Pittsburgh International Wins Airport of the Year, Again
In 2017, it became the first airport in the U.S. to win the award; a decade later, it became the first U.S. airport to win it twice.
PHOTO BY BETH HOLLERICH
Pittsburgh International Airport has received yet another feather in its cap.
Air Transport World, an internationally recognized industry publication, has named PIT the 2027 Airport of the Year. In 2017, it became the first airport in the U.S. to win the award; a decade later, it became the first U.S. airport to win it twice.
“Pittsburgh’s innovative and dynamic leadership team has transformed the airport so that it stands apart in so many ways – in customer experience, use of cutting-edge technology and sustainability. My sincere congratulations on this very well-deserved recognition,” ATW editor-in-chief Karen Walker told Blue Sky News.
The 2027 recognition comes as PIT enters a new era following the November 2025 opening of its new terminal. The facility was designed in close collaboration with the airport’s airline partners to improve operational efficiency, strengthen the passenger experience and provide greater flexibility as the region’s air service network grows.
The publication noted the airport’s strong airline partnerships, network growth and continued investment in technology, sustainability and passenger experience.
“Being named ATW Airport of the Year for a second time is an extraordinary recognition of the work happening at PIT,” says Christina Cassotis, CEO of Pittsburgh International Airport. “Our airline partners are at the center of everything we do. We are focused on creating the infrastructure, operating environment and passenger experience that allow airlines to grow their networks and connect Pittsburgh to more destinations around the world.”
The ATW Airline Industry Achievement Awards, established in 1974, recognize organizations and individuals that distinguish themselves through outstanding performance, innovation and superior service. The Airport of the Year award recognizes an airport or airport group that demonstrates strength in relationships with airlines, network growth, passenger experience, security, sustainability and innovation.
For PIT, those criteria reflect a transformation that is closely tied to the airport’s strategy of airline stakeholder engagement and air service growth, according to Blue Sky News.
International connectivity has expanded in recent years, with Pittsburgh adding and strengthening links to Europe. Seats departing to Europe have grown from 24,192 in 2016 to 97,582 in 2026 — a 303% increase.
British Airways launched nonstop service between Pittsburgh and London in 2019, followed by Icelandair service to Reykjavik in 2024 and Aer Lingus’ inaugural Pittsburgh-Dublin service in May. All three flights present significant connective options throughout Europe and the world, officials say.
Pittsburgh joins a notable list of past Airport of the Year winners, including Hong Kong International Airport (twice), Singapore Changi, Incheon International Airport and Istanbul Airport, among others.
For PIT, the recognition provides a contrast with the airport’s first ATW Airport of the Year award in 2017.
At that time, ATW recognized PIT as a turnaround story following the loss of US Airways. The airport had nearly doubled its nonstop destinations in just two years and was emerging from a significant period of change. For the 2027 award, the story has shifted, showing an airport at a different point in its progression.
Now, focus has moved from rebuilding the network to growing and diversifying it, supported by a new terminal, stronger international connectivity, deeper airline partnerships and an airport model designed to adapt as the industry changes, according to Blue Sky News.
Pittsburgh International will be formally recognized at the 2027 ATW Airline Industry Achievement Awards in Italy later this year.
