Houston Hobby Airport: City council approves expansion plans for more gates, baggage area upgrades
HOUSTON - The Houston City Council has unanimously approved the first installment towards a total of $470 million in funding and plans to expand the west concourse at Hobby Airport.
The expansion, which is scheduled to begin in early 2024 and span two years, will include seven additional gates that can accommodate domestic and international flights; an expanded and renovated baggage handling system and baggage claim area; and an overhead canopy along the departures curb that will protect against inclement weather and connect the Red Garage to the terminal.
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In March 2022, in anticipation of increased demand from Southwest passengers, City Council approved Houston Airports to appropriate an initial $20 million of airport funding for the planning and design of the expansion project. On Wednesday, the city council approved Houston Airports to use $250 million of airport funds to move forward with construction. A supplemental appropriation request of $200 million will be made by Houston Airports to City Council in the next 12 to 15 months, totaling $470 million.
Officials said the West Concourse Expansion Project comes less than a decade after Hobby Airport last expanded. In October 2015, Southwest Airlines commenced service from a 280,000 square-foot West Concourse, which includes five gates that can accommodate international and domestic flights; a ticketing hall; a Federal Inspection Services facility; and an expanded TSA checkpoint. The opening of the $156 million West Concourse marked the return of international air service to Hobby Airport after a 46-year hiatus.
"With business and leisure travel on the rise, this is an exciting time for expansion at one of our major airports. William P. Hobby Airport is the first and only 5-Star Skytrax airport in North America, and passengers deserve a first-class experience," said Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner. "As a global city and sought-after destination, we have excelled in attracting new air services. Enhancing our Houston Hobby Airport infrastructure strengthens the backbone of our economic vitality and cultural prosperity. This expansion project symbolizes our commitment to a thriving future."