Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport approaches end of $1.468B upgrade
HOUSTON - Travelers can soon expect a smoother experience at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) as multiple projects, including a major terminal expansion, near completion after nearly five years of construction.
FOX 26 spoke with Jim Szczesniak, the Airport Director, who detailed current progress and what's on the horizon for the airport.
Spanning half a decade, IAH has undergone extensive upgrades to enhance its international travel capabilities — a $1.468 billion initiative known as the IAH Terminal Redevelopment Program.
Last month marked the completion of Terminal D West Pier, an extension project designed to modernize the international travel facility.
"For the international terminal, we just opened those six new international gates and completed the necessary roadway work entering the airport, which has greatly alleviated traffic issues," Szczesniak said.
In anticipation of the holiday travel surge, a new international arrival curb is slated to open before Christmas. Come the new year, United Airlines is expected to debut another terminal, further reducing congestion at the airport.
"Once we get to January, we’re going to open the international terminal to open for United Airlines to move their terminal E operations and that’s again going to give us a lot more curve capacity. It’s going to help decongest terminal C," Szczesniak said.
The forthcoming phase of construction involves United Airlines’ transition to the new international terminal and the continued development of an advanced baggage system.
"They're world-class gate facilities over there. We get travelers and their reaction is that they really love it with the new amenities, art, architecture, it's a good world-class facility," Szczesniak said
All projects are scheduled for completion by the end of next summer, at which point all international airlines will transition to the new terminal.
ITRP is the single largest capital improvement project by Houston Airports, and it includes the refresh of the existing Terminal D, completed in 2023; the expansion of Terminal D with a new D-West Pier; and a new International Central Processor, slated for winter of 2024 and summer of 2025.