Monday was the last day for the current landside terminal at the Pittsburgh International Airport, as the long-awaited new terminal opened Tuesday morning for its first day of flyers.

The new $1.7 billion terminal opened to the public on Tuesday after four years of construction. The terminal underwent testing ahead of the big day, with more than 2,000 people participating in two large dress rehearsals simulating busy travel days.

“There’s something so distinctly Pittsburgh about the disjointed old terminal.” AJ Lazar, of Greensburg, said on Monday. 

The last passengers to use the current landside terminal were expected to fly in around 12:20 a.m. on Tuesday on a flight from Atlanta. After those passengers left, the doors closed one last time, and the overnight transformation began. 

“We’ll open the roads to the new terminal, and then we’ll close the roads to the old terminal. For folks that are coming in, the signs are already up and in place. It’s very simple and intuitive for folks that are coming in,” Bob Kerlik, Pittsburgh International Airport’s director of public affairs, said on Monday. 

The first flight leaving Pittsburgh on Tuesday is to Denver at 5:30 a.m., so passengers were asked not to arrive at the new terminal until at least 2:30 a.m. 

“That’s because we want to make sure that the new roads are open for folks,” Kerlik said. 

It is estimated that between 20,000 to 25,000 people will pass through the new terminal on Tuesday, as the airport of tomorrow becomes the airport of yesterday. The joys of going on a trip and the relief of coming home will have a new backdrop on Tuesday.

“It will be interesting to see what the new place is like when we come back in a couple of months for another vacation,” Byron Reager, of Johnstown, said on Monday. 

As for the old terminal building, the Allegheny County Airport Authority is in talks with developers to see if it can be repurposed.

Last hours of the old terminal 

In the last hours of the terminal at Pittsburgh International Airport, some people showed up to document the moment. Adam Lobo, of Wexford, showed up to take videos of his passion: elevators.

“I’ve filmed the elevators here before, but I’m getting one last video on each of the public ones here,” Lobo said, “each of the public elevators.”  

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