Get there: For American travelers looking to visit Osaka, United Airlines operates nonstop flights to Kansai International Airport from San Francisco, Japan Airlines flies a nonstop route from Los Angeles, and Hawaiian Airlines has nonstop flights from Honolulu.
The new PDX airport is inspired by the forests of the Pacific Northwest.
Ema Peter/Port of Portland
Portland International Airport Main Terminal
Portland’s new terminal brings the beauty of the Pacific Northwest indoors by emulating Oregon’s lush forests. In fact, architecture firm ZGF said the terminal’s design concept was inspired by walks in the forest, with the goal of creating a similarly immersive and calming experience for passengers. The most distinctive feature is the building’s wave-like roof made of nine acres of local Oregon timber, sourced from landowners and mills within 300 miles of the airport, including community forests practicing sustainable forestry.
The terminal follows the concept of biophilia, or the tendency for humans to seek out nature. Main walkways throughout the terminal are filled with sunlight and greenery: There are 72 large trees inside the building that stretch up to 25 feet tall, as well as 5,000 other green plants sprouting throughout the space. The timber roof slats diffuse light in a similar manner as a forest canopy, and 60% of the terminal is bathed by natural light.
In the concessions hall, local purveyors like Blue Star Donuts + Coffee, Mo’s Seafood & Chowder, and Powell’s Books contribute to the strong sense of place. There’s even a microcinema showcasing short films by local filmmakers. The new terminal is designed to double the airport’s capacity and accommodate 35 million passengers a year by 2045.
Get there: Portland International Airport (PDX) is a hub for Alaska Airlines, and a focus city for other major US carriers like Delta, American, and United.
SFO’s new Harvey Milk Terminal 1 features creative design touches that highlight San Francisco’s local arts scene.
Jason O’Rear
San Francisco International Airport Terminal 1
SFO’s newest building sports some impressive statistics, but they have nothing to do with passenger numbers. Rather, it’s the respectable size of the facility’s carbon footprint that is awe-inspiring. The recent in-depth renovation has shrunk the building’s carbon output by 79% and reduced its overall energy usage by 59%. Other impressive numbers include a waste diversion rate of over 90% and a 50% reduction in potable water use.
Efficient design elements such as fritted glass for glare reduction, photovoltaic panels fitted to the roof, and a low-carbon baggage handling system all added up to create major results. The architectural teams at Gensler and Kuth Ranieri even installed two plumbing systems to separate non-potable water to be used in flushing fixtures and for landscaping.
But amid all of these reductions, passengers don’t have to sacrifice any aspect of comfort. The terminal has spacious skylights throughout for doses of sunlight as well as creative design touches to highlight San Francisco’s unique arts and crafts style. The building is also home to the SFO museum, which is the world’s only accredited museum inside an airport.
Get there: Alaska Airlines is the largest domestic carrier operating out of SFO’s Harvey Milk Terminal 1. American Airlines, JetBlue, and Southwest Airlines also offer flights.