Inside Pittsburgh’s glistening new $1.7 billion terminal

Again within the day, mid-sized cities like Memphis, Kansas Metropolis and Pittsburgh have been house to bustling airline hubs — crossroads of the nation the place thousands and thousands of connecting passengers handed by way of annually.

These days, nevertheless, are lengthy gone.

As airways consolidated and advanced their networks, these airports shifted from connecting factors to purely origin-and-destination (O&D) gateways. In different phrases, they went from being main hubs facilitating connections to airports primarily serving vacationers who really stay in or go to the realm.

That shift has pressured airports to rethink their goal and their design. Gone are the layouts optimized for fast connections and hub operations; of their place are amenities that prioritize comfort, effectivity and a way of place for native vacationers.

Pittsburgh Worldwide Airport (PIT) is the most recent airport to reinvent itself. Since 2021, a serious $1.7 billion glow-up and reconfiguration has been underway.

The opening of the Terminal Modernization Program (TMP) is simply weeks away — earlier than the Thanksgiving vacation, as TPG first reported — and prematurely of the opening, I traveled to Pittsburgh with TPG’s Ben Mutzabaugh to get a sneak peek of what flyers can quickly count on.

The excellent news? There’s rather a lot to like, even for individuals who may need fond reminiscences of US Air’s (and later US Airways’) hub operation at PIT.

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It is situated on the intersection of the C and D concourses and designed to focus the expertise on departing and arrival site visitors. (With out a bustling hub, PIT’s site visitors consists of simply 3% connecting flyers.)

Departing vacationers can be dropped off on the high degree of the ability, the place you may catch a glimpse of the outdated landside terminal facility, in addition to the all-new parking storage and outside parking areas (extra on that later).

Irrespective of the season, PIT’s new four-lane departures curb retains you protected against the weather because of the roof overhang that covers many of the lanes.

There are three entrance vestibules to the brand new terminal, all resulting in the dramatic new check-in space.

I counsel coming into by way of the center vestibule to maximise your probabilities of oohing and aahing on the new terminal.

For me, the issues that instantly caught my eye embody the hovering excessive ceilings, the plethora of pure mild, the tree-inspired columns and the constellation-style lighting.

Collectively, these components are designed to offer vacationers a really feel for Pittsburgh’s timber and rolling hills.

I like how the ceiling undulates to naturally information flyers towards the brand new centralized safety space.

However earlier than getting there, you would possibly must cease on the modernized check-in desks situated alongside the perimeter of the departures space.

As a result of American and Southwest are PIT’s two greatest airways, they bought the check-in desks closest to the safety lanes. (Don’t fret, not one of the walks are lengthy right here.)

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ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY

On the best way to safety, you may move PIT’s flagship piece of artwork, a kinetic cellular named “Pittsburgh” by Alexander Calder, in addition to a Hudson Information, Camden Meals Co. and a set of restrooms.

Talking of restrooms, every is designed with a novel piece of artwork hanging close to the doorway. All restroom doorways open outwards, and you will even discover a small contemporary flower association subsequent to every mirror, a la Lufthansa top notch.

You may discover plenty of seating earlier than safety — an intentional design selection, defined Bob Kerlik, PIT’s director of public affairs — as a result of many PIT vacationers prefer to drop off their family members contained in the terminal (and choose them up inside too).

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ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY

The 12-lane safety checkpoint will deliver a much-needed screening capability enhance for PIT, hopefully eliminating the early-morning rush-hour strains you discover at present within the present facility.

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ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY

You may discover each sort of safety lane right here — Clear, Precheck, precedence and basic — all of which can be processed utilizing the TSA’s newish blue Analogic machines.

After safety, passengers will stroll over a brief bridge decked out with an enormous digital display screen displaying rotating silhouettes of Pittsburgh’s much more well-known bridges, after which into one small tunnel earlier than being deposited into the central terminal core.

Anybody who’s been by way of PIT not too long ago will rapidly understand that this new setup is lacking one factor: the automated folks mover.

The brand new terminal was constructed adjoining to the gate areas, making for a much more environment friendly departing and arrival expertise for vacationers. It is also a more cost effective resolution for airways, saving them an estimated $20 million yearly, in line with PIT authorities.

Whereas the brand new terminal certain is eye-catching, the airport is not renovating (a minimum of, not but) the gate areas. You may discover some upgrades, similar to modernized restrooms and up to date digital signage and wayfinding close to the gates, however the concourses nonetheless largely resemble what they did again when US Airways jets might be seen at most gates.

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ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY

This design stands in stark distinction to different mid-size former hub airports, like Kansas Metropolis, which have rebuilt their terminals — together with gate and concourse areas — from the bottom up.

That additionally means there is no extra room for brand new lounges; you may nonetheless discover an Admirals Membership and a common-use The Membership at PIT because the airport’s two lounges.

Arrivals space

Arriving passengers are additionally in for a deal with, as home arrivals will stroll on to the exit with out hopping on a prepare.

There are eight baggage declare belts, 4 fewer than the present facility, however they’re all nicer, newer and — maybe most significantly — speedier than the outdated terminal. That is as a result of airways will not must drive the luggage between the concourses and the landslide terminal. Every thing will occur in a single facility, lowering the size that luggage must journey from eight to a few miles.

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ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY

The luggage claims even have distinctive paintings. 4 of them characteristic rotating phrases that evoke vacationers’ emotions whereas ready for his or her luggage; the opposite 4 characteristic life-size picket sculptures made regionally.

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ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY

Talking of paintings, Pittsburgh did one thing I have not seen earlier than in all my travels. It turned the flight info shows into artwork. Sure, you may nonetheless simply catch a glimpse of your flight standing, however these shows are actually wrapped in wooden that is grown and handcrafted in Pittsburgh, including much more native aptitude to the airport.

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ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY

One other component designed to resemble the locale is the addition of 4 outside terraces: two situated landside and two post-security. Sadly, simply one of many smaller, extra modest ones can be open on day one.

The bigger, extra spectacular decks will not be prepared till the spring, stated Kerlik.

That stated, they look like definitely worth the wait — particularly the one adjoining to the worldwide arrival space, which can be superbly manicured and supply pop-up concessions and extra.

Vacationers arriving from worldwide locations who must clear customs and immigration will move by way of a brand new federal inspection station, which connects to the principle arrivals corridor with a hallway decked out in native paintings.

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ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY

After arriving, all vacationers will discover themselves on the second degree of the departures and arrivals corridor.

Household and pal pickup will happen on this degree, whereas rideshares, shuttle buses and entry to the brand new storage can be found on the bottom degree.

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ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY

Rideshare pickup has a devoted space with angled parking spots so vacationers can simply see the license plate of their assigned automobile.

In the meantime, a lined walkway results in the brand new five-story parking storage. The bottom flooring can be house to the brand new consolidated rental automobile facility, whereas the remaining flooring (minus the roof) supply 3,271 lined parking areas — 3 times greater than the earlier facility.

For individuals who do not thoughts braving the weather, there’s additionally a big open-air car parking zone adjoining to rideshare pickup with room for two,800 automobiles.

Charges for parking are anticipated to be introduced within the coming weeks.

Backside line

All in all, Pittsburgh’s completed a fantastic job reinventing itself for a post-hub period.

Whereas some airports would possibly hearken again to the glory days after they had extra connectivity and thousands and thousands extra passengers, PIT is absolutely leaning into its new actuality as an origin and vacation spot airport.

The excellent news is that vacationers will now get pleasure from a much more environment friendly and modernized journey expertise, on par with a number of the nicest new U.S. airport terminals.

In fact, one would possibly want they did not must cease in New York, Chicago, Philadelphia or Atlanta to get to a number of the extra far-flung locations from Pittsburgh these days, however a minimum of the bottom expertise can be world-class.

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