This past Saturday, leaders attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the soon-to-open landside terminal at Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT). The terminal is part of the airport’s Terminal Modernization Program (TMP), which is “designed to better meet the needs of the region’s travelers by reflecting, connecting, and serving the community.” The new, state-of-the-art landside terminal will reflect that mission, covering 811,000 square feet, bringing over 6,000 new parking spaces, and the ability to accommodate 13-15 million passengers annually.
A landmark project that used no tax dollars
Though the project cost $1.7 billion, none of that came at taxpayer expense. Construction started in 2021, and concentrated on using local sources for more than 90% of labor and materials. While under construction, the project supported over 14,300 jobs. Pittsburgh International Airport CEO Christina Cassotis said: “The building design was always aspirational. It was meant and designed to work for everyone, for actual people who travel through and work in an airport. But the building itself, if you look at it now, I think is actually inspirational. Being in this space feels good, and that’s a pretty big statement for an airport today.”
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said: “With the opening of this new terminal, we will have a beautiful new gateway to welcome the rest of the county and the country and the world right here to Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania.”
Design-wise, the terminal features a rolling roof that’s reminiscent of the region’s hills. Black and gold signage recollects beloved sports teams. A pedestrian bridge and tunnel — which connects the landslide and airside terminals — recalls the layout of the Fort Pitt tunnel and bridge.
Travelers can also look forward to a state-of-the-art baggage claim, art and cultural installations (80% by local artists), and 15 new and local concession providers.
