PIT Wraps Up Banner Year for Air Service Additions

Pittsburgh International Airport added 15 new routes in 2023, including nonstop service to the West Coast and Europe.  

The most recent addition came in December, when Frontier Airlines announced it was more than doubling service at PIT with four more destinations — Philadelphia, Atlanta, Dallas and Raleigh-Durham — beginning in May 2024.  

“We are thrilled to grow our operation at Pittsburgh International Airport and bring expanded ultra-low-cost flight options to area residents,” said Josh Flyr, vice president of network and operations design at Frontier Airlines. “Our expansion offers consumers in Western Pennsylvania access to convenient and affordable travel to some fantastic destinations across the United States.”  

Another way to Europe 

Starting May 16, Pittsburghers can fly nonstop from PIT to Reykjavik, Iceland, on Icelandair. Operating on a 737-8 MAX, flights will arrive at PIT at 7:20 p.m. and depart at 8:30 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays through October.  

“We are expecting great things for Pittsburgh and anticipate these flights strengthening our network, offering both leisure and business travelers more options,” said Grimur Gislason, Icelandair director for North America.  

The new route expands PIT’s international portfolio with nonstop service to Europe seven days a week between Icelandair and British Airways.  

Summer 2023 was British Airways’ busiest at PIT since it first launched service to London Heathrow Airport in 2019 with four weekly flights. The springtime addition of two more weekly flights, for a total of six, propelled the airline to its largest passenger totals to date at the airport. 

“This was a tremendously successful year for us as we saw passenger traffic move closer to pre-pandemic numbers,” said Bryan Dietz, Senior Vice President, Air Service & Commercial Development at PIT. “Our airline partners see the Pittsburgh market as a strong and worthwhile investment, and our team continues to work closely with them to find new opportunities that best serve travelers from Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania.” 

Breeze expands at PIT  

Perhaps the most moves were made by Breeze Airways, which announced seven nonstop routes from PIT in 2023 including Jacksonville; Portland, Maine; Raleigh/Durham; Tampa; Ft. Myers; and Los Angeles, among others. 

“Pittsburgh is just one of those markets where there’s endless amount of opportunity for us,” said Angela Vargo, vice president of marketing and communications at Breeze. “This is an airport in a region that has just been growing so quickly.” 

Southwest, American and Spirit added more nonstop routes in 2023, as well. 

Southwest increased Austin, Texas, service to daily in October and announced seasonal service to San Diego starting June 8, and Spirit unveiled its ninth destination from PIT with service to Miami that began in November. 

American’s seasonal service to Cancun began in December and runs through March 30; marking a return to that route for the first time since 2018. And United Airlines increased service to San Francisco to twice-daily this summer for the first time since the pandemic. 

Launching new routes and resuming others underscores the strength of the Pittsburgh market and the still-increasing customer demand for air travel, particularly to leisure destinations, after the pandemic, said Christina Cassotis, CEO of Pittsburgh International Airport. 

“The airline industry recognizes the importance and the value of serving this market, and I think that is something Pittsburgh can be very proud of,” she said.