaller, play area with games, puzzles, video, and plenty of space to relax. It’s conveniently located next to a food court, too, so the parents can have a bite to eat while the kids burn off some energy. Creative Kidstuff has a shop near gate C8 if you need to pick up a few more toys or surprises, and there are several outlets of hometown bookstore Powell’s around the complex, well-stocked with kids’ books and activity materials.

PDX features live music performances year-round and rotating art exhibitions. Portland loves its public sculptures, and there are several here as well that kids are magnetically drawn to. The airport will be opening a free mini-movie theater in Spring 2016 to show short films by local artists and about the region!

If you’re looking for a quiet spot, head for the halfway point on the concourse connector, where there are cushy seats, a great view of the tarmac and mountains, some open space and not that much foot traffic.

Restrooms

Airports in the Pacific Northwest have good-quality restrooms, and Portland is no exception. Stalls in men’s and women’s restrooms are ample and include a fold-down shelf to set a small bag on. Lighting is adequate and the toilets and sinks are in very good condition. The toilets are equipped with dual-flush handles (up for #1, down for #2.)  Restrooms are cleaned frequently and are well-maintained.

Specific family restrooms are located near gates A2, C3, and D1 (especially good for maneuvering strollers); however, general restrooms are located every few gates.

Food and Shopping

PDX presents an abundance of food and shopping choices both inside and outside the security zone. In the central building (outside security) the Oregon Market houses 25 food and merchandise vendors, including an outpost of hometown brand Nike. Inside the secure zone, there is a smaller court halfway along Concourse D, and two courts along Concourse C, incorporating a creative mix of national and local brands, so while you can get your fix of Starbucks or Wendy’s, you can also try something from the Flying Elephants Deli, Pizza Schmizza, or the Coffee People. Finally, additional shops and restaurants are scattered among the concourses outside of the food courts.

Connectivity

WiFi is available in all the gate areas and is free.

Portland's MAX light rail serves PDX with the Red Line, linking it southwest to Chinatown in less than 35 minutes and Downtown in under 40. Connections to the Blue and Green Lines are available at the Gateway transit center, less than 15 minutes from the terminal, allowing fast access to neighborhoods to the south and east of the airport.

Also see:

Our Pinterest board on Portland

Dallas / Ft. Worth - DFW

An airport “as big as Texas.”

DFW is the third-busiest airport in the world, located in the heart of the rapidly-growing Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex, halfway between those cities. Corporate center for giants such as ExxonMobil, AT&T, JCPenney, EDS, and Kimberly-Clark, the area started as an important rail center, agricultural and finance hub. Strong transport links - not just road, rail, and air, but also pipeline and dataline - promoted business expansion and population growth.

American Airlines (AA) was an early pioneer, sending their first transcontinental line through here, and significantly building their operation after the collapse of rival Braniff in the early 1980s. Today, American controls about 4/5 of the airport’s gates with frequent service to all major US points and regional service extending from the Desert Southwest up into the Great Plains, Great Lakes, and the Deep South.

American is very strong in Latin America and Europe out of DFW, with a steadily growing portfolio of nonstops to Asia - in Summer 2017, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Seoul, and Tokyo. American’s oneworld alliance partners JAL and Cathay Pacific provide plenty of onward connections throughout all of East and Southeast Asia. JAL has recently introduced a DFW - Tokyo Narita nonstop to complement AA's service. American also has codeshare connections inside China with Hainan Airlines.

The SkyTeam alliance serves DFW from Asia several times per week with a Korean Air nonstop from Seoul-Incheon, which is timed well for flights from Guangzhou and Hong Kong. While Delta is also in SkyTeam, DL and KE don’t cooperate on this route ... in fact, American and Korean Air now have a codeshare arrangement on each other’s DFW-ICN flights!

DFW has been attracting an impressive array of international carriers who may also have interesting fares and flight times to East Asia, including Emirates via Dubai, Etihad via Abu Dhabi, and Qatar via Doha.  Qantas flies one of the longest nonstops in the world, from DFW to Sydney, in case you have a South Pacific stopover in mind!

Customs Arrival

All flights from Asia arrive at Terminal D. You'll exit the aircraft and follow a walkway over the gate area to passport control, then descend below the gates to the ground floor for baggage claim / inspection. (As with other US airports, be sure to notice which lines are for American citizens and use those.)

If you’re connecting to another flight, take your bags to the airline counter and then proceed through security back upstairs to the gate level.  If you’re driving home or taking ground transportation, head out to the reception area on the ground level.

Total time once off the airplane, through customs and back through security into the gate area, is usually 30-45 minutes per traveler reviews (although some US citizens have said as little as 20 minutes.) DFW has recently introduced automated passport kiosks for US citizens and these have the potential to bring wait times down even further.

Click on image to open the DFW Airport terminal information guide (DFW Airport)

Navigating the Airport

DFW's terminals and gates are arranged in five separate buildings:

• Terminal A (American mainline)
• Terminal B (American regional services - small jets)
• Terminal C (American mainline)
• Terminal D (International services)
• Terminal E (Delta, United, Frontier, Spirit, a few American flights, and other domestic carriers)

The terminals are bisected by the main access highway, parking ramps, and hotels.

Terminal D was the most-recently constructed and feels like a modern, world-class facility with plenty of natural light, good sightlines, and packed with family-pleasing amenities. 

Each terminal is shaped like a half-circle and takes about 5 minutes to walk from end to end. Terminals A, B, C, and E were built in the early 1970s out of poured gray concrete, and as the curve in each terminal’s hallway prevents you from seeing where you’re going, all gates tend to look alike. The halls are a bit too narrow for the traffic they get, and there are stores and restaurants squeezed into every niche, so you have to pay close attention to where you’re going - if to not get run over, then not to miss your gate.

Terminal C will be either the last to be overhauled, or else it will be torn down and replaced with a structure more like Terminal D. In either case, it looks like there will be a sixth building, Terminal F, constructed before Terminal C's final status. American has made some improvements, however, and this gate looks far more comfortable than it did in 2010...

Terminal E is undergoing renovation in 2017, and this is an example of a completed gate - a real upgrade compared to the Terminal C gates...

Reconstruction is underway on these older buildings to improve this situation, taking design cues from Terminal D. There is much more natural light and a bit more seating space in the refurbished areas, and plenty of power outlets to recharge your devices.

Above the gate level, inside the security zone, Skylink trams loop through each terminal, with tracks going in both directions. From one terminal to the next takes only about 2-3 minutes; from Terminal A to Terminal D takes about 9 minutes. You get a great view of the entire airport from the Skylink, and the stations are bright, sunny, and clean.

Bridges with moving sidewalks connect Terminals A & B; A & C; C & D; and B & D. If you’re coming in at Terminal C, it will be faster to take the bridge to Terminal D than to use the Skylink (although you can sit down on the train, and the view is wonderful...)

Family-friendly Amenities and Hidden Gems

DFW has been investing in updating the older terminals, and flyers with kids have already seen benefits. In addition, Terminal D was constructed with families’ needs in mind from the ground up.

Play areas can now be found in 4 of the 5 terminals, with 2 in Terminal D (but none in Terminal A.) The small play area near D-33 is hooked up to the McDonald’s, and the Pepsi-sponsored areas near B-12 and C-14 are aviation-themed with play planes and towers to clamber over. There are also modest play areas with kid-sized furniture at D-10 and E-23.

Specialty stores for kids include Gepetto's at A-15

Places to find quiet and open space are tricky to find at a busy airport, but DFW has made a strong effort recently to create pockets of calm throughout the complex. There are “comfort lounges” set up in several locations in each terminal, plus spaces on the gate level near most Skylink stations, which have more personal-space, are out of the flow of traffic, and often feature comfy chairs.   

Samsung is sponsoring “Mobile Travel Lounges” in each terminal with subdued lighting, ample power for recharging, sophisticated decor and plush seating. (Not really the best place for kids, but heavenly for Mama or Baba to decompress in...)

The Skylink stations are an altogether different experience from the gate-level areas in Terminals A, B, C, and E - bright and uncluttered with a tremendous view. The stations are also populated with large commissioned artworks (as is Terminal D), and the terrazzo floors are great for kids to examine and create stories about.

Restrooms

DFW has an ample number of restrooms; you’re always within eyeshot of at least one set from any gate. In Terminals A, B, and C there are four dedicated family restrooms; 3 are located in Terminal E, and in Terminal D, all 10 locations have family facilities.

Family restrooms feature a large, enclosed toilet stall and have a fold-down changing station, electric sockets, and a chair. They can be locked for privacy.

Standard restrooms are well-maintained, if showing their age in the older terminals. Stalls do not have shelving and are generally not big enough to manage your bags and a child. In the men’s restrooms, there is usually a shelf over the urinals to set a bag. Both men’s and women’s restrooms include changing tables.

Food and Shopping

Overall, DFW has managed to fit in a generous selection of vendors, balancing low-cost and luxury, fast food and slow, t-shirts to Brooks Brothers, with a growing selection as remodeling is completed.

Terminal D was designed to accommodate more food and shopping like more-recent airports, and it does not fail to impress, with over 24 food outlets and 20+ storefronts in the secure zone. Terminal A’s redevelopment has also expanded food court areas, and there are over 20 places to eat in that building as well, with 19 shops. Terminal C is the next-best for choices (27 food and 16 shops), with less-used Terminal E coming in with 19 food / 11 shops. The American Eagle-dedicated Terminal B has only 13 eating choices and 7 shops - walk next door to Terminal D for better selection if you have the time.

If you have time, a unique shopping experience can be had at the far northern end of Terminal C, where you'll find the DFW Employee Store - open to the public, too - for a fun selection of airline-themed apparel, toys, and travel gear, some of which you won't find anywhere else.

Connectivity

WiFi is available for free from AT&T. There are free wired Internet and power connections near 3-4 gates in each terminal. Samsung also sponsors “mobile travel lounges” at two gates each in Terminals A, B, C, and D.

Take shuttle buses from the ground floor of each terminal to access the DART station.

The DART light rail Orange Line now connects DFW to downtown Dallas and beyond from its station next to Terminal A. Trip time is about one hour to the main station downtown. 

Trinity Railway Express serves DFW at a remote station (which can be accessed by free Remote South shuttle bus). Trains travel to both downtown Ft. Worth and downtown Dallas, Monday through Saturday; there is no Sunday service.