The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra's first international tour occurred in 1947 with concerts in Mexico, under the baton of Fritz Reiner. It has since toured internationally in every decade except the 1950s, presenting concerts in major music halls in Africa (Canary Islands), Asia, Australia, Europe, Puerto Rico and South America.

The list of renowned conductors who have toured with the orchestra are (in order, historically): Fritz Reiner, William Steinberg, Donald Johanos, André Previn, Eduardo Mata, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, Herbert Blomstedt, Lorin Maazel, Michael Tilson Thomas, Mariss Jansons, Gilbert Levine, Leonard Slatkin, Hans Graf and Manfred Honeck.

In 1964, the Pittsburgh Symphony, under the baton of William Steinberg, was chosen by the United States Department of State to represent the nation on an 80-day, 40-concert tour of 27 cities in 14 countries in Europe and the Middle East to engage artists in cultural diplomacy.

In 2004, the Pittsburgh Symphony, under the baton of Gilbert Levine, was the first American orchestra to perform before Pope John Paull II at the Vatican.

The 2024 PSO European Festivals Tour is Manfred Honeck’s 12th international tour with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra; his first was a tour of Asia in 2009. The Pittsburgh Symphony and Manfred Honeck last toured in the fall of 2022, presenting 11 concerts in four countries across Europe.