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Pittsburgh International · Security

PIT security: how early to arrive.

One checkpoint, 12 lanes, and a closing time most travelers do not know about. Plan your morning with the airport's own advice, then check the live wait before you leave.

Plan my arrivalSee the lanes

Photo: Antony-22, CC BY-SA 4.0 / Wikimedia Commons

Short answer

Pittsburgh International recommends arriving 2 hours before a domestic flight and 3 hours before an international one, and 2 to 3 hours for any flight between 5 and 8 a.m. Screening happens at one 12-lane checkpoint on the Departures (top) level, which is closed from 10:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. TSA PreCheck and CLEAR are both available.

Verified

Security at PIT, by the numbers

12screening lanes in one checkpoint. The old main checkpoint had 7.
2:30a.m.: when the checkpoints open. They close at 10:30 p.m.
4 to 7CLEAR lane hours at PIT (4:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.), per CLEAR.
Oct. 132026: PIT's dedicated PreCheck Touchless ID lane opens.

Interactive

When should I leave home?

Enter your flight and how you are getting there. The planner works back from the airport's advice and flags the overnight closure and CLEAR's lane hours.

PIT arrival-time planner
Flight
Security lane
Getting to PIT

Leave by 6:30 a.m.

  1. 6:30 a.m. Leave (30 min drive you entered)
  2. 7:00 a.m. At the terminal. The airport recommends 2 hours (domestic) before departure.
  3. 7:15 a.m. Through security, using your 15-minute wait estimate, then the Skybridge to the gates.
  4. 9:00 a.m. Departure. That leaves 105 minutes after security.

The arrival time is the airport's own advice: 2 hours before domestic flights, 3 hours before international, and 2 to 3 hours for any flight between 5 and 8 a.m. (we use 3). Shuttle Lot transfer uses the airport's figures: pickups about every 10 minutes and a ride under 10 minutes. Your airline's check-in and bag-drop cutoffs still apply.

See the live wait on the airport's site

Checked October 19, 2026 against the airport's own site. PGH Nonstop is independent and is not the airport.

Know your line

The lanes at the checkpoint

All screening is in one place, right after the airline counters on the Departures level. After screening you pass a recompose area, then take the Skybridge to the Core and every gate.

StandardEveryone with a boarding pass and an accepted ID.
TSA PreCheckFor travelers with PreCheck on their boarding pass.
PreCheck Touchless IDNew dedicated lane from Oct. 13, 2026. Needs the Touchless ID indicator on your mobile boarding pass.
CLEARCLEAR+ members verify at a CLEAR pod, then go to screening. CLEAR lists lane hours of 4:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
PriorityFor travelers your airline marks as priority.
Assisted and MilitaryFor wheelchair users, anyone needing special assistance, and military travelers.
Crew and EmployeePilots, flight attendants and airport staff only.

Lane names from the airport's opening guide (Nov. 17, 2025) and its interactive map. Touchless ID participating airlines named by the airport: Alaska, American, Delta, Hawaiian, Southwest and United.

Faster lanes

CLEAR and TSA PreCheck at PIT

CLEAR

Live at PIT since Dec. 18, 2023. Members confirm identity with eyes or fingerprints and are walked to screening. CLEAR does not skip screening: without PreCheck you still take off shoes and belt. CLEAR's PIT page lists lane hours of 4:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., so late flyers use the other lanes.

TSA PreCheck

Enroll in person at the PreCheck and CLEAR enrollment kiosks on the Departures level, before the lanes. CLEAR lists PreCheck enrollment hours of 6:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. at PIT. Check the TSA and CLEAR sites for current prices.

Touchless ID

PreCheck members with a valid passport can opt in through a participating airline profile or Google Wallet. TSA says it deletes the photo and data within 24 hours of departure. PIT is one of more than 65 airports offering it.

Gateside visitors

Want to meet someone at the gate? PreCheck members can apply through TSA's Gateside portal 1 to 3 days ahead. Approval is not automatic, the pass is good for one day, and you must show approval in the mobile portal (no screenshots).

Screening

What to expect at screening

Bags stay packed more often. The airport says its Computed Tomography scanners let laptops, electronics and liquids of 3.4 ounces or less stay in carry-ons, and that shoes can stay on. Bins return automatically on a conveyor.

Bring an accepted ID. A REAL ID-compliant license, a passport, a military ID or a DHS Trusted Traveler card. Children under 18 do not need ID for domestic security screening.

Medication and medical liquids. Tell the officer before screening, and put medically necessary liquids and accessories (ice packs, pumps, syringes) in a separate bin. Reasonable quantities above 3.4 ounces are allowed once declared.

Need help? TSA Cares (855-787-2227) takes calls about 72 hours before travel. Wheelchair users and anyone needing assistance use the Assisted lane. See our accessibility guide.

Downtown Pittsburgh's skyline across the river on a clear day, with the UPMC sign atop the U.S. Steel Tower at center

Parking before an early flight?

The Shuttle Lot adds about 20 minutes.

The Terminal Garage and Terminal Lot are a 3 to 5 minute walk. Price every lot for your dates.

Parking calculator

Photo: Pexels

Questions

How early should I get to Pittsburgh airport?
The airport recommends 2 hours before a domestic flight and 3 hours before an international flight. For flights leaving between 5 and 8 a.m., and at peak travel times, it recommends 2 to 3 hours.
What time does TSA open at Pittsburgh airport?
The airport is open 24/7, but the security checkpoints are closed from 10:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. every day, so screening starts at 2:30 a.m.
Does Pittsburgh airport have CLEAR?
Yes. CLEAR began operating at PIT on Dec. 18, 2023. CLEAR's own PIT page lists its lane hours as 4:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and in-person TSA PreCheck enrollment from 6:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Does Pittsburgh airport have TSA PreCheck?
Yes. There is a PreCheck lane, and from Oct. 13, 2026, a dedicated PreCheck Touchless ID lane. You can also enroll in PreCheck at kiosks on the Departures level, just before the screening lanes.
How many security checkpoints does Pittsburgh airport have?
One. The new terminal has a single consolidated checkpoint with 12 lanes on the Departures (top) level, up from 7 lanes at the old main checkpoint.
Do I need to take my laptop out at PIT security?
The airport says its new CT scanners let laptops, electronics and liquids of 3.4 ounces or less stay in carry-on bags, and that shoes can stay on. Follow the TSA officer's instructions on the day.
Can I go through security without a ticket at PIT?
Only with permission. PIT is part of Gateside by TSA PreCheck: PreCheck members can apply 1 to 3 days ahead for a one-day pass. Airlines can also issue passes, for example to escort a child or a traveler who needs help.
Where do I check live TSA wait times at PIT?
On the airport's security page, which shows estimated waits for the Standard, Priority, CLEAR and TSA PreCheck lanes and updates every minute.

More of the PIT guide

Sources

  1. Pittsburgh International Airport: Security (live waits, arrival advice)
  2. Pittsburgh International Airport: FAQs (checkpoint hours 10:30 p.m. to 2:30 a.m.; 5 to 8 a.m. advice; PreCheck and CLEAR)
  3. The Transformed PIT: Security (12 lanes in one location)
  4. Blue Sky News: Know Before You Go, Nov. 17, 2025 (lane assignments)
  5. Blue Sky News: Transformed PIT Meets the Needs of Today, Nov. 24, 2025 (12 lanes vs 7)
  6. Blue Sky News: 100 Days In, March 2, 2026 (CT scanners)
  7. Blue Sky News: PIT Adds TSA PreCheck Touchless ID Lane, Oct. 5, 2026
  8. Blue Sky News: Gateside by TSA PreCheck, Oct. 5, 2026
  9. Blue Sky News: CLEAR Officially Begins Operations at PIT, Dec. 18, 2023
  10. CLEAR: Pittsburgh International Airport location and hours (checked October 19, 2026)