The George Bush Intercontinental Airport is entering the final phase of the Houston Airport System’s $1.46 billion Terminal Redevelopment Program as the airport continues to strengthen its international travel options.
The airport’s new Terminal D-West Pier opened Oct. 22. Jim Szczesniak, director of aviation for the Houston Airport System, said the expansion features six new gates built for six wide-body airplanes.
While the Terminal Redevelopment Program still has one major project slated to be completed in 2025, airport and area chamber of commerce officials said the opening of the Terminal D-West Pier will provide an economic boon to the Houston area as the city prepares to host several FIFA World Cup matches in 2026.
The overview
Construction of the Terminal D-West Pier—which spans the length of a seven-story building—began in November 2019 with the demolition of the old Terminal C-North facility, IAH officials said.
Szczesniak said the Terminal D-West Pier includes six new gates built to accommodate wide-body airplanes that can also be converted to accommodate 10 narrow-body airplanes.
“We haven’t had new gates here in more than 20 years,” Szczesniak said. “These six new gates really give us the capacity to market to the airlines to come in here [during peak international travel times].”
Szczesniak said the facility also features space for 16 restaurants and businesses, noting several of the tenants featured in the new terminal are locally owned, including:
- The Kitchen
- The Annie Restaurant
- Houston Supply Company
Szczesniak noted the Terminal D area as a whole now encompasses more than 499,000 square feet, which is about three times the size of the field at Minute Maid Park.
Officials also noted all four lanes of North Terminal Road will open ahead of Thanksgiving, which they said should provide passengers arriving at Terminals C, D and E with less traffic during the holidays.
“These improvements will reduce congestion and improve the passenger experience,” Houston Mayor John Whitmire said in a statement.
The impact
According to a Greater Houston Partnership economic report conducted before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, travel through IAH, William P. Hobby Airport and Ellington Airport contributed roughly $36.4 billion to the Houston-area economy in 2019.
While Szczesniak said the 2019 report was the most recent economic analysis available, he said a new economic report would be made available by the end of 2024.
Gary High, chief development officer of Houston Airport System’s infrastructure division, said much of that revenue is created as a result of travelers spending money at local businesses and restaurants. High noted the additional flights out of the new terminal should result in even more spending by travelers.
“Some of those wide body planes carry 260 passengers, [with six planes arriving] multiple times a day,” High said. “It starts to add up.”
Additionally, Szczesniak said the Terminal D expansion resulted in the creation of around 250 new jobs at the airport.
“Those [new workers] are all generating their piece, and that gets poured back into the economy,” Szczesniak said.
Szczesniak said he believes the newly completed Terminal D expansion and other improvements to the airport help make the Houston area an attractive option for international events. In February, FIFA officials announced Houston was selected to host seven matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup at NRG Stadium.
“This infrastructure gives us the ability to continue to push the levels so that we can get to over 200 nonstop destinations,” Szczesniak said.
Zooming out
The Houston Airport System’s $1.46 billion Terminal Redevelopment Program represents the single largest investment the city of Houston has contributed to IAH, Szczesniak said.
The Terminal Redevelopment Program consists of three primary phases, with the new Terminal D-West Pier concluding the second phase. The first phase of the project, which included a revamp of Terminal D, was completed in 2023, officials said.
Szczesniak said the third phase of the project will include the construction of the airport’s new International Central Processor ticketing hall and security checkpoints, which he believes should improve traffic flow.
Szczesniak noted the remaining work included in the Terminal Redevelopment Program is scheduled to be completed in two phases in 2025.
“The light is not at the end of the tunnel,” Szczesniak said. “We’re at the end of the tunnel.”
What they're saying
- “This new Terminal D-West Pier is more than just an addition. It boosts our economy by creating jobs, but it also reminds us that we must continue modernizing all our airport infrastructure to meet the high standard this pier has set.”—John Whitmire, Houston mayor
Phil Griffith, vice president of airport operations for United Airlines, said the airline’s’ $2.6 billion, 765,000-square-foot Terminal B expansion project is currently underway. Griffith said the project will include the construction of the Terminal B North redevelopment concourse and processor will be complete in 2026.
