Hacks for Enjoying Your Time at PDX International

If you’ve got holiday travel coming up, we’ve got your back. While we can’t stop delays or cancellations, these hacks will help take your airport experience from miserable to enjoyable.

Getting To and From PDX

If you’re traveling for a short trip, it sometimes is really worth it to pay to park at the airport garage or economy lot, especially if you are considering taking a ride share otherwise.

You can also schedule your rides ahead of time through Uber and Lyft so when you land, you don’t have to wait for a car or worry about surge pricing.

Or skip the hassle of ride shares and parking, and instead take the MAX.

Where to eat, drink, and shop

With so many good options at the airport, we turned to you, our readers, who shared some of your can’t-miss spots in PDX:

• “Before TSA — Loyal Legion (even if we're not flying somewhere), after TSA — Screen Door.” — Anonymous
• “I love to pop by the Straightaway Cocktails kiosk for their roaming mixologist flight.” — Lila
• “I love grabbing a small gift for those I'm going to visit from Powell's or Tender Loving Empire. And a bowl of pho (from Bambuza) or clam chowder (from Mo’s).” — Em
• “I love grabbing a journal, some new pencils, compact art supplies, and some sassy cards from Paper Epiphanies. They have a giant pink mailbox too!” — Kelley

And we aren’t gatekeeping our favorites. For a hearty meal, we recommend trying the bowls and burritos from Cafe Yumm! or a saucy pasta with wine from Grassa. Or, if you’d prefer a quicker grab-and-go option, look for sandwiches from local chain Elephant’s Delicatessen at the markets.

Also be sure to grab coffee from Stumptown (it’s right after security, so don’t miss it) or a cocktail from Juliett if that’s more the vibe.

Other Tips and Tricks

Happen to have some time before you need to board? Chill out in the sensory room in Concourse D, which was co-designed by the Autism Society of Oregon and features fidget puzzles, comfy seating, and a quieter atmosphere. Or catch a short film at PDX's Hollywood Theatre.

One last pro tip — cut down on the amount of time you have to spend in worse airports and find travel destinations without layovers by going to pdx.com/NonstopDestinations.