United opens new Terminal B concourse at Houston's Bush Airport
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The new North Terminal replaces facilities dating back to 1969. Photo: Courtesy of United Airlines.
United Airlines opens its new Terminal B North Concourse at Houston's Bush Airport on Thursday, wrapping up a major phase of the $2.6 billion redevelopment.
Why it matters: After roughly two years of construction, the new concourse replaces decades-old facilities and gates and adds modern amenities and more space for travelers.
The big picture: The new three-level, 765,000-square-foot concourse features 22 gates designed to accommodate larger aircrafts.
- United says the transformation will increase the number of passengers it can accommodate on peak travel dates in 2026 by 40% compared with 2023.
Zoom in: The new concourse also features a 54,000-square-foot United Club — the largest airline lounge in the Americas, per the airline — just short of a standard American football field.
- The project also includes improvements to Terminal B South, including accommodations for larger regional aircraft and additional jet bridges.
- Other upgrades include baggage-tracking technology, jet bridges for every United flight in North Concourse, expanded curbside and roadway capacity, a ground-level check-in area and a traffic bypass between Terminals B and A.
What they're saying: "This is a really important market for us," United CEO Scott Kirby tells Axios. "We've been here a long time, and it's important to invest in it and make it better for customers."
- Kirby said the project will help United grow in Houston while reducing congestion. "The most common complaint I would get about Houston when I come down here a lot is the traffic and the lines."
- Phil Griffith, United's vice president of airport operations at its Houston hub, tells Axios the new gates will allow the airline to serve more destinations with larger planes.
- "The frequency of flights will grow, and the route destinations will grow as well," Griffith said.
State of play: United continues to expand in Houston, where it serves 65 international destinations, including 57 in Latin America and the Caribbean.
- The airline is adding service to Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Mexico, later this month and Cartagena, Colombia, in December.
- It also plans service to Caracas, Venezuela, in January and to resume flights to Chihuahua, Mexico, next spring, pending government approval.
Follow the money: United says it has invested more than $3.5 billion at Bush Airport since 2015.
- The $2.6 billion Terminal B transformation is funded through a combination of airline and city investments.
What's next: The lobby and all the restaurants in the refreshed terminal will be open by the new year.
- United also plans to continue upgrading Terminal B South, including adding jet bridges and improving passenger amenities, per Griffith.
- Travelers should see relief from the road construction and traffic rerouting that have accompanied the project, he said.