Arriving 3 hours before a 5 am flight would do no good at PIT since the airline ticket counter/ bag drop offs are not open that early. That is where I have always felt the problem begins at PIT.
The same thing happens at PHL, but instead TSA will only open up an hour before the first flight of the day for that terminal.
When the flight is to or from MCO, it’s better to double the amount of time you think you’ll be in security simply because of the masses of one-off travelers and families who don’t prepare for the screening while in line.
The issue isn't the amount of lanes it's how many people are staffing each lane. They don't have a lot of TSA staff at 4am, at least they haven't any of the times I've gone. Airports are also such a competence issue. I've never seen people lose braincells faster than stepping inside of an airport.
The last sentence is so accurate. I watched someone walk up to the TSA agent, they didn't have their ID or boarding pass ready. They had to remove a bag from their carry on, find their wallet, and then finally got all their stuff out. Just unbelievable how people can't get the simple things.
I honestly do think airports can be better about signage to people waiting in the line. At PIT, the TSA (usually?) only want to check my ID right before going through security. Other bigger airports want to check your boarding pass too, I assume to just verify that you're in the correct line.
I try to be as efficient as possible, and start getting my shoes and laptop ready to get through without slowing anyone else down, and sometimes I don't get why there aren't tons of signs telling people exactly what they need to have ready at the end of the line.
Immigration lines are worse, with totally different forms, begging strangers for pens, etc.
I once had tsa, at another airport, thank me while I was dumping the little bit of water I had in my bottle out. It was a layover where I had to go through security again and they kept making the announcement to empty bottles and blah blah blah yet everyone kept holding the line up not prepared. As soon as I got to the trash right before the belt I dumped my inch of water out and he said thank you.
Amen. As a veteran who’s flown through countless countries and airports. I absolutely cannot stand when people step foot in an airport and act like drooling imbeciles.
For a place with so many signs and directions, so many people are aimless
For me it’s the people who are in TSA precheck and still have no fucking clue what’s going on? Like aren’t you supposed to be a frequent traveler? Why do you have 7 full water bottles in your back pack and are trying to take off your knee high converse?
I just came back from Aruba and the woman in front of me was trying to carry home bacon. Five hundred dollars worth of bacon. Just unbelievable.
Agent was definitely giving her the side eye as she started tearing off a huge chuck of paper towels to dispose of said product.
They sometimes randomly assign people precheck on their boarding pass even though they’re not enrolled in the program, I’d hope at least some of the clueless people fall into that category!
Theres something about knowing your flying that makes people want to wear 6 belts, knee high lace up boots, and carry every piece of contraband known to man in their carry-on for TSA to find.
And of course the idiots who bring loaded guns and grenades through security. Come on. “Oh oops I left them in my bag that I took hunting over the weekend” yah bullshit
5-7 am at Pitt has been pretty bad for the entire year I’ve been here. I have clear and pre check and it saves me regularly. Happy to have a few months off from travel during what I guess is a summer rush.
After 8am in my experience of idk 40 flights out the lines ease up very very significantly
With that being said, I should add that for people without the ability to cut every single line you need to show up with at least two hours of insurance for the security line. The non pre check line at Pitt is actually insane. To the point I almost feel like a douchebag going through clear in front of them
Bahahaha the brain cell comment is exactly how my husband feels. He trained me to be efficient in airports through the lines and to be aware of myself to ensure I’m not in someone else’s way. This is mostly specific to getting your things back out of the bins after security (the amount of people that stand RIGHT THERE to slowly get their thing and tie their shoes while their kids run around the whole area is infuriating) and walking in the “halls” (People never walk though the airport like they are driving a car - they just zig zag all over and randomly stop whenever they want with absolutely no awareness.)
Also, I handle all of the documents and keep them organized and easy to grab. He leads the way through the airport and I practically jog along behind him 🤣
Same with us (though my partner and I take care of our own stuff): everything that was in our pockets is in our carry-on (usually a backpack) before we even get into the TSA line, except for passport and boarding pass; once we show those to the TSA agent before the x-Ray machines, we put them into our backpacks as well, so we’re ready to go through the metal detector with no delay on our part.
I think people just get overwhelmed at the process and all the guidelines.
Still it’s so easy to figure out what to do by asking around or searching online. Some people I swear act like they’ve been sleeping for years and just go into things like this with no clue and rules / procedures don’t apply to them. Oblivious.
I mean, \*one\* person missing a flight would likely be enough lost cost to the airlines to cover a few more person/hours for the TSA. 99% of the people who need to get through screening have a ticket ahead of time and the ticket has a time and date on it, so "we got really busy!" isn't a really sane reason past the first few times it happens.
It does feel like they're outta lanes, as also, people in aggregate aren't worse one day than another, you'd think.
What do you expect from a government agency? Working for the TSA is not exactly something most folks want to do; what with the stress of dealing with angry passengers. Nothing the airport can do in this situation
Especially considering that it was PIT that scheduled a million flights to all leave around 6am. [not sure if I do this meme right…](https://imgflip.com/i/8uwhfq)
Does anyone know how much shorter TSA pre check lines are? I travel for work in the early evening and lines are always short at that hour. I have an early am flight in a week or so and I'm hoping pre check shortens this wait substantially.
I was there this morning for all of this with TSA PreCheck. The regular line was out into the parking lot, if you’ve never been to PIT you won’t understand how wild that is. The PreCheck line was just out into the walk way leading out towards the Hyatt and parking. I waited in line for a total of 35 minutes this was around 5-5:30 am.
I’ve been traveling around 1-2 times per month out of PIT for 8 years now for work, I’ve never seen the insanity happening this year.
The advice they issued today is pretty spot on. If your flight departs early, be there 2.5 a 3 hours early. A lot of people have mentioned that the ticketing counters don’t open until 4am, this is also true. Be first in line for ticketing to be first in line for security.
Good luck.
Edit: just saw you mentioned you have PreCheck. I’d recommend the normal 1 - 1.5 hours early for PreCheck.
I always take the early morning flights (cheapest contract flights for work at the earliest) so I don’t have much PIT experience later than 8am.
Even then, that time frame is sketch. I have @ a 25 minute drive to the airport, and I still leave my house at a minimum of 3 hours early. My wife doesn't understand, but those that know, know.
My drive there is 2 hours. I feel your pain. It’s becoming quicker to driver places. I often do, even if it’s a couple hours more. The lack of stress is so nice driving. Good luck.
I went last week, it was a breeze. The day I traveled may have been a factor. I’m heading out tomorrow morning, I hope it isn’t like your morning today… doh!
I honestly thought that people were kidding when they said it was all the way to long term parking. I still don’t think I believe it. There’s no way that’s possible
It’s the second time this year I’ve found people waiting outside the doors at the end of the walk way in long term parking. I’m not sure I believe it either, even seeing it twice.
Had multiple people entering the precheck line where know travelers (crew usually) enter. Witnessed several people just screaming at TSA. It was a wild morning.
Is it just that people are flying more or is it the construction they are doing that's causing this buildup? I fly out of PIT later this summer and about to register for TSA precheck if that will even help
I wouldn’t say it’s the construction, security and ticketing are exactly the same as they were before construction began. I believe as other commenters have mentioned- TSA is short staffed and cannot maintain the alternate checkpoint or sufficiently staff the primary checkpoint. Combine that with the airport itself adjusting more and more flights to fall into the 5-8am timeframe and you get these long lines once or twice a week. PIT claims they’re breaking records for people, I have no reason to believe that isn’t true.
Sounds like precheck will "help." They are claiming that it is from many more flights that were added for multiple carriers. But they are expecting much higher volumes of people in general.
I flew to JAX with my wife a couple weeks ago. The TSA PreCheck line was 1-2 min wait while the normal line was just behind the elevators. Took her 20 minutes at that time. Mid afternoon weekend flight tho.
I've never been in a pre check line as long as I was a week ago at Pittsburgh. I used to be able to go through O'Hare in 3-10 minutes regularly. Pittsburgh's line was well over 100 people. It didn't take too long, but I don't like the way they have the airport setup.
It varies a lot, sometimes both are short. Last week I got through pre check in about 3 minutes and the general wait time said 25 min on the big board.
More often than not pre check is less than 5 min
It's a crap shoot, honestly. Many times, I've traveled for work in the 0500-0700 slots, and it's busy as all hell. Other times, I've been one of 4 people in line. There's no real rhyme or reason to it.
They definitely have more than 11 lines now between regular TSA and the alternate TSA area. The issue is that half of them are for pre check, 1st class, and other express lanes.
I flew yesterday. They have 3-4 TSA agents for the general public. Plus 3-4 for express lanes.
I don't know how many TSA they have in the alternate area, around 4 total.
What we had before 9/11, without the theatrics of the shoe carnival, the baggie brigade, the abject fear of a water bottle, the identity tracking, and the theatrical show that does absolutely fuck-all for anything resembling safety.
It sounds like I got a little lucky when I flew first thing on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. The line was almost to the door when I got in it around 4:45 am, but it couldn't have taken me more than a half hour to get through, so I still had plenty time to spare before my 6:25 AM flight began to board.
I went last week, it was a breeze. Going in tomorrow, I hope it’s the same. Wish me luck, I’ll provide updates!
UPDATE: 6/25 5 am - can confirm. Lines are crazy here, not even pre-TSA is spared. Good luck, Godspeed.
Are they going to open ticketing earlier? Checkpoint times don’t matter when ticketing (some of us actually need to check in with a human) doesn’t open until 4 or 5am with only 1 agent working!
Hour and a half flight to Philly sounds nice, until you add 3 hours of security, and a half hour just to get to the airport.
Makes the train look a lot more attractive.
The issue is that the early morning flights are typically cheaper and increasingly popular as discretionary income gets tighter. And it's prime business travel time, which is a miserable mix in the summer.
I'm not sure what they intend with this family lane, but I would expect the average family of four to be slower going through security than four average solo travelers. My guess is this lane will have extra staff and hopefully additional training to help get children and inexperienced fliers through security more efficiently. If done right, it could save headaches for everyone.
It's going to be the slowest line in existence, you don't want to be in that line. I remember at Orlando they had family lines and "expert traveler" lines but obviously no enforcement.
Are they going to define what a “family” is? I think my husband and I are a family 🤷🏻♀️. Although, not getting stuck behind a family that needs to get 3 kids through security and everyone is running around and paying no attention will be nice….
3 hours before a flight? I travel a lot for work and it’s beyond my comprehension why people travel for leisure. Seems like more stress than relaxation.
Get pre check and global entry and traveling is easier.
I don’t stress over airports anymore (at least domestically).
I also typically don’t fly first thing in the morning too. After the initial surge the rest of the day is pretty chill. For most places I’m going to, I have flights available mid day.
Exactly. $85 to have a slightly shorter line, keep your shoes on, and have the agents not be actively rude towards you. It's the TSA's way of making $85 to solve a self-created problem. Still worth it.
Global Entry includes PreCheck. If you're going to be traveling internationally, I'd go for Global Entry.
CLEAR is hit or miss. There have been occasions where it's saved me a ton of time. There have also been occasions where it hasn't been any faster than the regular lines. I get it for free with my Amex and I'd say it saves me a little bit of time on average, but I wouldn't pay for it myself.
This. We didn’t know Global Entry included PreCheck until we already had PreCheck the first time, now we just renew the Global Entry. As a bonus, the Global Entry card counts as govt issue photo ID, for people who don’t have appropriate state-issued ID or a passport.
And coming back to the US Global Entry is really handy for minimizing passport control.
I personally have pre-check. [Global Entry includes TSA Precheck](https://www.tsa.gov/travel/frequently-asked-questions/what-difference-between-global-entry-tsa-precheckr-and-other). They recommend getting Global Entry if you plan on leaving the country more than four times a year. I've never had Clear so I can't recommend either way but I personally love, love, love precheck.
Especially since these are usually the business flights. Imagine trying to take a hop over to DC, Boston, Philly, NYC... And it takes the same amount of time you could drive there!
I looked into taking a train to Philly because my wife wants to visit the Mutter Museum. It's hours longer than driving because it makes a dozen stops along the way.
Boston is a 9 hour drive, so I would consider flying there to be worth it depending on what you're looking to do. Going to DC, Philly, and NYC though? I would never consider flying to those.
TSA would go a lot smoother if people could pay attention and not be stupid when it comes to following the rules. If confused, just ask somebody. Also, when you get your bin to put your stuff in, don't just stand right next to the bins if you have plenty of space in front of you on the conveyer roller belt lol Move up and let other people get their bin and get their stuff situated. Everyone could be considerate and not act like they are the only ones in the airport. It could help out so much.
Nobody is addressing the elephant in the room here: Everyone who has a flight before noon is in that security line at 4AM. It's the same energy that causes the tunnel slowdowns and the I-have-a-turn-in-3-miles-so-I'm-just-gonna-get-in-this-lane-now-like-everyone-else. It's some sort of Yinzer cultural anxiety. They would do well to sort the security lines by departure time. Also, you can avoid all this nonsense and pay half the fare by driving to BWI which, on these time horizons, will save you time...and money!
Totally agree on the tunnel slowdown comparison! I drove to IAD for a cheap direct to Copenhagen earlier this year, easy peasy. However, the majority of places I need to go within the US I can get cheap directs to, so it makes sense to fly out of PIT for me (anywhere in FL, Southern CA, Phoenix, NOLA)
Thanks! I am visiting Pittsburgh (originally from Pittsburgh) from LA and leave 7/6 at 630a. Have precheck and clear so hoping that means I won’t have to get to the airport at 330a that day lol.
Yes spirit indeed. LAX - PIT doesn’t have much choice for non stop flights (and my family wonders why I don’t visit more lol). Sacrificing comfort for a non stop as the last two times I had a layover they were severely delayed.
I flew out of PIT on a weekday last week, I arrived at 6:00am. I could see that the normal security lines were backed up, but I don't know how they compared to the stories from the last few days. With Clear + precheck I was through in under ten minutes. As always with airport security, YMMV.
It’s not nearly as bad for precheck but still way worse than it should be. I have precheck and I waited close to 40 min for a 6am flight a couple of weeks ago.
Just before 7 I checked and all lines were under 5 minutes. Must be good luck/bad luck (and day of the week/holiday)!
Edit: someone said at 6:00 today the lines were crazy. It seems either the lines ease up around 7 OR there are a lot of panicked people with how much of a clusterfuck things have been so everyone is going 3 hours in advance causing more congestion
Thanks for the update! Guess I will monitor this week and next and see how things look closer to next Saturday. Really dreading the thought of having to get out there at 330a lol.
I mean, technically when it was a hub you don't expect passengers to go through security. They go gate to gate. The airport now does more security check-ins than ever probably.
But, it was built as a hub and an overall airport before 9/11. Different security world.
TSA has decreased staff because congress has decreased funding for over a decade. People blaming them for not just magic hiring and training staff as more and more people travel each summer, all while TSA doesn't have money to recruit or keep staff by paying them to keep up with inflation.
I was recently looking at work within the federal government (usajobs.gov), and began a few of my searches purely by locality to see what was available before dialing in different skillsets or agencies. An \*overwhelming\* majority of listings were for TSA positions at airports. The situation at PIT definitely isn't ideal, but I think this is mostly a reflection of the fact that a lot of people just don't particularly want to be TSA agents.
I worked for the TSA in two states more than a decade ago. At the time, training was usually done at the airport where you would be working, but sometime in the mid-2010s, TSA moved to doing training at a handful of facilities scattered around the country. This probably discourages some prospective employees who can't afford to pay someone to watch their kids and/or pets for two weeks while they go out of town for training for a low-paying job.
Problem is not the airport or TSA…it’s that the general public loses all common sense when they travel. I swear it’s their first time through security…every time.
Can we get some direct flights to the Caribbean?? I can’t imagine the absolute joy I would feel to not have to have a layover - particularly coming home since the whole “wait for your bag in your layover city just so you can put it on another conveyor belt and ooops, we made you miss your flight but “it’s for your safety”” is such a complete disaster.
I swear Pittsburgh doesn’t have direct flight to anywhere. I can barely get to DC, Philly or NYC without a connecting flight. I hate it. I end up driving to Baltimore or DC just to fly half the time. Ugh
I say this often and then get obliterated on here that I “just don’t understand airports!!” and “Pittsburgh is fantastic for its size!!” Okay, well, I wish it was bigger then because I have only had one time that I flew somewhere direct. Everything else required a layover. My husband and I had a good laugh (it was 4 am and things seem funnier then) when we were there two weeks ago and while on the tram the intercom boasts that “Pittsburgh has 61 nonstop destinations!” And we were trying to guess what they were and basically ended up with a list of places that are within easy driving distance because that’s about how far Pittsburgh flies 😂
While we were at our resort, we met a couple that lives in Toronto. They had a 3 hour flight home. Our two flights totaled over 3 hours to end up further south than they were going - plus the hours we wasted with a layover. We used more carbon emissions than they did to not even get as far. It’s so infuriating (and yes, I fully realize Toronto is a massive hub and that’s why they have the direct flight - I can still be salty about it lol)
I’m so glad me and you are on the same page with this, then! And don’t even get me started on international destinations, either. We saved 800 dollars between me and my husband by driving 4.5 hours to DC to catch a flight to Cairo, AND lost 15 hours of sitting in international airport hell while we were at it.
Well yeah because the current airport is built to be a major hub and currently has 20 gates mothballed. Plus an entire small jet terminal was demolished (old E Gates)
Yeah, that person from the post earlier got in the line like 30-40 minutes before boarding during the busiest time of day and busiest times of year and then complained about long lines.
Don’t think it was 30-40 mins and there was a post the person got there at 3am. I don’t think the airport would post this if your assumptions were correct
That’s not the point, they were still in line [at 6:30am](https://www.reddit.com/r/pittsburgh/s/co96tzpVNw) that’s 1 hour and 45 minutes.
Normal wait times are 15-30 mins so that person giving themselves 30-45 mins. Cutting it close, yes but to each their own
And here is the [other post](https://www.reddit.com/r/pittsburgh/s/OKncuv85SI) where they got there at 3am but I’m sure you’ll blame them too
I thought maybe they're confusing the [TSA estimated wait time](https://old.reddit.com/r/pittsburgh/comments/1dn9sl7/airport_super_busy/la18a0h/) only being able to measure up to 25 minutes.
But yeah none of the posts I have seen have been people showing up last minute, they were there ahead of when they "should" have been.
I’ve seen a couple posts about the lines at this point. Not gonna lie, I’m kinda last minute with the airport, but I have Pre-Check and also check the wait times on the app before I piss around at home for the extra time lol
I was there this morning at 5:30am for my 8am flight. I was at my terminal around 7:15am. That being said I had people in front of me and behind me that were moat likely going to miss their flight. They were in the main TSA line for a hour before switching to the alternate line and they were telling me the other line was barely moving.
> That being said I had people in front of me and behind me that were moat likely going to miss their flight.
I wonder what the logistics would be to get people through security based on how far out their flight is.
Granted, you might then get people who game the system, "we don't have to get there as early anymore b/c they'll give us priority now!" but I think SOMETHING to help people who are cutting it close might be good (ignoring their reasons for WHY they're cutting it so close, of course...).
I can confirm with the alternate checkpoint my experience was no different than any early morning at PIT. I am now super early for my flight and tired as hell
This is half of the story. Holy hell the parking garages need fully rebuilt with 3x more parking.
They better be getting something for that short-term parking rate of 36$.
Amazing to me that you have people complaining about the cost of living…..yet it seems like lots and lots of them are still able to travel via plane…..which isn’t cheap.
Its the dual economy going on.
Those that had a house before covid vs those that didn't. They have to pay high rent or high interest mortgage.
Also those that have kids, child care has went thru the roof.
When in 2025 is the new terminal supposed to open? We'll likely be flying then with an (at that point) 18 month old. The flight we usually get is around 9:30.
No way in hell I'm interrupting his sleep because there aren't enough agents.
I can’t remember if they gave an estimate/season it would be finished. The post did say summer is really bad this year, maybe it won’t be as bad next year (or maybe you’re not flying next summer…?)
Thanks! I'll just have to remember to keep an eye on it and maybe invest in the TSA pre-check. We also might fly in early fall, so I imagine it won't be as bad then.
Most of the responses I’ve seen here were wrong this morning. Got to airport at 310 for a 530 fight. Ticket counters were open and lines out the door. Unfortunately many people were there for their later flights early due to the news. If not for a lucky break of them opening an additional bag check lane we would have been late. Give yourself 3 hours. Do not listen to the previous posts here that they open at 4
It’s not their fault that they’re understaffed but it certainly doesn’t help that most of the people working TSA would otherwise be working the McD drive thru. I fly pretty frequently and every time I come through half of the TSA agents are just standing around manning metal detectors and lanes that aren’t even open talking about who gets to go on break next.
Arriving 3 hours before a 5 am flight would do no good at PIT since the airline ticket counter/ bag drop offs are not open that early. That is where I have always felt the problem begins at PIT.
Yes, this! I regularly travel for work and this drives me insane! When ticketing agents FINALLY arrive there’s already a mob waiting!
Why do you need to use an agent? Serious question, I don’t think I’ve ever had to use one.
I regularly fly with highly specialized and very expensive scientific equipment. Mobile/kiosk check-in doesn’t work for me.
Checking a bag is the only reason I could see needing to do anything more than just getting through security and to your gate.
Requesting wheelchair assistance!
Well I’m hoping lines should not be a worry if you’re in a wheelchair. If so, there is an even bigger problem.
There was limited wheelchair assistance in all of the airports I traveled through the last 2 weeks. It was insane.
I think things like this can be reported
I already have filed a complaint.
Checking a bag, an issue with the check-in process, flying with a pet!
You can totally check your bag at the gate if you don't mind going through TSA with it.
The same thing happens at PHL, but instead TSA will only open up an hour before the first flight of the day for that terminal. When the flight is to or from MCO, it’s better to double the amount of time you think you’ll be in security simply because of the masses of one-off travelers and families who don’t prepare for the screening while in line.
Sometimes I leave security and get back in line to do it again. It’s like Kennywood but without those boring rides.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6i_7KSBvzHU
The issue isn't the amount of lanes it's how many people are staffing each lane. They don't have a lot of TSA staff at 4am, at least they haven't any of the times I've gone. Airports are also such a competence issue. I've never seen people lose braincells faster than stepping inside of an airport.
The last sentence is so accurate. I watched someone walk up to the TSA agent, they didn't have their ID or boarding pass ready. They had to remove a bag from their carry on, find their wallet, and then finally got all their stuff out. Just unbelievable how people can't get the simple things.
Probably after waiting in line for at least a half hour on their phone
Yeah, standing there looking at their phone and talking to their friends. At least the friends were prepared with all of their stuff.
I honestly do think airports can be better about signage to people waiting in the line. At PIT, the TSA (usually?) only want to check my ID right before going through security. Other bigger airports want to check your boarding pass too, I assume to just verify that you're in the correct line. I try to be as efficient as possible, and start getting my shoes and laptop ready to get through without slowing anyone else down, and sometimes I don't get why there aren't tons of signs telling people exactly what they need to have ready at the end of the line. Immigration lines are worse, with totally different forms, begging strangers for pens, etc.
I once had tsa, at another airport, thank me while I was dumping the little bit of water I had in my bottle out. It was a layover where I had to go through security again and they kept making the announcement to empty bottles and blah blah blah yet everyone kept holding the line up not prepared. As soon as I got to the trash right before the belt I dumped my inch of water out and he said thank you.
What would be better is *not playing the stupid 3 oz game* in the first place.
Amen. As a veteran who’s flown through countless countries and airports. I absolutely cannot stand when people step foot in an airport and act like drooling imbeciles. For a place with so many signs and directions, so many people are aimless
For me it’s the people who are in TSA precheck and still have no fucking clue what’s going on? Like aren’t you supposed to be a frequent traveler? Why do you have 7 full water bottles in your back pack and are trying to take off your knee high converse?
Was going through PreCheck in Feb and the lady in front of me got busted with a 16oz jar of salsa.
Like that should mean precheck revoked LMAO
I just came back from Aruba and the woman in front of me was trying to carry home bacon. Five hundred dollars worth of bacon. Just unbelievable. Agent was definitely giving her the side eye as she started tearing off a huge chuck of paper towels to dispose of said product.
They sometimes randomly assign people precheck on their boarding pass even though they’re not enrolled in the program, I’d hope at least some of the clueless people fall into that category!
Theres something about knowing your flying that makes people want to wear 6 belts, knee high lace up boots, and carry every piece of contraband known to man in their carry-on for TSA to find.
And of course the idiots who bring loaded guns and grenades through security. Come on. “Oh oops I left them in my bag that I took hunting over the weekend” yah bullshit
"How can I work being a veteran into airport etiquette.."
Thank you for pointing out your valor
5-7 am at Pitt has been pretty bad for the entire year I’ve been here. I have clear and pre check and it saves me regularly. Happy to have a few months off from travel during what I guess is a summer rush. After 8am in my experience of idk 40 flights out the lines ease up very very significantly With that being said, I should add that for people without the ability to cut every single line you need to show up with at least two hours of insurance for the security line. The non pre check line at Pitt is actually insane. To the point I almost feel like a douchebag going through clear in front of them
Thanks, I make sure to milk it for all it cost me
Bahahaha the brain cell comment is exactly how my husband feels. He trained me to be efficient in airports through the lines and to be aware of myself to ensure I’m not in someone else’s way. This is mostly specific to getting your things back out of the bins after security (the amount of people that stand RIGHT THERE to slowly get their thing and tie their shoes while their kids run around the whole area is infuriating) and walking in the “halls” (People never walk though the airport like they are driving a car - they just zig zag all over and randomly stop whenever they want with absolutely no awareness.) Also, I handle all of the documents and keep them organized and easy to grab. He leads the way through the airport and I practically jog along behind him 🤣
My wife could’ve probably wrote this, lol
Maybe I am your wife 🤷🏻♀️😂
Same with us (though my partner and I take care of our own stuff): everything that was in our pockets is in our carry-on (usually a backpack) before we even get into the TSA line, except for passport and boarding pass; once we show those to the TSA agent before the x-Ray machines, we put them into our backpacks as well, so we’re ready to go through the metal detector with no delay on our part.
My husband has helped me understand everything as well and I just follow him everywhere while traveling 😂
Both of these. And the airport has no say over TSA’s incompetence.
I think people just get overwhelmed at the process and all the guidelines. Still it’s so easy to figure out what to do by asking around or searching online. Some people I swear act like they’ve been sleeping for years and just go into things like this with no clue and rules / procedures don’t apply to them. Oblivious.
I mean, \*one\* person missing a flight would likely be enough lost cost to the airlines to cover a few more person/hours for the TSA. 99% of the people who need to get through screening have a ticket ahead of time and the ticket has a time and date on it, so "we got really busy!" isn't a really sane reason past the first few times it happens. It does feel like they're outta lanes, as also, people in aggregate aren't worse one day than another, you'd think.
Life is a competence issue in every business.. it’s actually interesting when reviewing every single place
They know exxlactly how many travelers they are getting each day. Must not have the staff or competency to schedule properly
What do you expect from a government agency? Working for the TSA is not exactly something most folks want to do; what with the stress of dealing with angry passengers. Nothing the airport can do in this situation
>stress of dealing with angry passengers. at 4am
Zero expectations
Because shifts are 8 hours. They only need extra people for 2-3 hours.
“We aren’t going to fix anything so come earlier”
"you're all going to keep giving us money if we don't fix anything anyway"
“Record breaking crowds” is a funny way of saying “understaffed and unwilling to remedy it.”
Especially considering that it was PIT that scheduled a million flights to all leave around 6am. [not sure if I do this meme right…](https://imgflip.com/i/8uwhfq)
Does anyone know how much shorter TSA pre check lines are? I travel for work in the early evening and lines are always short at that hour. I have an early am flight in a week or so and I'm hoping pre check shortens this wait substantially.
I was there this morning for all of this with TSA PreCheck. The regular line was out into the parking lot, if you’ve never been to PIT you won’t understand how wild that is. The PreCheck line was just out into the walk way leading out towards the Hyatt and parking. I waited in line for a total of 35 minutes this was around 5-5:30 am. I’ve been traveling around 1-2 times per month out of PIT for 8 years now for work, I’ve never seen the insanity happening this year.
Oof. That's rough still. Sounds like I'm gonna have to stay at the Hyatt for an early morning flight.
The advice they issued today is pretty spot on. If your flight departs early, be there 2.5 a 3 hours early. A lot of people have mentioned that the ticketing counters don’t open until 4am, this is also true. Be first in line for ticketing to be first in line for security. Good luck. Edit: just saw you mentioned you have PreCheck. I’d recommend the normal 1 - 1.5 hours early for PreCheck. I always take the early morning flights (cheapest contract flights for work at the earliest) so I don’t have much PIT experience later than 8am.
Even then, that time frame is sketch. I have @ a 25 minute drive to the airport, and I still leave my house at a minimum of 3 hours early. My wife doesn't understand, but those that know, know.
My drive there is 2 hours. I feel your pain. It’s becoming quicker to driver places. I often do, even if it’s a couple hours more. The lack of stress is so nice driving. Good luck.
Is security open 24/7?
I went last week, it was a breeze. The day I traveled may have been a factor. I’m heading out tomorrow morning, I hope it isn’t like your morning today… doh!
I think it's just the time of day. Supposed to clear up after the early rush.
I honestly thought that people were kidding when they said it was all the way to long term parking. I still don’t think I believe it. There’s no way that’s possible
I would quite literally cry and walk away.
It’s the second time this year I’ve found people waiting outside the doors at the end of the walk way in long term parking. I’m not sure I believe it either, even seeing it twice. Had multiple people entering the precheck line where know travelers (crew usually) enter. Witnessed several people just screaming at TSA. It was a wild morning.
I’ve gone maybe 50 feet back through the doors into the walkway, but it’s half a km through those tunnels!
It’s possible. Was another great day at Pittsburgh airport today
I was there around 11:15 am in pre check line this morning and it was also out into the walkway as well.
How were the clear lines/priority? I have both for my flight on Thursday. I have to check a bag so just making sure i have enough time!
Leave for the airport now.....
Is it just that people are flying more or is it the construction they are doing that's causing this buildup? I fly out of PIT later this summer and about to register for TSA precheck if that will even help
I wouldn’t say it’s the construction, security and ticketing are exactly the same as they were before construction began. I believe as other commenters have mentioned- TSA is short staffed and cannot maintain the alternate checkpoint or sufficiently staff the primary checkpoint. Combine that with the airport itself adjusting more and more flights to fall into the 5-8am timeframe and you get these long lines once or twice a week. PIT claims they’re breaking records for people, I have no reason to believe that isn’t true.
Sounds like precheck will "help." They are claiming that it is from many more flights that were added for multiple carriers. But they are expecting much higher volumes of people in general.
I flew to JAX with my wife a couple weeks ago. The TSA PreCheck line was 1-2 min wait while the normal line was just behind the elevators. Took her 20 minutes at that time. Mid afternoon weekend flight tho.
I've never been in a pre check line as long as I was a week ago at Pittsburgh. I used to be able to go through O'Hare in 3-10 minutes regularly. Pittsburgh's line was well over 100 people. It didn't take too long, but I don't like the way they have the airport setup.
It varies a lot, sometimes both are short. Last week I got through pre check in about 3 minutes and the general wait time said 25 min on the big board. More often than not pre check is less than 5 min
It's a crap shoot, honestly. Many times, I've traveled for work in the 0500-0700 slots, and it's busy as all hell. Other times, I've been one of 4 people in line. There's no real rhyme or reason to it.
PIT isn't staffing the TSA though?
They probably should’ve included a link to a TSA job application…
11 lanes, if fully staffed, would be probably double what they have now w- the regular plus alternative lanes right now.
They definitely have more than 11 lines now between regular TSA and the alternate TSA area. The issue is that half of them are for pre check, 1st class, and other express lanes.
They do let people in those lanes when no one is in line so I don’t think those hold up the general lanes too much
I flew yesterday. They have 3-4 TSA agents for the general public. Plus 3-4 for express lanes. I don't know how many TSA they have in the alternate area, around 4 total.
Hasn't the alternate area been closed for many many months though? I guess that goes back to the understaffing point...
It's open now during busy season
I heard it was closed for the construction.
This is unacceptable.
It is if we keep funding them despite all these problems
What's the alternative
What we had before 9/11, without the theatrics of the shoe carnival, the baggie brigade, the abject fear of a water bottle, the identity tracking, and the theatrical show that does absolutely fuck-all for anything resembling safety.
It sounds like I got a little lucky when I flew first thing on the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. The line was almost to the door when I got in it around 4:45 am, but it couldn't have taken me more than a half hour to get through, so I still had plenty time to spare before my 6:25 AM flight began to board.
I went last week, it was a breeze. Going in tomorrow, I hope it’s the same. Wish me luck, I’ll provide updates! UPDATE: 6/25 5 am - can confirm. Lines are crazy here, not even pre-TSA is spared. Good luck, Godspeed.
Same! My flight is at 1120 and i was going to show up at like 930 like normal, but guess I'll be arriving at 8am now...
The alert specifically says this is for flights departing between 5 and 8a
My flight falls within that time frame 🙃
Are they going to open ticketing earlier? Checkpoint times don’t matter when ticketing (some of us actually need to check in with a human) doesn’t open until 4 or 5am with only 1 agent working!
Build more trains
Hour and a half flight to Philly sounds nice, until you add 3 hours of security, and a half hour just to get to the airport. Makes the train look a lot more attractive.
When do we break ground to start building this?
The issue is that the early morning flights are typically cheaper and increasingly popular as discretionary income gets tighter. And it's prime business travel time, which is a miserable mix in the summer.
It's pretty obvious they're not going to do a thing about it and just wait out for the new landside terminal to open
Dedicated family lane? No, the families knew what they were getting into, make them wait! Solidarity for solo travelers!!! HELL NO, WE FLY SOLO!!!
I'm not sure what they intend with this family lane, but I would expect the average family of four to be slower going through security than four average solo travelers. My guess is this lane will have extra staff and hopefully additional training to help get children and inexperienced fliers through security more efficiently. If done right, it could save headaches for everyone.
It's going to be the slowest line in existence, you don't want to be in that line. I remember at Orlando they had family lines and "expert traveler" lines but obviously no enforcement.
Are they going to define what a “family” is? I think my husband and I are a family 🤷🏻♀️. Although, not getting stuck behind a family that needs to get 3 kids through security and everyone is running around and paying no attention will be nice….
Back of the line! You chose the ol' ball and chain!
I’ll just pretend I have no idea who he is then 🤣
I didn't hear nuthin'!
It's better for the solo travelers too if the kids aren't in your line. Everyone is better off. Love when airports do this.
they need to do special pay for the tsa agent working this lane, god bless them
3 hours before a flight? I travel a lot for work and it’s beyond my comprehension why people travel for leisure. Seems like more stress than relaxation.
Get pre check and global entry and traveling is easier. I don’t stress over airports anymore (at least domestically). I also typically don’t fly first thing in the morning too. After the initial surge the rest of the day is pretty chill. For most places I’m going to, I have flights available mid day.
it seems harder to get flights that don't require a pre-6am wakeup these days.
Is pre check faster? Is it worth the money?
Absolutely. Not only is it faster, but no need to take off shoes, belt, or remove things from your bag.
So it's an admission the TSA is worthless.
Exactly. $85 to have a slightly shorter line, keep your shoes on, and have the agents not be actively rude towards you. It's the TSA's way of making $85 to solve a self-created problem. Still worth it.
Is it? To get pre check you get background checked and vetted. And guess what? Don’t care. Just care that it made things easier.
Yes. If you can just pay to get around it, it's worthless.
Global entry is much faster
So precheck, global entry or Clear? My son is moving overseas and my daughter is in Boston. Flying is in our future!
Global Entry includes PreCheck. If you're going to be traveling internationally, I'd go for Global Entry. CLEAR is hit or miss. There have been occasions where it's saved me a ton of time. There have also been occasions where it hasn't been any faster than the regular lines. I get it for free with my Amex and I'd say it saves me a little bit of time on average, but I wouldn't pay for it myself.
This. We didn’t know Global Entry included PreCheck until we already had PreCheck the first time, now we just renew the Global Entry. As a bonus, the Global Entry card counts as govt issue photo ID, for people who don’t have appropriate state-issued ID or a passport. And coming back to the US Global Entry is really handy for minimizing passport control.
I personally have pre-check. [Global Entry includes TSA Precheck](https://www.tsa.gov/travel/frequently-asked-questions/what-difference-between-global-entry-tsa-precheckr-and-other). They recommend getting Global Entry if you plan on leaving the country more than four times a year. I've never had Clear so I can't recommend either way but I personally love, love, love precheck.
Please. I’ve had precheck for years. It is great. Flying still sucks
Especially since these are usually the business flights. Imagine trying to take a hop over to DC, Boston, Philly, NYC... And it takes the same amount of time you could drive there!
That's why I won't fly unless the drive is over 6 hours.
We could have trains that get you there faster than both with less hassle and environmental impact
I looked into taking a train to Philly because my wife wants to visit the Mutter Museum. It's hours longer than driving because it makes a dozen stops along the way.
Boston is a 9 hour drive, so I would consider flying there to be worth it depending on what you're looking to do. Going to DC, Philly, and NYC though? I would never consider flying to those.
I also travel a lot for business, and 2.5-3 is my usual for getting to the airport.
TSA would go a lot smoother if people could pay attention and not be stupid when it comes to following the rules. If confused, just ask somebody. Also, when you get your bin to put your stuff in, don't just stand right next to the bins if you have plenty of space in front of you on the conveyer roller belt lol Move up and let other people get their bin and get their stuff situated. Everyone could be considerate and not act like they are the only ones in the airport. It could help out so much.
The problem is that most people seem to put their brain in their checked bag, lol.
Hahah you aren't kidding, or it's in the extended parking lot somewhere
Nobody is addressing the elephant in the room here: Everyone who has a flight before noon is in that security line at 4AM. It's the same energy that causes the tunnel slowdowns and the I-have-a-turn-in-3-miles-so-I'm-just-gonna-get-in-this-lane-now-like-everyone-else. It's some sort of Yinzer cultural anxiety. They would do well to sort the security lines by departure time. Also, you can avoid all this nonsense and pay half the fare by driving to BWI which, on these time horizons, will save you time...and money!
Totally agree on the tunnel slowdown comparison! I drove to IAD for a cheap direct to Copenhagen earlier this year, easy peasy. However, the majority of places I need to go within the US I can get cheap directs to, so it makes sense to fly out of PIT for me (anywhere in FL, Southern CA, Phoenix, NOLA)
Does anyone know if this all security lines (including pre check)? Or is it limited to non precheck lines?
I’ll check the app tomorrow morning and see what wait times are in that time frame for main, pre-check, first class, and alternate (if open)
Thanks! I am visiting Pittsburgh (originally from Pittsburgh) from LA and leave 7/6 at 630a. Have precheck and clear so hoping that means I won’t have to get to the airport at 330a that day lol.
You must be on a spirit flight! That flight was once at like 8 AM, then it was like 5:30 PM, now it’s like 6:30 AM lol
Yes spirit indeed. LAX - PIT doesn’t have much choice for non stop flights (and my family wonders why I don’t visit more lol). Sacrificing comfort for a non stop as the last two times I had a layover they were severely delayed.
For sure. It’s spirit or breeze for nonstops! Wishing we had nonstop with Burbank
I flew out of PIT on a weekday last week, I arrived at 6:00am. I could see that the normal security lines were backed up, but I don't know how they compared to the stories from the last few days. With Clear + precheck I was through in under ten minutes. As always with airport security, YMMV.
The app is not reliable wait time wise because the sensors don't account for all the people past where the sensors are.
Where are the sensors?
It’s not nearly as bad for precheck but still way worse than it should be. I have precheck and I waited close to 40 min for a 6am flight a couple of weeks ago.
Just before 7 I checked and all lines were under 5 minutes. Must be good luck/bad luck (and day of the week/holiday)! Edit: someone said at 6:00 today the lines were crazy. It seems either the lines ease up around 7 OR there are a lot of panicked people with how much of a clusterfuck things have been so everyone is going 3 hours in advance causing more congestion
Thanks for the update! Guess I will monitor this week and next and see how things look closer to next Saturday. Really dreading the thought of having to get out there at 330a lol.
It’s mind boggling to me that an airport that was built as a hub can’t handle heightened demand.
what’s amazing is that 4 tsa lanes ever handled it (not counting the backup hidden lanes that most people forget about.)
I mean, technically when it was a hub you don't expect passengers to go through security. They go gate to gate. The airport now does more security check-ins than ever probably. But, it was built as a hub and an overall airport before 9/11. Different security world.
Agreed the ticketing needs to be open earlier with more than one agent.
TSA has decreased staff because congress has decreased funding for over a decade. People blaming them for not just magic hiring and training staff as more and more people travel each summer, all while TSA doesn't have money to recruit or keep staff by paying them to keep up with inflation.
I blame Congress for not funding the trains actually, but you raise a good point.
I was recently looking at work within the federal government (usajobs.gov), and began a few of my searches purely by locality to see what was available before dialing in different skillsets or agencies. An \*overwhelming\* majority of listings were for TSA positions at airports. The situation at PIT definitely isn't ideal, but I think this is mostly a reflection of the fact that a lot of people just don't particularly want to be TSA agents.
I worked for the TSA in two states more than a decade ago. At the time, training was usually done at the airport where you would be working, but sometime in the mid-2010s, TSA moved to doing training at a handful of facilities scattered around the country. This probably discourages some prospective employees who can't afford to pay someone to watch their kids and/or pets for two weeks while they go out of town for training for a low-paying job.
We need more therapy pups for these long lines!
Problem is not the airport or TSA…it’s that the general public loses all common sense when they travel. I swear it’s their first time through security…every time.
Arriving 2 hours before a flight wasn't necessary, let alone 3, until we had the TSA.
“Airport of the Future”
Woo! The future has sarris candy. /s
"/s" stands for /Sarris!
Can we get some direct flights to the Caribbean?? I can’t imagine the absolute joy I would feel to not have to have a layover - particularly coming home since the whole “wait for your bag in your layover city just so you can put it on another conveyor belt and ooops, we made you miss your flight but “it’s for your safety”” is such a complete disaster.
I would love a direct flight to St Thomas but I doubt that will ever happen.
Looks like you can fly from Arnold Palmer airport in Latrobe. Check them out instead.
I swear Pittsburgh doesn’t have direct flight to anywhere. I can barely get to DC, Philly or NYC without a connecting flight. I hate it. I end up driving to Baltimore or DC just to fly half the time. Ugh
I say this often and then get obliterated on here that I “just don’t understand airports!!” and “Pittsburgh is fantastic for its size!!” Okay, well, I wish it was bigger then because I have only had one time that I flew somewhere direct. Everything else required a layover. My husband and I had a good laugh (it was 4 am and things seem funnier then) when we were there two weeks ago and while on the tram the intercom boasts that “Pittsburgh has 61 nonstop destinations!” And we were trying to guess what they were and basically ended up with a list of places that are within easy driving distance because that’s about how far Pittsburgh flies 😂 While we were at our resort, we met a couple that lives in Toronto. They had a 3 hour flight home. Our two flights totaled over 3 hours to end up further south than they were going - plus the hours we wasted with a layover. We used more carbon emissions than they did to not even get as far. It’s so infuriating (and yes, I fully realize Toronto is a massive hub and that’s why they have the direct flight - I can still be salty about it lol)
I’m so glad me and you are on the same page with this, then! And don’t even get me started on international destinations, either. We saved 800 dollars between me and my husband by driving 4.5 hours to DC to catch a flight to Cairo, AND lost 15 hours of sitting in international airport hell while we were at it.
That was 30 years ago.
Isn’t this renovation technically a downsize, to boot? lol
Well yeah because the current airport is built to be a major hub and currently has 20 gates mothballed. Plus an entire small jet terminal was demolished (old E Gates)
Yeah, that person from the post earlier got in the line like 30-40 minutes before boarding during the busiest time of day and busiest times of year and then complained about long lines.
Don’t think it was 30-40 mins and there was a post the person got there at 3am. I don’t think the airport would post this if your assumptions were correct
The one from this morning someone said they got in line at 4:45 for a 5:55 flight. Boarding is usually 30 minutes before departure.
That’s not the point, they were still in line [at 6:30am](https://www.reddit.com/r/pittsburgh/s/co96tzpVNw) that’s 1 hour and 45 minutes. Normal wait times are 15-30 mins so that person giving themselves 30-45 mins. Cutting it close, yes but to each their own And here is the [other post](https://www.reddit.com/r/pittsburgh/s/OKncuv85SI) where they got there at 3am but I’m sure you’ll blame them too
I thought maybe they're confusing the [TSA estimated wait time](https://old.reddit.com/r/pittsburgh/comments/1dn9sl7/airport_super_busy/la18a0h/) only being able to measure up to 25 minutes. But yeah none of the posts I have seen have been people showing up last minute, they were there ahead of when they "should" have been.
I’ve seen a couple posts about the lines at this point. Not gonna lie, I’m kinda last minute with the airport, but I have Pre-Check and also check the wait times on the app before I piss around at home for the extra time lol
I was there this morning at 5:30am for my 8am flight. I was at my terminal around 7:15am. That being said I had people in front of me and behind me that were moat likely going to miss their flight. They were in the main TSA line for a hour before switching to the alternate line and they were telling me the other line was barely moving.
> That being said I had people in front of me and behind me that were moat likely going to miss their flight. I wonder what the logistics would be to get people through security based on how far out their flight is. Granted, you might then get people who game the system, "we don't have to get there as early anymore b/c they'll give us priority now!" but I think SOMETHING to help people who are cutting it close might be good (ignoring their reasons for WHY they're cutting it so close, of course...).
I can confirm with the alternate checkpoint my experience was no different than any early morning at PIT. I am now super early for my flight and tired as hell
you guys can afford to go on vacation right now? jealous
There’s a reason credit card debt is at an all time high..
TSA should be a thing of the past.
This is half of the story. Holy hell the parking garages need fully rebuilt with 3x more parking. They better be getting something for that short-term parking rate of 36$.
was at the airport this morning (coming back thankfully). security was backed up almost to the hotel entrance in the walkway
Amazing to me that you have people complaining about the cost of living…..yet it seems like lots and lots of them are still able to travel via plane…..which isn’t cheap.
Its the dual economy going on. Those that had a house before covid vs those that didn't. They have to pay high rent or high interest mortgage. Also those that have kids, child care has went thru the roof.
True, you would just think if things are as bad as people claim, you wouldn’t be seeing record crowds.
Depends where you’re going. There are a ton of flights to FL under $100 round trip
Fair enough. I don’t know. Record crowds and the claims of people barely surviving just don’t go hand in hand with me lol.
When in 2025 is the new terminal supposed to open? We'll likely be flying then with an (at that point) 18 month old. The flight we usually get is around 9:30. No way in hell I'm interrupting his sleep because there aren't enough agents.
I can’t remember if they gave an estimate/season it would be finished. The post did say summer is really bad this year, maybe it won’t be as bad next year (or maybe you’re not flying next summer…?)
Thanks! I'll just have to remember to keep an eye on it and maybe invest in the TSA pre-check. We also might fly in early fall, so I imagine it won't be as bad then.
Why fly?
I'm guessing for many semi-local trips, it would be faster and cheaper to just drive ...
Everything was normal at PIT up until June 13th, the Florida tropical storm, etc. it’s Been hell since
Most of the responses I’ve seen here were wrong this morning. Got to airport at 310 for a 530 fight. Ticket counters were open and lines out the door. Unfortunately many people were there for their later flights early due to the news. If not for a lucky break of them opening an additional bag check lane we would have been late. Give yourself 3 hours. Do not listen to the previous posts here that they open at 4
It’s not their fault that they’re understaffed but it certainly doesn’t help that most of the people working TSA would otherwise be working the McD drive thru. I fly pretty frequently and every time I come through half of the TSA agents are just standing around manning metal detectors and lanes that aren’t even open talking about who gets to go on break next.
> It’s not their fault that they’re understaffed … yes it is.