PDX Summer Travel Season Begins, Sunday Will Be Busiest Day

PORTLAND, OR — Summer travel season is here, and the number of travelers through Portland International Airport was expected to exceed last year but still fall significantly below 2019, the last year before the pandemic, the Port of Portland, which runs the airport, said Thursday.

Sunday was expected to be the busiest travel day of the summer, with more than 51,000 people expected to pass through PDX, the port said in its annual summer preview.

The port forecast that June will be the busiest travel month of the summer, with at least 50,000 people flying in or out of the airport on 10 days during the month, officials said.

By the end of the summer, 4.2 million were expected to travel through PDX. That's above the 3.8 million in 2021 but well below the 5.7 million who used the airport in 2019, according to the port.

Port officials offered several pieces of advice for travelers.

"It's said every season but bears repeating: Get to the airport early," port spokeswoman Kama Simmonds said, adding that travelers should confirm their departure details beforehand.

Construction continues on the airport's new main terminal, and travelers should expect a lot of noise, Simonds said. People can get earplugs in the ticket lobby before passing through security.

Speaking of security, with construction underway, there are no longer any shortcuts between concourses, Simonds said.

"Make sure to to follow the signs to the security checkpoint noted on your boarding pass," Simonds said.

More information, including flight status, can be found on the airport's website.