It’s great knowing that Portland International Airport has been ranked the best airport in the country six years in a row. It may only have one terminal but it has all of the major carriers and destinations. Parking is a breeze too. As the sign says, “Just follow the green lights.” As you can see in the photo there are lights over each and every parking spot: Red means it’s occupied and Green means it’s available. Always a good experience.

I’ve only been to a handful of airports but PDX definitely has some of the nicest and most patient staff members I’ve encountered. Even TSA and security usually sport smiles and often ask how your day is going. The airport never seems to get unbearably crowded and has exceptionally good food and drink.

The shops are obviously a little pricey, like any airport. The shops and restaurants available are amazing. There’s cute little coffee shops and Portland good food. One of the best airports I’ve ever been lucky to go too.

It was the end of my spring break 2018 road trip from LA to Portland along the coast. The love of my life was gone, driving away, until we one day reunited, and I was on an Easter evening Southwest flight home to Burbank. The usual shuffling through lines and scrambling through screening, but this time with a decent manhandling by TSA, including a swab to my palm and a quick computer scan they said was to check for ‘chemicals’ (but, hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if the sample added me to some government genetic-crime record database). It would have been nice to know a little more about what I committed to ... Still, TSA staff was professional, and as much as such experiences can be, respectful to me during the quick and otherwise only-mildly-awkward process of checking my bio-status. Shoes and safety first, always! Amen. Strolled by Henry’s Tavern in C-Gate and ordered an egg sandwich to go from a friendly manager also from Southern California, who made no apologies about living in Portland but still not being used to or even really liking the rain. I appreciated the candor, because as an Angeleno who loves hiking the great outdoors as well as moderately invasive crowds, traffic, parking issues and cost-of-living challenges, my week in Oregon started to make me feel like home in LA might be robbing me of heaven ... What cheered me up after I was all settled down on the flight back to La-La Land was the dapper attendant in a black vest and red tie who helped me get seated and situated. After the flight took off and he asked me what I’d like to drink, I asked him how much for a Whiskey & Coke. He said $7, and so, since I’d been riding the tail of a pricey trip - I opted for the free orange juice instead. After he mistook a customer’s order, he dropped by my seat a few minutes later and offered me the waste: a double of my first choice. Turned out to be a short and darn-pleasant 2-hour flight! Thank you, Southwest and staff, for a touch of class people don’t always mention after flying commercial airlines. Your attendant’s kind consideration made a great end for my getaway to Oregon. Likewise, I handed him a $2-bill - not much of a tip, really - but something I keep in my wallet to give to others, for good luck.

The Portland airport is much smaller than my home airport (DIA), but wasn't overly crowded and was easy to get around. They have an easy way to access rideshare options.