Portland, Oregon – Air travelers might notice bigger crowds and longer lines at PDX, starting today. Portland airport officials say it’s the start of their annual spring break travel rush. More than 100-thousand people will travel through PDX today and tomorrow. Between now and April 7th — nearly a million travelers will have come through Portland’s airport.
Spring break travelers are arriving in droves at PDX this morning. KXL’s Pat Boyle is there and says travelers will notice some changes as they head to the terminal.
Spring Break Travel Takes Off at PDX
Feeling rushed yet pining for pastrami from Kenny & Zuke’s Delicatessen? Running behind schedule yet still want to bring your mother-in-law a gift from Tender Loving Empire?
Portland International Airport is gearing up for the spring break travel surge by offering more convenient options to access the airport’s award-winning restaurants and retail outlets before catching a flight.
Starting this Friday, March 22, app-based delivery service AtYourGate will be operating at PDX, providing travelers the opportunity to have food and retail goods delivered to their airport location.
PDX will be the sixth airport where this service operates but the first airport location nationally to offer three convenient options: order and pick up yourself, delivery for now (within an hour of flight) or scheduled delivery (up to 24 hours before flight).
The company launches its service with options from more than 10 airport restaurants and retailers including Kenny & Zuke’s Delicatessen, Bangkok Express, Pendleton and Tender Loving Empire. Download the app or check the airport’s website for a full list of participating airport establishments.
Spring Break Stats
Roughly 955,000 travelers are expected during the peak spring travel period, spanning March 21 through April 7 and encompassing both Oregon and Washington school spring breaks.
On the airport’s busiest forecasted days—March 21 & 22 and April 1—roughly 57,000 travelers will pass through PDX each day, compared to the normal daily average of almost 51,000 during this time of year.
PDX set an all-time passenger record—19.8 million travelers—in 2018. While it’s still early in the year, the airport is on track to surpass that record for 2019.
Fast Forward to Summer
Staying put for spring and looking forward to summer? Still deciding on your summer sojourn? Consider these international cities—each reached by simply one flight from PDX.
Add these flights to the year-round nonstop service offered to Tokyo and Amsterdam (Delta); and Calgary and Vancouver, Canada (Air Canada), and—as they say—the world is your oyster.
Additionally, Sun Country Airlines is expanding service to domestic destinations, giving PDX travelers more options for travel in the coming months with the start of flights from Portland to Nashville, Tennessee (May 2); San Antonio (June 5); and St. Louis (June 7).
More from TSA:
Appointments now available to enroll in TSA Pre✓® at Portland International Airport in April PDX enrollment center open for four weeks only starting April 1, 2019
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) today announced that local residents can enroll in TSA Pre✓ ® at Portland International Airport (PDX) for a four-week period starting Monday, April 1, 2019. Those interested in enrolling in this popular expedited screening program ahead of the busy 2019 summer travel season should make an appointment online now to enroll anytime in April. TSA Pre✓ ®-eligible travelers screened in a dedicated TSA Pre✓ ® lane enjoy a streamlined security checkpoint screening experience. They can keep on their shoes, light outerwear and belt as well as leave laptops, electronics larger than a cell phone and travel-size liquids in their carry- on. TSA operates dedicated TSA Pre✓ ® lanes at more than 200 other airports nationwide including PDX.
To make an appointment to enroll at PDX, visit www.tsa.gov/precheck, select “Apply Now” and follow the online prompts. An in-person visit to the enrollment center is required to complete the application process. Applicants must bring a current U.S. passport or a driver license and a certified copy of a birth certificate. Fingerprints will be collected during the enrollment session. The temporary enrollment center will be open weekdays Monday, April 1 through Friday, April 26 in the baggage claim area, adjacent to carousel #2. This is near the Southwest Airlines and Alaska Airlines baggage service offices. Hours are 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., Travelers who want to enjoy the benefits of TSA Pre✓ ® on a consistent basis are encouraged to enroll in the program. The application fee is $85 and Trusted Traveler status is good for five years. It can be paid at the time of your appointment by credit card, money order, company check, or certified/cashier’s check. Cash and personal checks are not accepted. Walk-ins are permitted and will be accommodated around scheduled appointments. Once approved, individuals will receive a Known Traveler Number making them eligible to experience TSA Pre✓ ® screening at airports nationwide. Children 12 and under are permitted to
use the TSA Pre✓ ® lane when traveling with an eligible parent or guardian.
Sixty-five airlines participate in TSA Pre✓ ®. TSA continues to incorporate random and unpredictable security measures both seen and unseen throughout the airport. All travelers will be screened, and no individual is ever guaranteed expedited screening. Frequently asked questions and answers about TSA Pre✓ ® are available at tsa.gov/precheck/faq.
To date, more than 7.9 million people have enrolled in TSA Pre✓ ® nationwide. To learn more
about TSA Pre✓ ®, visit tsa.gov/precheck. For more information on the Department of Homeland Security’s four Trusted Traveler programs including, Global Entry and NEXUS, all of which provide TSA Pre✓ ® eligibility, visit dhs.gov/tt.