PIT Becomes First Airport Certified for Universal Design

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) is the first airport or transportation center in the U.S. to receive Universal Design Certification from the University at Buffalo’s Center for Inclusive Design and Environmental Access (IDEA Center). This sets PIT as a new standard for accessible passenger experiences.

The certification looks at how well spaces follow universal design principles. For PIT, it recognized strong performance in key areas like wayfinding, mobility access, lighting, and sensory inclusion. These features help make the airport easier to use for travelers of all ages and abilities.

A Runway for Kids

The airport mentions as a clear example its redesigned Kids Play Area. PIT says it used extensive user research to support families as a whole, giving kids a safe place to play and including helpful features for caregivers, like nearby rest areas and device charging—not to mention that runway rug!

This news comes as the U.S. is focusing more on family-friendly airport upgrades. In December 2025, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) started its “Make Travel Family Friendly Again” campaign and announced US$1 billion in funding for airport improvements like children’s spaces and related amenities.

Resources in airport terminals can include:

• Creating more children’s play areas or exercise areas
• Adding mothers’ rooms or nursing pods
• Reconfiguring security checkpoints to create family screening lanes
• Building sensory rooms for children with special needs
• Other creative terminal projects that focus on enhancing the family travel journey

New Food Offerings

In addition to the federal funding USDOT is providing to enhance physical infrastructure, the group also emphasized the administration’s interest in collaborating with airports and private sector partners to improve access to nutritional food options.  

“Bringing about a Golden Age in travel has to involve making the family travel experience happier and healthier. Today’s announcement demonstrates the Trump Administration’s commitment to enacting a Family First agenda and improving the lives of the American people,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy.

“Everyone who passes through an airport in this country should have access to fresh, whole foods,” U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said. “Secretary Duffy and I are working to ensure our airports set the standard for a future where healthy eating is part of daily life—travel days included.”