I recently was invited on a hard hat tour to view the construction progress at Pittsburgh International Airport.
Many people may want to know, why is the airport being changed? When the airport was originally built, PIttsburgh, was considered a hub airport. As you may remember, US Airways was the primary carrier with many flights connecting through Pittsburgh. Times have changed dramatically; US Airways has merged with American and 95% of the travelers originate their travel in Pittsburgh. The main difference is there will no land-side terminal and no tram to transport you between terminals. The new airport is going to have a much shorter walk from the time you enter the airport until you arrive at their gate. The theme of the airport is Nature, Technology and Community and you will see this portrayed throughout the airport. When you enter, it will be very light and open and there will be a clear pathway from where you check-in, pass through security and pass through a tunnel to exit in a light & airy area before getting to your gate. You will see nature in tree-like structures constructed of steel as you enter, with leaves around the base in the floor. The ceiling will look like wood, but it is actually aluminum and there will be an abundance of windows! There will be four terraces to enjoy the outdoors. Two large ones will be near baggage claim, so people picking up guests will no longer just have to stand around and wait. The other two will be for passengers after they pass through security. I'm anxious for this as I like to be outside instead of just sitting in the gate area. This summer there were major delays at TSA check points. In the new airport there will be 11 check points and more agents. So the beginning of the trip will be easier and so will the end. There will be fewer baggage carousels, however, the flights will be arriving very close to baggage claim. Your bags should be waiting for you when you arrive at baggage claim - no more long waits!! The air-side terminal will be basically the same, just refreshing will take place. A new parking garage is near completion, so there will be much more covered parking. In all an additional 6000 parking spaces will be added. When will the "new" airport be ready for traffic? An exact date has not been announced, but it will be in 2025. Once construction is completed it will take another 3 months to make sure all the systems are working correctly. It will not be a gradual opening, it will be immediate, one day you will depart the current way and the next day you will depart from the new airport. It looks like it is going to be very innovating; stay tuned for more updates. My photos have to be approved before they can be posted!
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AuthorColleen Peterson, Owner Port of Call Travel Archives
January 2025
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