Soon, the concourse discussion at Portland International Airport will start with the letter B. 

Expansions and construction at PDX will make the Pacific Northwest city’s airport’s concourse alphabet plenty weird, in keeping with the theme of the city, as PDX sets to demolish Concourse A to make room for a full Concourse B expansion, all while continuing work on an extension to Concourse E. 

The $2 billion project at the Portland airport is in full swing, with plans to demolish Concourse A starting in November, allowing work to start on the Concourse B expansion immediately. Already, work on expanding Concourse E is expected to open in spring 2020. The Concourse B expansion, originally slated for a 2021 opening, could be ready as early as June 2020. Skanska is serving as the contractor for the PDX work. 

The Concourse E project, designed by Hennebery Eddy and Fentress, creates six new gates for Southwest Airlines along with space for seven new shops and restaurants. 

At PDX, Concourses C and D are the only full-sized concourses available, although the expansion to Concourse E will bring it on par with the other two main concourses. Plans include a daylight-filled aesthetic that include a sky-wall of upper windows and a wall of windows on the east end to offer views toward Mount Hood. 

The seven new retail spots include the state’s famed Tillamook creamery, independent record label and craft boutique Tender Loving Empire and a bar dedicated to women in aviation from the Lightning Bar Collective. The interior design will include new seating, outlets aplenty, concessionaires clustered together and faster WiFi. 

By removing the oldest part of the Portland International Airport, the cramped Concourse A, which serves Alaska Airlines, Portland will extend the three-gate Concourse B by six new gates for Alaska Airlines to open in 2020. Previous Concourse A Alaska flights will move to Concourse C during the construction.

The design from ZGF Architects will feature floor-to-ceiling windows, leafy foliage and two new culinary options with Good Coffee and Screen Door, a popular Portland brunch location known for fried chicken and waffles. 

A new YGH Architects-designed update to the transportation area outside the terminal is also on the flight plan for PDX expansion. Set for a fall 2023 opening, expect space for light rail and bike-path enhancements, along with a transit hub with 2,400 parking spots and on-site rental cars. 

PDX plans to double the size of the current ticketing and lobby area when it opens in 2025, aiming to keep pace with the annual passenger jump from 20 million to 35 million expected in the future. Skanska will also handle this project.

The $2 billion price tag to nearly double the size of the main terminal comes from airport tenants, including the airlines, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Transportation Security Administration. 

Follow Tim Newcomb on Twitter at @tdnewcomb.