Published by Jeremy. Last Updated on September 12, 2025.
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As frequent travelers, we often find ourselves at Pittsburgh International Airport. Domestic or international, we take many, many flights out of Pittsburgh every year.
When PIT announced the development of a new landside terminal, we were really excited to learn more. Thankfully, we got a chance to have a special sneak preview for media before the landside terminal opened, and wanted to share some of our photos in this one!
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Why Does Pittsburgh Need a New Terminal?
Before diving into the details about the new landside terminal, we have to address a common question that we see pop up when discussing this project- why do we need a new landside terminal to begin with?
The simple explanation is that when the airport expanded in 1992, it was primarily designed to be a hub for US Airways. As with most hubs, this meant a large number of passengers having a layover in Pittsburgh, but not necessarily using the landside facilities like security or baggage claim.
Well, most in Pittsburgh knows what happened next, and Pittsburgh International Airport stopped being a hub for layover traffic. But, as time went on, Pittsburgh grew as a destination for those visiting, and air travel from local residents increased significantly- seeing far greater numbers of customers using landside facilities, with all the increased wait times and frustrations that go along with it.
As such, the new landside terminal was developed to help improve travel amenities for those departing from, and arriving to, Pittsburgh proper.
What a terminal it is!
In a way, the new landside terminal is designed to solve a number of problems that the old facility faced- namely crowd control, faster luggage arrivals, more security lanes with state-of-the-art equipment, extra parking, and easier access to gates to name a few. (We will hold commentary on how all those actually work once the new terminal is open, of course.)
As you enter the the terminal, you'll notice that the building has large, swooping ceilings that contract towards check-in and security- almost as to usher you in the direction of passenger flow. The ceiling has non-uniform lights to look like the night sky, and the pillars that pass through all levels of the terminal evoke imagery of trees (look for leaf inlays next to the pillars!). Throw on a ton of natural light, and the departures level feels a lot like bringing nature indoors in an elegant yet simple way- something we always appreciate with our pre-flight anxieties.
As you pass through security, you'll quickly notice that everyone's favorite people mover tram is, unfortunately, no longer. This is because the terminal is found immediately adjacent to the airside terminal, and passengers will now walk across a bridge and tunnel to reach airside. Yes, the airport is home to a bridge and tunnel, which we think is a fun nod to the city.
No mess, no fuss, no waits- just a short walk from security to your gate.
Returning passengers pass through on the level below departures, and walk underneath the bridge. Here, you're first greeted with a massive LED sign with welcome messages and more, and within just a few moments of walking arrive at baggage claim. (We're also told the Franco Harris statue may be relocated here, but no word yet on the other statues or the dinosaur skeleton.)
For those who travel a lot, like us, you have likely been annoyed by how long baggage takes to come out at PIT, and having the baggage lanes so close to airside helps cut down on the considerable distance bags have to travel. (That said, most baggage appears to be managed by the individual airlines, not the airport, so we'll see how much faster things actually get once open.)
From there, it is just a short walk out to passenger pickup lanes, which are also found on the same level (this design is not too much unlike the old landside terminal, albeit much larger and with more parking for those waiting). But if you need a rental vehicle, are catching a rideshare/bus, or are parked in the garage, reaching these facilities is as easy as heading down one more level. Rideshares and buses have their own dedicated spaces on the lowest driving lane, whereas those accessing the rental car facilities only need to walk across a covered walkway just a few feet, and you've arrived at your destination for cars and over three thousand of covered parking spots.
One other element of the new terminal that we absolutely love is that the airport has also built outdoor patios to enjoy, with options for both landside and airside guests. These are a great spot to get some fresh air while waiting for your flight or if you're hanging out waiting for a loved one to arrive. Will we be out there with a beer from a local brewery on tap at Beercode on a nice day? Absolutely- well, insofar as it is allowed, which we assume it will be.
Perhaps the only real downside to the new landside terminal is that it is almost too nice and makes our airside terminal feel rather dated as a result. But, given that we want easy access to gates and a no-hassle experience when flying, we'll be happy to wait a little longer for some of those amenities to get a facelift (which, in full clarity, things are being upgraded over time).
Overall, Pittsburgh International Airport did a great job with the new landside terminal, and we can't wait to fly through on our first flight here. Although, if we have to be honest, we do secretly hope we can depart on a flight from the old terminal for one last ride on the tram, then return to the new terminal. That would be a different kind of welcome home!
We were guests of Pittsburgh International Airport for a media preview tour of the new terminal. As always, all opinions are our own.
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