Pittsburgh International Airport’s (PIT) brand-new terminal facility is set to open to the public on Tuesday 18 November.
The new terminal is the culmination of over a decade of planning, preparation and work, and plans to introduce a wealth of upgrades including faster baggage handling, improved security and new parking options
Recent testing has seen the terminal and its new systems undergo a series of rigorous trials to prepare for the grand-opening, which were capped off by two large public trials involving more than 2,000 participants providing both input and feedback on their experience.
Results from the trial have seen the implementation of wayfinding and baggage claim adjustments, as well as the modification of the layout of the security stanchion.
Built to replace an older, outmoded terminal; the new terminal will provide a number of improvements at the airport, including:
- A faster, streamlined security experience featuring one consolidated checkpoint with 12 TSA lanes
- Faster baggage delivery with times expected to be cut by 50% – as well as the cutting of eight miles of bag belt down to three
- A new international arrivals experience
- Better, more efficient parking options with 6,000 spaces in the new Terminal Garage – three times that of the amount currently available
- The installation of the Terminal Lot, which includes thousands of parking spaces and new, heated shelters with a shuttle tracking system that displays real-time information
- Four outdoor terraces – two pre-security and two post-security (still under construction)
- A new Welcome Point
- Enhanced shopping and dining with 20 new or refreshed concessions
Pittsburgh International Airport CEO Christina Cassotis said:This is a new day for our region. This is an airport built for Pittsburgh, by Pittsburgh. It improves the passenger experience and ensures this region remains on a global stage.
This terminal is industry-leading from its architecture that reflects our region to amenities like outdoor terraces and a state-of-the-art baggage system to a streamlined security checkpoint.
Thus far; the new 1.7 billion USD terminal has generated an estimated 2.5 billion USD in economic impact for the region, as well as 14,000 new jobs.
Roughly 90% of the workforce that worked to deliver the terminal hailed from Greater Pittsburgh, with 90% of the materials and services also sourced locally – including 16,000 tonnes of structural steel.
Fitted with an all-new Skybridge; the new landside terminal has been connected with the existing airside terminal, which itself has seen a number of renovations over the past several years, including upgrades to modernised gate areas, more spacious restrooms and a number of concession options.
