New Pittsburgh International Airport construction on track & on budget, per authority

PITTSBURGH — The new Pittsburgh International Airport is on track to open sometime in 2025, with construction about 60% completed.

Channel 11 received a tour of the new terminal on Thursday, walking through scaffolding that will soon make way for new security lanes.

“We wanted to make sure that this was a project that was built for Pittsburgh, and more importantly by Pittsburgh,” said Paul Hoback, the airport authority’s Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer. “Over 90% of all of the materials sourced are from the region, over 90% of the teams that are building this project are from this region.”

The new airport has further been designed with Pittsburgh landmarks in mind. Channel 11 walked through a bridge-tunnel that was partially inspired by the Fort Pitt.

Hoback said that they’ve remained on budget, expecting to spend about $1.5 billion for the project, much of which has been funded by airline partners.

No local or state tax dollars have gone toward the project, Hoback said.

Airport leaders say that the new build is necessary.

“This terminal’s 30-some years old. A lot of the parts, the equipment, the systems in the terminal are well passed their useful life.”

When the airport was built, it was designed to cater to connecting passengers, which accounted for the majority of travelers. Now, Hoback said just 5 percent of travelers are connecting. The vast majority are passengers who’ve started or ended their travel in Pittsburgh, and the new airport has been designed with that in mind.

The design is further meant to provide travelers with an “experience” in addition to more efficient travel.

Renderings presented to Channel 11 for the first time show constellation lights, multiple green spaces and a lot of natural lighting.

“The Pittsburgh region deserves an incredible airport,” Hoback said. “It’s the front door to the city for almost 10 million passengers a year, and what we’re building here is something that they’re going to be very proud of.”

Hoback couldn’t state the exact month wherein the airport will open but said it will occur at some point in 2025.

After construction wraps up, an entirely new phase begins, which includes “testing, commissioning trials” and ensuring airport employees have received training.

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