Every time I pass through Portland (Oregon) International Airport, I am reminded why the Zagat Survey ranked it Number One among 30 U.S. airports — two years in a row — and why Condé Nast Traveler Business Travel Awards named it Best Domestic Airport in four out of the last five years. From the parking lot to the shopping to the free WiFi and business centers, PDX is a very traveler-friendly hub with much to offer those with a little time to kill.

It’s easy to spot open slots in the multilevel parking garage, linked to the terminal by a soaring glass roof to keep one free of the frequent Oregon liquid sunshine. Rows with free spaces show a green light, and then each individual parking slot shows a green or red light above it. Saves one from trekking all the way down an aisle only to find that what looked like an open spot is actually taken up by a compact vehicle.

If you arrive by Portland’s MAX light rail system, you are delivered at the south end of the terminal, mere steps from baggage claim and upstairs ticket counters (a much shorter trek than one finds in, say, Seattle or Chicago between transit stations and the terminals). Once inside, wide concourses and well-spaced ticketing counters keep traffic flowing. On our recent trip, we stopped for lunch before going through security — although there are plenty of delicious options on both sides of security.

The Portland airport offers “uniquely Oregon shops and restaurants” with no sales tax and prices guaranteed to be the same as non-airport sites. We enjoyed fresh, tasty food at Sandoval’s Fresh Mexican Grill; airport employees dining at a nearby table affirmed our choice by stating that they eat there often and haven’t found a disappointing dish yet. Several other favorite and traditional Portland eateries have outposts here: Flying Elephants Delicatessen, Rose’s Restaurant & Bakery, Gustav’s Pub & Grill, to name a few. One can sample some of those famous Oregon microbrews at such spots as Rogue Ales Public House and the Laurelwood Public House & Brewery.

Returning from Chicago, we gave ourselves time to do a little Christmas shopping in some of the shops with, again, several venerable Oregon companies represented (Columbia Sportswear, Nike, Pendleton). I could spend a whole day in The Real Mother Goose Gallery, admiring the incredible and beautiful jewelry, woodwork, glass art, ceramics and textiles drawn from more than 1,000 American artists and craftspeople. You can pick up unique Oregon products as mementos of your trip at the Made in Oregon shops, or hunt up a good read for the plane at Powell’s Books, Portland’s “legendary” bookseller.

As you shop or make your way to your flight, you may enjoy the soothing sounds of live musicians on grand pianos, harps or cellos scattered along the concourses. Take advantage of the terminal-wide free WiFi or stop in at one of the service centers to use a computer, access an ATM or charge your mobile device.   

If you find yourself flying in or out of Portland, try to give yourself a little extra time to enjoy some of the local treasures PDX has to offer.

— Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor