[2][6] Like many historic municipal fields, Allegheny serves small and mid-sized private, corporate and commercial traffic well, but was not built to handle jet airliners.

Additionally, political candidates often operate chartered jet airliners into the field.

In May 2017, a Southwest Boeing 737 with 143 passengers en route from Orlando, made a precautionary landing when running low on fuel.

It is much closer to the densely populated South Hills, Monroeville area and Monongahela Valley.

The airport is home to Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics (PIA), a large aircraft maintenance school.

The main terminal was built on a former steel industry slag dump[7] in 1931 by Stanley L. Roush, with later additions by Henry Hornbostel in 1936.

[6] Aiming for a more modern design, the building used white brick with touches of black, silver, and green.

To each side is an Art Deco urn with medallions containing images of flight by both humans and animals.

The lobby floor and restrooms continue the Art Deco Zig-Zag inspiration in the use of glazed black and white ceramic tile.

The way the airport building is laid out would make a checkpoint impractical and hard to control.

However, it was reopened after a single engine plane with a fire landed and the pilot later succumbed to his burns.

Based on the East end of the airfield at the former Gate 9, the building is a former FPO with adjoining maintenance hangar.