The busiest holiday air travel period is about to begin, with the Port of Portland predicting that nearly 693,000 passengers will flow through Portland International Airport between Tuesday and Jan. 2. During the busiest holiday days — Dec. 21, 26 and 27 — PDX expects to serve approximately 46,000 travelers each day, a nearly 30 percent increase over an average day this time of year.
Overall, the airport is predicted to serve about 5 percent more travelers than last holiday season and should close out 2012 nearing the record of more than 14.6 million passengers, established in 2007. Last year, PDX served 13.8 million passengers.
The Port of Portland says that travelers on flights departing before 8 a.m., or between 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., should arrive at the airport two hours before takeoff. Travelers on international flights, with children, or with disabilities or medical conditions that could impact travel should add an additional 30 minutes to their arrival time.
