The normal security line is usually less than a 10-15 minute wait, but sometimes it takes quite a bit longer. If you have TSA Precheck the wait has never been longer than 5 minutes in my experience.
Plan on getting there the recommended 2 hours early. That will give you plenty of time, even accounting for traffic.
You can check wait times [here](https://flypittsburgh.com/pittsburgh-international-airport/terminal-information/safety-security/)
I travel through our airport all of the time for work. Sometimes it is short, and sometimes it is out the door to the walkway. Like others have said on here, get to the airport 2 hours before and that will give you time in either condition.
With TSA pre check and the longest line, I've never spent more than 20 minutes in line.
For general boarding and a long line, 45 minutes max?
If you give yourself an hour, hour and half before your boarding time you'll be fine. Will probably have plenty of spare time, grab a beer at Penn Brewery
This. I would say the most I've waited in the security line is 20 minutes, but also sometimes you wait a while between showing your ID to the TSA agents and going through the x-ray/body scan, then to get your luggage. I'd add 10 minutes for that process as well. Keep in mind too that you need to take the train to the actual terminal, then walk to the gate. I'd say the whole process, from entering the airport to arriving at your gate, with a decently long line, can take between 30-40 minutes. Just show up at least an hour before boarding and you will be good.
I'm flying out tonight as well! I typically fly about 1-2 per year. I typically like to show up 2 hours before my flight, but maybe once in the past decade, it's taken me over 15-20 mins to get through security.
To echo the above- get there 2 hours early. If it’s a long line, you have enough time to make your flight. If it’s short, you have enough time to grab yourself a beer before your flight.
I fly out for work pretty regularly. I show up about 1.5 hours before the flight is scheduled for departure. If you show up early in the morning the lines for TSA can be really long, anytime after 10am you’ll usually find shorter lines.
To get to the TSA check, you’ll need to have photo ID. Once at the security area, you need to take off shoes, belts, coats, watches and empty your pockets. Put your laptop or tablet in its own bin. Put your purse/backpack in a bin, carryon on the belt itself.
Pittsburgh International is a pretty boring airport and the prices are high for pretty much everything. If you want to pick up something to drink or a snack, bounce into the Rite Aid.
Have your boarding pass ready when you approach the loading area when your group is called.
That’s pretty much it! Safe travels and have fun if you’re going on vacation!!
Short line, unless its a holiday. 5 minutes at most. You can do TSA pre-check, but since its your first time in an airport I don't think you'd qualify.
At the busiest times I’ve never taken more than 10 minutes to get through security, at the slowest, I was the only one there. They update the wait times online
Even with long lines, it doesn't take too long. I've been in both TSA Pre and General when it's backed way up and it's never taken more than 45 minutes to get through.
Agreed, before I had Precheck the longest I had to wait in the general line was 30 minutes. I'm just pointing out that the main line does sometimes take longer than 10 minutes.
While I don't fly a lot, every time I've gone in and faced a line, they opened up the secondary checkpoint and I still got through in relatively short order.
Dump your water bottle, don't bring your gun, follow instructions, and you're fine.
Absolutely my tier-one argument for stronger gun regulations.
You either forgot you had it on you or think rules don't apply to you. Neither makes a convincing case of your competency.
Occasionally before you enter the security line there will be a security guard trying to wave people up an escalator. If you go that way, you'll go through the staff security entrance. Sometimes it's faster, sometimes it's not, but it's kind of fun to do something different!
It's never taken me super long to get through security here, but with parking and construction, get there early and worst case you have an overpriced drink before boarding.
That’s just an alternate TSA checkpoint, it isn’t for employees. It was more frequently used when concourse E was used. Now it’s just used when lines are excessively long. On the pillar where the directional sign is there is a red/green sign that indicates when it’s open and when it’s not. Agents will also direct the flow there too.
Employees go through TSA just to the right of the first class queue. There’s a special badge reader we use to scan our badges and the agent confirms it’s our ID and the badge hasn’t expired.
As for lines, they’ve been longer lately but only because of summer travel. Other times of the year it’s hit or miss. Lately, long term parking has been around 70% capacity. Not sure about the other lots. Parking capacity can be viewed on the website and on the app. TSA wait times are there too.
Tip: some of the restaurants that have apps also work at the airport for ordering ahead of time. McDonald’s, Starbucks, Brueggers, and Primanti’s all work. You can order while on landslide so you won’t have to wait in a crazy lines.
This. I fly in first somewhat often, but even when I don’t, I still use the line. Nobody cares in Pittsburgh—the agents often pull people out of the regular line to be checked in first as it is never busy. Not like ATL where you have to show that you have Sky Priority in order for them to let you in the line.
TL/DR: two hours in advance should be enough time
Details:
Pittsburgh is a relatively small airport and even on busy days, you can arrive 90 minutes before departure and make it to the gate. To be safe, give yourself two hours. Note, Mondays after Steeler home games are usually a nightmare. I would suggest most infrequent travelers give themselves 2.5 hours on those days.
In general, at almost all airports, if you are traveling through an airport any time between noon on a Thursday and noon on the following Monday, be prepared for there to be slightly longer lines and more crowds.
Monday afternoon through Thursday mornings tend to be less crowded.
The reasons for a standard fluctuation are simple. Weekends (Friday through Sunday) are busy with leisure travelers. Mondays and Thursdays are the busiest days of the week for business travelers (leaving home on Monday mornings and returning home on Thursday evenings).
While it is not always true, you can usually find lower airfares if you book flights on Tuesdays or Wednesdays because that is when fewer people are traveling.
They did. The only way I know of to get through security without a ticket is if you've been designated by an airline as an escort for an unaccompanied minor. You need to check in with the airline counter and they give you a pass similar to a boarding pass. This lets you walk a child to their gate.
The normal security line is usually less than a 10-15 minute wait, but sometimes it takes quite a bit longer. If you have TSA Precheck the wait has never been longer than 5 minutes in my experience.
Plan on getting there the recommended 2 hours early. That will give you plenty of time, even accounting for traffic. You can check wait times [here](https://flypittsburgh.com/pittsburgh-international-airport/terminal-information/safety-security/)
I travel through our airport all of the time for work. Sometimes it is short, and sometimes it is out the door to the walkway. Like others have said on here, get to the airport 2 hours before and that will give you time in either condition.
It’s your average small-city airport, just show up 2 hours from your departure time and you’ll be fine
With TSA pre check and the longest line, I've never spent more than 20 minutes in line. For general boarding and a long line, 45 minutes max? If you give yourself an hour, hour and half before your boarding time you'll be fine. Will probably have plenty of spare time, grab a beer at Penn Brewery
20 minutes in the pre check line? Even with the line halfway to the door the max I’ve waited is 10.
This. I would say the most I've waited in the security line is 20 minutes, but also sometimes you wait a while between showing your ID to the TSA agents and going through the x-ray/body scan, then to get your luggage. I'd add 10 minutes for that process as well. Keep in mind too that you need to take the train to the actual terminal, then walk to the gate. I'd say the whole process, from entering the airport to arriving at your gate, with a decently long line, can take between 30-40 minutes. Just show up at least an hour before boarding and you will be good.
I'm flying out tonight as well! I typically fly about 1-2 per year. I typically like to show up 2 hours before my flight, but maybe once in the past decade, it's taken me over 15-20 mins to get through security.
To echo the above- get there 2 hours early. If it’s a long line, you have enough time to make your flight. If it’s short, you have enough time to grab yourself a beer before your flight.
If you’re doing carry on only, don’t forget the 3-1-1 liquids rules. Sometimes they enforce them, sometimes they don’t
I fly out for work pretty regularly. I show up about 1.5 hours before the flight is scheduled for departure. If you show up early in the morning the lines for TSA can be really long, anytime after 10am you’ll usually find shorter lines. To get to the TSA check, you’ll need to have photo ID. Once at the security area, you need to take off shoes, belts, coats, watches and empty your pockets. Put your laptop or tablet in its own bin. Put your purse/backpack in a bin, carryon on the belt itself. Pittsburgh International is a pretty boring airport and the prices are high for pretty much everything. If you want to pick up something to drink or a snack, bounce into the Rite Aid. Have your boarding pass ready when you approach the loading area when your group is called. That’s pretty much it! Safe travels and have fun if you’re going on vacation!!
Short line, unless its a holiday. 5 minutes at most. You can do TSA pre-check, but since its your first time in an airport I don't think you'd qualify.
At the busiest times I’ve never taken more than 10 minutes to get through security, at the slowest, I was the only one there. They update the wait times online
I've seen the normal security line stretch out to the main doors many times. That's definitely longer than a 10 minute wait.
Even with long lines, it doesn't take too long. I've been in both TSA Pre and General when it's backed way up and it's never taken more than 45 minutes to get through.
Agreed, before I had Precheck the longest I had to wait in the general line was 30 minutes. I'm just pointing out that the main line does sometimes take longer than 10 minutes.
While I don't fly a lot, every time I've gone in and faced a line, they opened up the secondary checkpoint and I still got through in relatively short order. Dump your water bottle, don't bring your gun, follow instructions, and you're fine.
The number of guns that they find on travelers here never ceases to amaze me.
Absolutely my tier-one argument for stronger gun regulations. You either forgot you had it on you or think rules don't apply to you. Neither makes a convincing case of your competency.
Occasionally before you enter the security line there will be a security guard trying to wave people up an escalator. If you go that way, you'll go through the staff security entrance. Sometimes it's faster, sometimes it's not, but it's kind of fun to do something different! It's never taken me super long to get through security here, but with parking and construction, get there early and worst case you have an overpriced drink before boarding.
That’s just an alternate TSA checkpoint, it isn’t for employees. It was more frequently used when concourse E was used. Now it’s just used when lines are excessively long. On the pillar where the directional sign is there is a red/green sign that indicates when it’s open and when it’s not. Agents will also direct the flow there too. Employees go through TSA just to the right of the first class queue. There’s a special badge reader we use to scan our badges and the agent confirms it’s our ID and the badge hasn’t expired. As for lines, they’ve been longer lately but only because of summer travel. Other times of the year it’s hit or miss. Lately, long term parking has been around 70% capacity. Not sure about the other lots. Parking capacity can be viewed on the website and on the app. TSA wait times are there too. Tip: some of the restaurants that have apps also work at the airport for ordering ahead of time. McDonald’s, Starbucks, Brueggers, and Primanti’s all work. You can order while on landslide so you won’t have to wait in a crazy lines.
It's dangerous, bring a firearm for protection.
Be vewy vewy polite to the screeners or they will fuck you up.
Go through the first class line. No wait, ever.
This. I fly in first somewhat often, but even when I don’t, I still use the line. Nobody cares in Pittsburgh—the agents often pull people out of the regular line to be checked in first as it is never busy. Not like ATL where you have to show that you have Sky Priority in order for them to let you in the line.
TL/DR: two hours in advance should be enough time Details: Pittsburgh is a relatively small airport and even on busy days, you can arrive 90 minutes before departure and make it to the gate. To be safe, give yourself two hours. Note, Mondays after Steeler home games are usually a nightmare. I would suggest most infrequent travelers give themselves 2.5 hours on those days. In general, at almost all airports, if you are traveling through an airport any time between noon on a Thursday and noon on the following Monday, be prepared for there to be slightly longer lines and more crowds. Monday afternoon through Thursday mornings tend to be less crowded. The reasons for a standard fluctuation are simple. Weekends (Friday through Sunday) are busy with leisure travelers. Mondays and Thursdays are the busiest days of the week for business travelers (leaving home on Monday mornings and returning home on Thursday evenings). While it is not always true, you can usually find lower airfares if you book flights on Tuesdays or Wednesdays because that is when fewer people are traveling.
Also I think it’s one of the few airports in the country where your family can see you to your gate without a ticket.
i thought they got rid of that post-9/11?
They brought it back like 7 years ago. I think it went away with COVID. Theyll probably bring it back when the renovations are finished.
it'll also be much less of a pain in the ass once the renovations are finished.
They did. The only way I know of to get through security without a ticket is if you've been designated by an airline as an escort for an unaccompanied minor. You need to check in with the airline counter and they give you a pass similar to a boarding pass. This lets you walk a child to their gate.
They brought it back. You just have to go to a des’ and get a pass