BA will operate three times a week from Friday (3 June). The carrier began flying to the Pennsylvania city in 2018 after a 20-year gap but was forced to halt services in the pandemic.
“BA took a 20-year hiatus, now with the renaissance of Pittsburgh, they are coming back to a very different city,” said Bob Kerlik, Pittsburgh airport’s spokesperson. He added Pittsburgh had evolved from a “smoking steel city” to a walkable green environment that would appeal to UK visitors.
Pittsburgh is keen to stress its location as an entry point for touring holidays, with Washington four hours by road, Niagara Falls three hours away and New York six hours. The Great Allegheny Passage, a 330-mile cycle trail, links the city with the capital.
Brenda Armstrong, Visit Pittsburgh’s senior marketing director, said: “We’re a welcoming, authentic US destination that’s not overwhelming. It’s about educating people on what there is to see.”
The city has remnants of former industrial riches, including museums founded by tycoon Andrew Carnegie, and celebrates Andy Warhol’s birthplace with an unrivalled collection of art and memorabilia.
In October, the Moonshot Museum, a spin-off from the city’s new robotics industry, opens, allowing visitors to see a spacecraft being built and learn about survival in space.
Armstrong said sport was another attraction for tourists, with the NFL team Pittsburgh Steelers, the Pirates baseball team and ice hockey’s Pittsburgh Penguins. “We are a sports destination and it’s affordable, with tickets from $10,” she said.
Pittsburgh has also experienced a boom in the 25-30 age group moving there, with one benefit being a thriving craft beer and food scene.
