Southwest Airlines is coming to Pittsburgh.

Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato and county Airport Authority officials announced today that the discount airline would begin service at Pittsburgh International Airport in May.

The number of flights and the destinations won't be announced until next month.

There also was no announcement of how many gates Southwest would use at the airport, but officials said the airline had agreed to an 18-year lease.

The announcement culminates years of work by Onorato, his predecessor Jim Roddey, Airport Authority Executive Director Kent George and authority board members to lure the industry's largest and most profitable discount carrier to Pittsburgh International.

The Airport Authority brought Southwest's top executives to Pittsburgh in the summer, and George has talked to them numerous times, including visiting Southwest headquarters in Dallas at least once.

That the county, the airport and Southwest were close to a deal has been a closely guarded secret. State Rep. Tom Stevenson, R-Mt. Lebanon, an airport authority board member, said Southwest had been looking at 14 flights a day.

"I'll tell you, we've been working very hard to attract Southwest Airlines to Pittsburgh and all of the hard work has finally paid off," he said. "It's going to be great for the city."

More details in tomorrow's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.