Alaska’s New Portland Lounge Is a Love Letter to the PNW

Alaska Airlines is bringing a new elevated lounge experience to Portland International Airport (PDX), in more ways than one.

Located one floor above ground level, the space overlooks the airport’s impressive departure hall, and will easily become its prettiest lounge when it officially opens Thursday after more than two years of construction and nearly $18 million in investment.

The lounge marks a major aesthetic upgrade over Alaska’s previous PDX outposts and will also debut an enhanced food program as part of a push toward more premium experiences across the airline’s lounge network.

Here are the details of the preview that TPG had before its opening.

Alaska Lounge Location in PDX

The lounge is located just steps from the airport’s south security checkpoint, which serves concourses B and C. Since the airline’s flights use gates B and C, it is a convenient location for all Alaska travelers, regardless of which terminal they depart from. It will operate daily from 4:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

With the arrival of the new lounge, the airline will close the PDX lounges it currently operates: the Alaska Lounge in Concourse C and a smaller Alaska Express Lounge in Concourse B.

Alaska Lounge PDX Size and Design

Measuring approximately 14,000 square feet and seating more than 230, the new space is double the size of the old one in terms of floor space and capacity.

Like the airport that houses it, the new lounge takes every opportunity to incorporate a sense of place, starting with the massive six-layer wood mural of Oregon’s iconic Mount Hood that greets guests as they enter on the ground floor.

After taking the stairs or elevator, visitors will find links to the Pacific Northwest throughout the space, from the natural woods to the themed decorative book stacks on the shelves. All of these elements blend seamlessly with the blues and greens of the airline’s color scheme, which are subtly repeated throughout the space.

Food and drinks are concentrated in two areas: a sleek bar with televisions and hanging lamps, and a wrap-around buffet that faces a soda and water station.

The lounge has no shortage of seating options, from signature Alaska loungers to private booths perfect for working; Almost all offer power outlets and charging ports, and Wi-Fi is available everywhere. I predict that some of the most coveted spots will be those clustered around a cozy glass-enclosed fireplace and those with prime views of the runway, where you can watch Alaska jets and fighter jets take off and land.

Guests will also have a unique opportunity to sit facing the interior of the airport. Perhaps the hall’s most striking feature is its open-air design, allowing visitors to look out over a departure hall with a 9-acre timber roof and live trees, hallmarks of a continuous multi-million dollar renovation.

“We looked at different roof options, but we came back to the fact that ‘why would you cover that?’ Shane Jones, senior vice president of fleet, income products and Alaska real estate, told TPG in an interview. “It was an amazing way for us to do something unique to Portland.”

Alaska Lounge PDX food and drinks

The PDX lounge is the first to open with Alaska’s new Elevated Foods program, in partnership with Sodexo Live. Right now, the program is only available in Anchorage and Honolulu, and will arrive in Seattle in July before rolling out to the rest of the lounge network.

Expect to find selections like roasted carrots with orange blossom and cracked pepper, and rosemary and cherry glazed chicken on the hot buffet, as well as a make-your-own crepe section with sweet and savory options.

But not all of the hall’s food is new, and that’s a good thing. Like its predecessor, this lounge features a guest-favorite pancake printing machine, which is a fun novelty.

TPG Credit Card Editor (and fellow Portland local) Olivia Mittak and I loved all the food we tried. In particular, he highlighted the layers of leek and wild thyme with breakfast bites of hollandaise and egg and cheese.

Meanwhile, my winners were the spring pea tortellini with lemon-herb cream and the oatmeal, which was strangely addictive even without toppings.

As for desserts, a pastry box included cookies, scones, chocolate cake pans, and small slices of blackberry cheesecake crumble, which were my favorites.

And in a city known for its beer, wine and coffee, the lounge doesn’t skimp on the drinks. It serves drinks from Stumptown Coffee Roasters, which partners with Alaska to supply a custom coffee blend on all of the airline’s flights, along with a list of West Coast wines and local beers on tap.

Meanwhile, the complimentary cocktail menu includes classics like martinis and mimosas, as well as the seasonal “Summer Crush,” a tequila-based pink drink with an opalescent shimmer, and the “Summit Sunset,” a special blend of bourbon and amaro exclusive to Atmos™ Rewards Summit Visa Infinite® Credit Card card holders. Premium liquors are available for a fee.

Related: Atmos Rewards Summit cardholders now get free fancy cocktails at select Alaska Airlines lounges

PDX Alaska Lounge Access

If you want to visit the lounge yourself, you have a few options (which are consistent across Alaska’s lounge network).

Alaska Lounge and Alaska Lounge+ members can access the space as part of their memberships, which cost $595 and $795 a year, respectively.

Eligible first class passengers and eligible passengers flying one world Members can also enter free of charge (see our Complete guide to accessing Alaska Lounge for more details).

If you don’t fall into any of these categories, you can use the following credit cards to gain access:

• Atmos™ Visa Infinite Rewards Summit: Earn up to eight lounge passes per year (two per calendar quarter) to use on same-day flights on Alaska, Hawaii or other Oneworld partner flights.
• Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® (see rates and fees): Cardholders receive free access to the Admirals Club. Therefore, with this card, you can access Alaska lounges when you fly on an Alaska Airlines, American Airlines or Hawaiian Airlines flight on the same day. Please note that access is limited to primary cardholders and does not extend to authorized users. You must have your physical card to enter the Alaska lounge.

Related: Why the Atmos Rewards Summit was our new favorite personal credit card last year

In a nutshell

Alaska’s new PDX lounge is a welcome addition at an airport that lacks comparable premium lounge options. It is a great place to relax, work or enjoy the view of your choice. And in an airport packed with local restaurants, their food still manages to stand out.

With more and more passengers connecting through Portland in the coming years, Alaska travelers should have more and more opportunities to see the lounge for themselves, and it’s worth setting aside some extra time to take advantage.

Meanwhile, Alaska is hard at work on three upcoming lounge openings: a mammoth 41,000-plus-square-foot space iconic lounge in Seattleinaugurated in 2027; a new salon in San Diego, opening in early 2028; and an expanded salon in Honolulualso scheduled for early 2028.

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