Pittsburgh International Airport’s new $1.7 billion terminal will officially open to the public for business on Tuesday, Nov. 18, airport officials announced Monday.
The opening will mark the culmination of more than a decade of planning, preparation and work – and four years of construction.
Officials said the opening ushers in the next era for the region’s travelers and a new front door for Pittsburgh.
“This is a new day for our region,” Pittsburgh International Airport CEO Christina Cassotis said Monday. “This is an airport built for Pittsburgh, by Pittsburgh. It improves the passenger experience and ensures this region remains on a global stage.”
Cassotis characterized the terminal as “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.
“The new terminal is emblematic of Pittsburgh’s modern innovation economy.”
The 811,000-square-foot terminal replaces the 1992 landside/airside model that required passengers to take an underground shuttle between terminals. The shuttle no longer will be used with the new configuration.
The opening announcement comes after the new terminal and systems went through what airport officials termed as “rigorous testing” over the past several months, capped off by two large public trials with more than 2,000 participants providing input and feedback on their experience. Officials said participants gave the terminal high marks for design and were impressed with the facility.
Test passengers were helpful in identifying ways to improve the experience, such as modifying security stanchion layout, adding more wayfinding and baggage claim adjustments.
The airport project was launched in part to address a shift in the airport’s usage. The about-to-be “old” facility, which came on line in 1992, was built with connecting passengers in mind – not those for whom Pittsburgh was a final destination.
The new terminal caps the airport’s transformation to an origin-and-destination airport – one where passengers begin and end their journey in Pittsburgh. Approximately 97% percent of passengers going through the airport today are Pittsburgh passengers.
Airport officials said passengers can expect immediate benefits including:
- Faster and more streamlined security experience: The new terminal streamlines the security experience into a single consolidated checkpoint with 12 TSA lanes, compared to seven at the main checkpoint today, and eliminates the need for an alternate checkpoint. The new checkpoint has the latest TSA equipment and automated bin return.
- Faster baggage delivery: Baggage delivery times are expected to be cut in half.
The new terminal cuts the eight miles of bag belt down to three miles and upgrades to a more efficient system. - New international arrivals experience: International arriving passengers will experience a more efficient and faster arrival, replacing a temporary fix in the old terminal that saw international passengers arrive airside – a relic of the design for US Airways’ connecting passengers.
- Better, more efficient parking options: With 3,300 spaces, the new Terminal Garage features three times the amount of covered parking and the latest technology, including digital signs with real-time counts of available spaces and green lights to indicate where open spots can be found. Another addition is the Terminal Lot, an approximate five-minute walk to the terminal’s front door. The Shuttle Lot, formerly comprised of the Long Term, Extended and Economy Lots, includes thousands of parking spaces and new, heated shelters with a shuttle tracking system that displays real-time information.
- Outdoor terraces: A rarity in U.S. airports, the new terminal will have four terraces – two pre-security and two post-security – allowing all passengers the opportunity for fresh air and a calm respite. Still under construction, the terraces will feature natural Western Pennsylvania landscapes.
- Welcome Point: Passengers arriving to the transformed terminal will enter the Welcome Point – a spot for all airport visitors to wait for arriving passengers. This aspect of the terminal is uniquely Pittsburgh, designed for a community that favors welcoming loved ones and guests in-person.
- Enhanced shopping and dining: Travelers will see 20 new or refreshed concessions as part of the renovated airside terminal experience, including local favorites like Mineo’s and national brands such as Shake Shack and more.
Be First to Comment