THE DEPARTURE AREA IN THE NEW TERMINAL AT PITTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT | PHOTO BY BETH HOLLERICH

It’s official. The new landside terminal at Pittsburgh International Airport will open on Tuesday, Nov. 18 — a week before the busy Thanksgiving travel season.

The $1.7 billion terminal broke ground in October 2021. The new, modern design brings ticketing, security, baggage claim, shops, restaurants and airline gates all into one complex. It “right sizes” the space to better fit the current needs of air travel in Pittsburgh, officials have said.

Related: Your Guide to the New Terminal at Pittsburgh International Airport

“This is a new day for our region. This is an airport built for Pittsburgh, by Pittsburgh. It improves the passenger experience and ensures this region remains on a global stage,” Pittsburgh International Airport CEO Christina Cassotis said in a statement. “The new terminal is emblematic of Pittsburgh’s modern innovation economy.”

The current, 33-year-old terminal was designed to be a hub for US Airways and at its peak handled 21 million passengers a year. When US Airways pulled its hub in 2004, PIT became an origin-destination airport — meaning passengers depart from here and return here; the airport now handles about 10 million passengers a year.

The new design is expected to slash in half the time it takes someone arriving at the entrance of the terminal to the gates, and it eliminates the half-mile tram that connects the landside and airside terminals.

You’ll also be able to get outside. There are four outdoor terraces, two before security and two in the airside area, that will be filled with native plants, pathways and benches. Not all will be completed by opening day.

Regarding parking, passengers can save and get the best value rates by booking in advance at ParkatPIT.com, starting on Nov. 14. Pre-booking for the new Terminal Garage, Terminal Lot and Shuttle Lot will open on Friday, Nov. 14.

To help travelers navigate the new terminal, the Allegheny County Airport Authority has rolled out a new “We Got You” program that blends human support with AI to offer on-demand, in-the-moment guidance for   travelers.

Airport officials hosted a trial on Sept. 20 for about 300 people to test the new terminal and its baggage system. It held an official ribbon-cutting on Oct. 11 and a second public trial that drew nearly 2,000 people on Oct. 25.