Those purchasing cheap flights to Pittsburgh will fly into Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT), ranked among the top five airports in the United States for passenger service. This busy terminal features a broad range of conveniences, including shopping, restaurants, rental car agencies, and taxi and limousine stands. Once the home of manufacturing plants that produced nearly half of the nation's steel, Pittsburgh has made great strides towards eliminating the environmental ills associated with heavy industry in the days before modern regulation.
In fact, Pittsburgh has become recognized as one of the cleanest and most livable cities in the United States. Its cultural and economic blossoming has not only made it the center of its region, but has also transformed it into a tourist destination in its own right. Pittsburgh's numerous attractions include the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium, the Andy Warhol Museum, Sandcastle Water Park, Carnegie Museum of Art, and the Carnegie Science Center. The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and the Pittsburgh Opera also draw many visitors every year. The city is also home to the world-renowned Carnegie Mellon University, along with 14 other colleges and universities, including the University of Pittsburgh and the Pennsylvania Culinary Institute. Commuter rail service and a network of buses serve students, tourists, and Pittsburgh's population of 312,819 residents.
Peak travel into Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) is during the summer and the fall foliage season, as winters tend to be cold and springs wet. However, Pittsburgh's performing arts and sports events bring visitors to the city year round. Accommodations are available throughout the city, with many clean and comfortable cheap hotels in Pittsburgh to choose from. Average airfare from Chicago or Miami runs about $200, and around $175 from San Francisco, but shopping for cheap flights to Pittsburgh can result in much better rates.