Travelers share memories of Pittsburgh International Airport’s old terminal as new one set to open
BITTERSWEET. WELL, THE LAST DAY OF THE CURRENT LANDSIDE TERMINAL, A LOT OF SENTIMENTAL FEELINGS ARE SHARED. THAT INCLUDES ONE OF THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WHO WAS HERE WHEN IT OPENED 33 YEARS AGO, OCTOBER 1ST, 1992. THIS OPENED AS THE NEWEST MARVEL IN SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA AT THE TIME, TOM FOERSTER, PETE FLAHERTY AND LARRY DUNN SERVED AS ALLEGHENY COUNTY’S BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS. DUNN IS THE LAST REMAINING COMMISSIONER. COMMISSIONERS WORKED VERY HARD TO MAKE IT AN AIRPORT THAT WOULD BE MOST INVITING. IT WOULD BE MOST EFFECTIVE, AND AT THE TIME, CONNECTING FLIGHTS WERE THE BIG THING. IT WAS CALLED MIDFIELD TERMINAL. DESIGNED AS A HUB FOR U.S. AIRWAYS, BUT AFTER NINE OVER 11, THE INDUSTRY CHANGED. U.S. AIRWAYS BECAME U.S. AIR AND THEN WAS BOUGHT BY AMERICAN AIRLINES. IT WAS JUST IDEAL AT THE TIME, U.S. AIR HAD SO MANY CONNECTING FLIGHTS, ALL GOING EVERYWHERE. PITTSBURGH TRAVELERS WILL REMEMBER SOME OF ITS UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS, LIKE THIS. MY DAUGHTER TOLD ME BEFORE I LEAVE TODAY FILM THE CLICKETY CLACK, CLICKETY CLACK. I HAD A LOT OF MEMORIES HERE. SO THE THE OLD TERMINAL, THE T-REX. I HEAR THAT’S LEAVING. AND AGAIN, THE CLICKETY CLACK OF THE FLOOR. THE THE. I GUESS THE TRAM WILL BE GONE. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS OF THIS PLACE? I’M GOING TO MISS THE TRAIN. I’M GOING TO MISS RIDING THE TRAIN BETWEEN HERE IN THE HEARING THE TERMINALS. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS PLACE? SAD, SAD? I MEAN, WE’VE BEEN IN HERE QUITE A BIT. EVEN BEFORE TSA WAS HERE. EVEN BEFORE, YOU KNOW, THE NINE OVER 11. SO BUT I MEAN, IT’S A GOOD BUILDING. HOPEFULLY THEY CAN RECYCLE SOME OF IT INSTEAD OF TEARING IT DOWN. THIS TIME TOMORROW WE REPORT FROM INSIDE THE NEW AIRPORT TERMINAL COVERING ALLEGHENY COUNTY IN PITTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. SHELDON INGRAM PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR. TRULY AN END OF AN ERA. SHELDON, THANKS SO MUCH. AND OF COURSE, ALL DAY TOMORROW, PITTSBURGH’S ACTION NEWS FOUR IS GOING TO BE TAKING YOU TO THE AIRPORT FOR THIS HISTORIC MOMENT. YOU CAN LOOK FOR OUR TEAM COVERAGE STARTING TOMORROW AT 4:30 A.M. AND IF YOU DO HAVE A FLIGHT COMING UP SOON, YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU CHECK OUT W
Travelers share memories of Pittsburgh International Airport’s old terminal as new one set to open
Updated: 6:38 PM EST Nov 17, 2025
Many Pittsburgh area travelers walked through the landside terminal at the Pittsburgh International Airport to their gates for the last time, knowing that when they return home, they’ll enter the new terminal that opens Tuesday.It is the masterpiece of the Allegheny County Airport Authority, as part of the Terminal Modernization Program, a $1.7 billion investment.As travelers strolled through the current terminal for the last time, they said they would cherish some of its unique features. “My daughter told me today, before I leave, film the clickity clack ,” Julie Moss said while on her way to her departing gate. Paul Kosko, of Westmoreland County, said his family has experienced the charm of the terminal since its first years. “We’ve been in here quite a bit, even before TSA was here, even before 9/11,” he said. “It’s a beautiful building. Hopefully, they can recycle some of it instead of tearing it down.”Looking for more news in your area | Subscribe to the WTAE YouTube Channel
PITTSBURGH —
Many Pittsburgh area travelers walked through the landside terminal at the Pittsburgh International Airport to their gates for the last time, knowing that when they return home, they’ll enter the new terminal that opens Tuesday.
It is the masterpiece of the Allegheny County Airport Authority, as part of the Terminal Modernization Program, a $1.7 billion investment.
As travelers strolled through the current terminal for the last time, they said they would cherish some of its unique features.
“My daughter told me today, before I leave, film the clickity clack [from the floor],” Julie Moss said while on her way to her departing gate.
Paul Kosko, of Westmoreland County, said his family has experienced the charm of the terminal since its first years.
“We’ve been in here quite a bit, even before TSA was here, even before 9/11,” he said. “It’s a beautiful building. Hopefully, they can recycle some of it instead of tearing it down.”
Looking for more news in your area | Subscribe to the WTAE YouTube Channel