What you're seeing over Portland
Most airliners over Portland are going to or from Portland International, which sits along the Columbia River about six miles northeast of downtown. Alaska Airlines and its regional sister Horizon are the biggest carriers, with Southwest, Delta, United and American close behind.
PDX's parallel runways run east-west along the river, and the flow depends on the wind. With west winds, arrivals come in from the east over Gresham and the Columbia, and departures climb out to the west over north Portland. In winter, east winds blowing out of the Columbia River Gorge often flip the pattern. Downtown Portland, southwest of the airport, mostly sees aircraft on approach and departure routes at moderate altitudes. The Oregon Air National Guard's F-15s, based at PDX, are also a common sight, and Hillsboro Airport to the west adds business jets and flight training. If something overhead does not fit any of those categories, our step-by-step guide to identifying a plane is a good place to start.
Airports near Portland
- commercialPDXPortland International Airport
KPDX · 7 miles northeast of downtown
Oregon's main airport on the Columbia River, with Alaska and Horizon as the largest carriers. Live traffic at PDX ↗ - relieverHIOPortland-Hillsboro Airport
KHIO · 13 miles west of downtown
A busy business-aviation and flight-training airport west of Portland. Live traffic at HIO ↗ - general aviationTTDPortland-Troutdale Airport
KTTD · 14 miles east of downtown
A general aviation airport at the mouth of the Columbia River Gorge. Live traffic at TTD ↗ - general aviationKUAOAurora State Airport
KUAO · 19 miles south of downtown
A busy state-owned general aviation airport south of Portland. Live traffic at KUAO ↗
Common traffic over Portland
Alaska Airlines flies 737 MAX 9s and 737-800s from PDX, and Horizon flies E175s on regional routes. Southwest, Delta, United, American and others serve PDX, and some international flights connect Portland with Europe and Asia.
How the flows work:
- West flow, the most common: arrivals approach from the east over Gresham, Troutdale and the Columbia River, and departures climb out to the west over north Portland and Vancouver.
- East flow, common in winter with east winds from the Gorge: arrivals come in from the west over north Portland and departures climb out over Gresham.
The Oregon Air National Guard's 142nd Wing flies F-15 Eagles from PDX, often departing in pairs. FedEx and UPS freighters serve PDX, especially at night. Hillsboro handles business jets and flight training, and Intel and Nike corporate aircraft are often seen there.
Helicopters include Life Flight Network medevac, Portland Police, news crews, and occasional tour flights over the Columbia River Gorge and Mount Hood. Overflights between Seattle and California pass over the region at cruise altitude. Winter fog, rain and the occasional ice storm can slow operations. Arrivals from California commonly approach up the Willamette Valley, while flights from the east follow the Columbia River Gorge, giving some of the most scenic final approaches in the country.
Aircraft you'll often see here
Boeing 737 MAX 9
narrowbody airliner
Boeing 737-800
narrowbody airliner
Embraer E175
regional jet
Boeing 737 MAX 8
narrowbody airliner
Airbus A320
narrowbody airliner
Airbus A321
narrowbody airliner
Cessna 172 Skyhawk
single-engine piston airplane
Cessna Citation Excel / XLS
midsize business jet
Plane-spotting tips for Portland
NE Marine Drive, along the Columbia River just north of PDX, is the city's best-known spotting area, with views of arrivals and departures and a river trail. The roads around Troutdale give views of west-flow arrivals coming down the Gorge. At Hillsboro, the area around the airport's main terminal offers views of business jets and flight training. From downtown, look northeast toward PDX. Winter clouds can hide aircraft, while summer offers long, clear days and views of Mount Hood. Kelley Point Park, where the Willamette meets the Columbia, gives open views of west-flow departures over the river. Across the Columbia in Vancouver, Pearson Field and its air museum preserve one of the oldest operating airfields in the country, and the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum in McMinnville, home of the Spruce Goose, is about an hour southwest.
Portland sky questions
Why do planes fly over the Columbia River at PDX?
PDX's runways run east-west along the river, so arrivals and departures follow the river valley in both directions, depending on the wind.
What are the fighter jets at Portland's airport?
They are F-15 Eagles flown by the Oregon Air National Guard's 142nd Wing, based at PDX.
Why does PDX's flow change in winter?
East winds blowing out of the Columbia River Gorge are common in winter, and PDX switches to east flow to land and take off into the wind.
Nearby cities
Planes over Seattle (145 mi) · Planes over Sacramento (483 mi) · Planes over San Francisco (535 mi) · Planes over San Jose (566 mi)