United’s $2.6B Terminal Renovation Soars with Jobs, Tech, and Elite Amenities”

United today announced growth plans in Houston that include a $2.6 billion renovation and expansion of Terminal B at George Bush Intercontinental Airport. A new United ClubSM location, an Early Bag Storage facility (EBS), a new direct flight to Georgetown, Guyana.

The expansion of 40 gates at IAH to accommodate larger aircraft is one of the investments made by the airline as part of its United Next growth plan. This will increase the number of passengers who can travel on peak dates in 2026 by 40% over 2023.

United is the largest airline in Houston, with more than 14,000 employees and 400 daily departures – the airline hired more than 2,100 people locally in 2023 and expects to add another 1,500 in 2024. This expansion is also expected to create an additional 4,000 construction jobs.

Terminal B Expansion  

With final approval from Houston’s city council, United’s Terminal B Transformation Program—which aims to enhance the traveller experience from arrival to departure—will be crucial to the estimated 54 million passengers who will pass through the Houston hub each year.

Project highlights include: 

• A three-level, 765,000 sq. ft. Terminal B North Concourse with 22 mainline, narrow-body gates
• Converting 30 existing small regional jet gates to 18 gates to accommodate larger, two-class regional jets in the Terminal B South Concourse
• Boarding via jet bridge for all flights
• Two major concessions hubs with more than 115,000 sq. ft. of food and retail space
• A new, state-of-the-art baggage handling system equipped with advanced tracking technology
• The largest United Club in our system
• Expanded curbside and roadway capacity with a ground-level check-in area, including the addition of a traffic bypass between Terminals B and A to allow Terminal B customers to exit the airport without having to drive past Terminal A as they do today
• A new sensory room for passengers with disabilities.

Additionally, United today gave a sneak peek at a brand-new Early Bag Storage facility that will open for business in early 2024. More than 3,300 trays can be used to hold luggage for travellers arriving early before departure.

A321neo Joins the Fleet 

United’s new Airbus A321neo takes its inaugural flight from Houston on November 30. United expects to take delivery of approximately 800 new narrowbody and widebody aircraft between 2023 and the end of 2032, while also retrofitting existing narrowbody aircraft with United’s Signature Interior. The A321neo is just the most recent addition to United’s fleet as the airline continues to make progress on its ambitious United Next growth strategy.