Summary
- United Airlines plans to renovate and expand Terminal B at George Bush Intercontinental Airport to accommodate larger airplanes and triple the airline’s capacity.
- Houston City Council delayed a $150 million appropriation to the project due to lack of information and the need for additional reviews before agreeing to taxpayer funding.
- The renovation will include demolishing and rebuilding Terminal B North, adding more amenities, improving energy efficiency, and tripling the baggage claim area for more efficient baggage handling.
United Airlines has big plans for Terminal B at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). Earlier in the year, the airline announced its plans to renovate Terminal B at the airport, giving the aging building a more modern touch and even adjusting gates and equipment to accommodate larger airplanes.
However, last week, the Houston City Council put a hold on a $150 million appropriation to the project, which, according to some reports, will ultimately cost $2.6 billion and triple the airline’s capacity at one of United Airlines’s major hubs.
Lack of information leads to delay
According to a report by the Houston Business Journal, City Controller Chris Brown claimed in an emailed statement to the publication that his office was unfamiliar with the financing and the plans to redesign the municipally owned airport. He added that any expenditure of funds for a $2.6 billion project would require additional reviews before taxpayer funding.
However, an agenda from the May 31 City of Houston Economic Development Committee shows that Houston Airport System Director Mario Diaz, United Airlines Managing Director of Airport Affairs Michael Yost, and United Airlines Vice President of Houston Hub Phil Griffith made a presentation about the project in a city public forum.
Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying
United Airlines made renderings and other design elements of the renovated Terminal B at George Bush Intercontinental Airport available to the media and the public, and several appeared with news reports on the story.
What’s the plan for Terminal B?
Plans are to demolish and rebuild Terminal B North completely new with more amenities for passengers, including additional retail and food concessions and additional restrooms to meet the extra demand of passengers. The terminal facility will offer more natural light and be more energy efficient.
As for aircraft capacity, Terminal B North concourse is slated for replacement under the plan to accommodate 22 narrowbody aircraft gates. Meanwhile, the Terminal B South regional concourse will be replaced to provide 18 large regional gates.
Along with tripling the overall capacity of the terminal and allowing larger aircraft to access the jet bridges and gates, the baggage claim area at the airport will also be tripled. This expansion will enable travelers to receive their baggage more efficiently upon arrival. The goal was to have one of the three new planned concourses in Terminal B opened by mid-2026. However, that was based on a plan that saw construction beginning in July of this year.
United’s expansion in Houston
The Terminal B renovation and expansion project at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston is one of many recent projects United Airlines has taken to solidify its South Texas hub.
In January, the airline doubled the size of its global inflight training center with a $32 million expansion project. The center included more training classrooms and even a state-of-the-art aquatic center to allow flight attendants to train for emergency water landings.
United plans to use the Houston training facility to train more than 600 flight attendants monthly at the new center as part of its recently announced United Next long-term business strategy. The airline already operates 400 flights from the airport daily, including several key Latin American and Caribbean destinations.
Photo: United Airlines
In a statement about the expansion, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner said:
“United continues to be a great partner and business leader in the City of Houston, connecting Houstonians to the world and investing in vital infrastructure projects that help enhance the travel experience for millions of travelers.”
United’s expansion of Terminal B at George Bush Intercontinental Airport was planned to enhance the traveler experience at the busy airport by mid-2026. Is the budget of $2.6 billion reasonable? Leave your feedback and comments on the project below.