Transfer at Portland Airport

Portland

Portland Airport uses only one terminal with a very good distribution of individual departure gates.

The airport is a medium-sized airport with several international long-haul routes, but movement around the airport is extremely clear and distances are short. It takes no more than 10 minutes to walk from security to the furthest departure gate.

Airport map

An interactive map of the entire airport and each terminal can be found on the airport's official website: flypdx.com/Map.

Transfer between flights

With only one clear terminal, Portland PDX has one of the most convenient transfer times in the US.

Book a connecting hotel at PDX

What checks do I go through when I connect?

Checks vary depending on the type of transfer.

  • International -> International: Immigration and security check
  • International -> domestic: immigration and security check
  • Domestic -> International: no check
  • National -> national: no check

Do I have to leave the transit zone when I transfer?

If you are arriving in Portland on an international flight, you must always exit the transit zone, go through immigration. You will check in again and go through security into the transit area.

This also applies if you are transferring from an international destination to another international destination via Portland, and theoretically you would not need to enter the US.

However, there are currently no airports in the US with an international transit zone.

If you arrive on a domestic flight within the U.S., you can proceed directly to the connecting gate for both the connecting domestic and international flight.

Do I need to collect my luggage?

If you are arriving at Portland PDX from abroad, you must always pick up your luggage and re-deliver it at the check-in counter.

If you are flying from a destination within the U.S. and you have a layover of no more than 8 hours, your bag will be automatically transferred. It does not matter whether you continue on an international or domestic flight.

Do I need to apply for ESTA?

Every time you transfer from an international flight, you must collect your baggage and exit the transit area.

Therefore, you must have an electronic ESTA to enter the United States (for 21 usd online processing at the official website: esta.cbp.dhs.gov).

How long does the immigration check take?

Portland is one of the airports with a relatively small number of international flights, which is one of the reasons why the queues for immigration control here are slightly shorter than at larger airports in the USA.

In most cases, you will wait in line for 30-60 minutes for immigration.

If you miss your guaranteed connection due to the length of the immigration check, the airline will arrange the next flight free of charge. However, accommodation at the airline's expense is not provided in these cases.

Do I go through passport control on departure?

No. There is no longer an immigration check on departure from the USA.

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