Alaska opens new Portland lounge after $18M upgrade

Alaska opens – After more than two years of construction and nearly $18 million in investment, Alaska Airlines is opening a new, larger Portland International Airport lounge on Thursday. The space sits just past the south security checkpoint, doubles capacity to more than 23

Thursday morning in Portland starts with a fresh kind of waiting. Alaska Airlines is finally opening its new lounge at Portland International Airport (PDX), perched one floor above the departures hall and designed to look, feel, and taste like an upgrade from the airline’s previous spaces.

The lounge officially opens on Thursday after more than two years of construction and nearly $18 million in investment. It’s positioned just steps past the airport’s south security checkpoint. which serves the B and C concourses—convenient for Alaska travelers regardless of whether their departure gate falls in B or C. The lounge will operate daily from 4:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

With the new Alaska Lounge at PDX coming online, Alaska will shutter its existing Portland outposts: the Alaska Lounge on Concourse C and a smaller Alaska Express Lounge on Concourse B.

Inside, the scale is a clear statement. The new space measures approximately 14. 000 square feet and features more than 230 seats—twice the size of the old lounge in both square footage and capacity. The first thing guests see is a massive. six-layer wooden mural of Oregon’s iconic Mount Hood. greeting them as they enter on the ground floor.

Upstairs. the Pacific Northwest influences show up in smaller. deliberate touches: natural woods. themed decorative book stacks. and colors that nod to Alaska’s blues and greens throughout the lounge. Two central areas anchor the food and drinks—a bar with TVs and hanging light fixtures. and a wraparound buffet across from a soda and water station.

Seating options span Alaska’s signature loungers and private booths designed for working. Nearly all seats offer power outlets and charging ports, and Wi-Fi is available throughout. Some of the most coveted spots are expected to be those clustered around a cozy. glass-enclosed fireplace and seats with prime runway views. where guests can watch Alaska planes as well as fighter jets taking off and landing. There are also seats facing the airport’s interior. made possible by the lounge’s open-air design—one that looks out over a departures hall with a 9-acre timber roof and live trees.

That open-air concept reflects a core decision behind the build. Shane Jones. Alaska’s senior vice president of fleet. revenue products and real estate. said in an interview that Alaska “looked at different ceiling options” but “kept coming back to the fact that. ‘why would you cover that up?’” He called it “an amazing way for us to do something unique in Portland.”.

Food is part of the headline too. The PDX lounge is the first to open with Alaska’s new elevated food program, in partnership with Sodexo Live. Right now, the program is only live in Anchorage and Honolulu. It will come to Seattle in July before rolling out across the rest of the lounge network.

The menu includes items such as roasted carrots with orange blossom and cracked pepper. and rosemary-cherry-glazed chicken on the hot buffet. There’s also a make-your-own crepe section with both sweet and savory options. Some favorites remain unchanged—like the guest-favorite pancake-printing machine, a playful carryover from the previous lounge.

Beverages lean into Portland’s local tastes. The lounge serves drinks from Stumptown Coffee Roasters. including a custom coffee blend on all of Alaska’s flights. plus a list of West Coast wines and local beers on draft. A complimentary cocktail menu includes classics such as martinis and mimosas. along with the seasonal “Summer Crush. ” described as a pink. tequila-based drink with an opalescent shimmer. There’s also the “Summit Sunset. ” a special bourbon and amaro drink available exclusively for Atmos™ Rewards Summit Visa Infinite® credit card cardholders. Premium spirits are available for a charge.

Access to the lounge follows Alaska’s existing network structure, with multiple ways to get in. Alaska Lounge and Alaska Lounge+ members can access the space through memberships that cost $595 and $795 a year, respectively. Eligible first-class passengers and eligible passengers flying Oneworld partners can also enter without charge.

For travelers without membership status, credit cards provide another route. Atmos™ Rewards Summit Visa Infinite offers up to eight lounge passes per year—two per calendar quarter—for use on same-day Alaska. Hawaiian or other Oneworld partner flights. The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® provides complimentary Admirals Club access. which means Alaska lounge access is available when flying on a same-day Alaska Airlines. American Airlines or Hawaiian Airlines flight. Access is limited to primary cardholders and is not extended to authorized users. and guests must have their physical card to enter the Alaska lounge.

Portland doesn’t have many comparable premium lounge options, and this opening aims to fill that gap. With the lounge’s standout views. its larger footprint. and an elevated food program that’s rolling out across the network. Alaska is betting that more passengers will connect through PDX in the coming years.

The airline’s next lounge moves are already in motion too: Alaska plans a 41,000-plus square-foot landmark lounge in Seattle opening in 2027, a new lounge in San Diego opening in early 2028, and an expanded lounge in Honolulu also slated for early 2028.

Alaska Airlines Portland International Airport PDX lounge lounge opening Sodexo Live Atmos Rewards Summit Visa Infinite Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite Wi-Fi Mount Hood mural Pacific Northwest design Seattle lounge 2027