Fares start at $2.75 on the Port Authority 28X Airport Flyer
The 28X Airport Flyer runs between Pittsburgh International Airport’s Main terminal and Downtown Oakland via Downtown Pittsburgh, with service roughly every 30 minutes most of the day. It’s a regular Port Authority bus route, so the adult cash fare is the standard local rate (around $2.75 as of 2024), not an inflated “airport” price.
Buses pick up outside the Main terminal’s landside arrivals area, signed as Port Authority stops, and run toward downtown using the Parkway West (I-376). Endpoints are usually between the airport and Oakland, passing through key downtown spots like Liberty Avenue and Grant Street. Figure about 35–45 minutes to central downtown in light traffic, and longer in rush hour.
Operating hours cover early morning to late evening, with first departures from downtown typically before 5:30 a.m. and last trips leaving the airport after 11:00 p.m. Exact times shift slightly by weekday, Saturday, and Sunday schedules, so check the current timetable or a real-time transit app on the day you fly. Service is less frequent late at night and early on weekends, so don’t just assume a 30-minute headway at 10:30 p.m.
You can pay the 28X fare using a ConnectCard, mobile ticket, or exact cash at the farebox; there’s no change given if you overpay. The bus counts as regular local fare, so transfers within the 3-hour window apply if you’re using a ConnectCard or Port Authority’s mobile payment. If you’re paying cash, plan to have the $2.75 fare ready before you board to avoid slowing down the line.
Each 28X bus has a front bike rack and typical low-floor entry, and luggage just goes in normal seating areas since there’s no dedicated baggage bay like on some airport coaches. Seats fill faster on weekday peak runs serving Oakland’s universities and downtown commuters. If you’re catching a morning flight before 8:00 a.m. on a weekday, leave at least one bus earlier than you think you need in case a trip is crowded or delayed.
One tip: for a downtown hotel along Liberty Avenue or near the Wood Street area, check the 28X stop list and get off within a 2–3 block walk instead of riding all the way to the final downtown stop; it can shave 5–10 minutes off your trip.