Portland International Airport gears up for spring break travel surge

PORTLAND, Ore. (KPTV) - With Friday marking the start of spring break for many people in Oregon, the Portland International Airport is gearing up for another travel surge.

Officials at PDX said they are expecting around 40,000 people to pass through the airport each day of the spring break travel season. They’re advising people to get to the airport about two hours early.

One traveler FOX 12 spoke with did not heed to that advice. Javier Hernandez Jr. is now heading home when he should be headed to New Jersey.

“We came late, found parking, came here, told we were a couple minutes late so that’s it,” Hernandez said. “And, we asked all the other flights that flew over there but they said they’re all sold out or too expensive and stuff like that.”

Hernandez and his dad had a flight departing from PDX at 6:30 a.m., but didn’t arrive inside the airport until 5:45 a.m. He said parking took him longer than he expected.

“All the floor levels were all full, so we had to find one up there,” he said.

If you’re flying out of PDX between Friday and April 10, you may see congested parking garages as well. The airport said the busy spring break season will bring anywhere from about 35,000-44,000 passengers with the busiest day being Thursday, March 17.

In anticipation for the crowds, Talia Stein made sure she and her kids got to the airport with plenty of time to spare.

“We got here a little more than two hours early. So far, it’s been great,” she said. “We just did the curbside check-in. There was no line or anything.”

Even though state mandates have expired in both Oregon and Washington, masks are still required at PDX, on planes, and on any public transit.

To check parking availability at PDX, click here.

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