Last week, Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) hosted the 2025 Future Travel Experience (FTE) World Innovation Summit, marking the first event held in its new terminal, scheduled to open to the public later this year.
The summit convened over 400 industry leaders from 28 countries for three days of tours, technology demonstrations, and discussions focusing on aviation, robotics, energy, and industry developments.
Christina Cassotis, CEO of Pittsburgh International Airport said:The airport signed a Memorandum of Understanding in 2018 with CMU to make Pittsburgh the smartest airport in the world.
The goal is to share the learnings that we’ve had along the way as we have been developing not just the terminal but the energy strategy as well as strategies around universal access and economic development.
When I took the job in Pittsburgh, I didn’t really want to run an airport; I wanted to change an industry.
A notable session at the event featured a keynote conversation between PIT CEO Christina Cassotis and British Airways Chairman and CEO Sean Doyle. Doyle discussed British Airways’ 7 billion GBP transformation investment, which is enhancing operational performance using artificial intelligence and machine learning .
Doyle also expressed support for PIT’s sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production plans, describing the potential scale as “very exciting” and encouraging the airport to “go full speed ahead”.
In addition, Doyle commended the new terminal, stating it reflects Pennsylvania’s heritage and positions Pittsburgh as a hub for innovation. “What is going on here is a bit of magic,” he remarked.
PIT’s SAF Development
PIT’s SAF initiative involves producing fuel on-site using renewable or waste-derived sources, aligning with the International Air Transport Association’s goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions for aviation by 2050. The airport’s 8,800-acre campus offers much space for research and development. Additionally, the region’s access to various feedstocks and a pipeline to the Ohio River could facilitate cost-competitive fuel distribution.
The Allegheny County Airport Authority has approved a lease for 50 acres of airport land for SAF production in partnership with Avina, which plans to use a process developed by KBR to create the fuel. If Avina proceeds with its investment decision promptly, the plant could be operational by 2028, potentially impacting international and cargo aviation sectors.
PIT’s New Terminal
PIT’s new 1.57 billion USD terminal building is scheduled to open this autumn. A tour of the facility took place as part of the FTE World Innovation event.
For more information on the upcoming terminal at PIT, read our recent guest article from Paul Hoback, EVP, Chief Development Officer at Allegheny County Airport Authority.
