Terminal B investments include expansion of 40
gates for larger aircraft, allowing for 40% more people
to fly from George Bush Intercontinental Airport
New United Club will be the largest in the
nation and Early Bag Storage facility is only one of its kind in
North America
Airline expects to create 1,500 United
positions in Houston next year and
another 4,000 construction-related jobs throughout the
project
CEO Scott Kirby
on hand to celebrate overall growth in Houston as well as new direct flight to
Georgetown, Guyana*, and the airline's new Airbus
A321neo
HOUSTON, Nov. 30,
2023 /PRNewswire/ -- United today announced growth
plans in Houston that include a
$2.6 billion renovation and expansion
of Terminal B at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), a new
United ClubSM location and Early Bag Storage facility
(EBS) as well as a new direct flight to Georgetown, Guyana*.
These investments are part of the airline's United Next growth
plan and include the expansion of 40 gates at IAH to
accommodate larger aircraft, resulting in a 40% increase in the
overall number of people who can fly on peak travel dates in 2026
compared to 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. According to a recent study by Compass
Lexecon, United's direct employment
in Houston contributes to more than $1.2
billion in economic activity annually. Including the
Terminal B project, United has invested more than $3.5 billion in its Houston facilities since 2015.
United CEO Scott Kirby will be
joined by Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and other
officials to celebrate the expansion and show off the airline's new
Airbus A321neo, which takes its inaugural flight from
Houston today and is one
of 800 new planes set to join United's fleet between 2023
and 2032.
"United Next is about new investments that improve the customer
experience and building careers for the next generation of aviation
professionals – and all those things and more are coming to life
here in Houston," said
Kirby.
Terminal B Expansion
United's Terminal B Transformation Program, pending final
approval from Houston's city
council, will play an important part in the estimated 54 million
future passengers that will annually travel throughout the
Houston hub and aims to improve
the travel experience from arrival to departure.
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
"Houston is a premier,
world-class destination deserving of a state-of-the-art facility to
welcome individuals traveling to our city," said Mayor Turner. "The
expansion of Terminal B is physical proof of United's ongoing
commitment to the economic vitality of the City of Houston.
We are grateful for United, one of the city's largest employers,
for creating nearly 4,000 new jobs for our community and enhancing
the growing demand for domestic and international travel
globally."
New United Club
A new United Club, the largest in the system, is being planned
for Terminal B in Houston, which
will join the eight new United Club locations that have opened in
the last two years – the largest ever overhaul of the airline's
lounge spaces.
United's new clubs boast 50% more seating space on average than
the clubs they replace, higher-quality food and beverage options
with local flair, and refined designs that reflect the local market
and a modern take on the United Club experience. Last year, United
also launched United Club FlySM – a first-of-its-kind
grab-and-go club concept in Denver
which has been very well received by travelers; this year alone
more than 100,000 travelers have visited United Club Fly.
New Direct Service to Georgetown, Guyana
United offers more flights from Houston to more destinations than any other
airline and this winter will increase capacity by nearly 10%,
flying to more than double the number of cities from Houston than all other airlines
combined.
On April 1, United will be the
first airline to offer non-stop service between Houston and Georgetown, Guyana*, with four times weekly service on a
Boeing 737-MAX 8 aircraft. This route joins nonstop flights to more
than 160 destinations from Houston, including more than 85 destinations
no other carriers serve non-stop from the city – including places
like Brazil, Australia, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Panama, Peru
and more.
Over the past decade, United has added more than 20 new
destinations out of Houston,
including to Sydney, Australia;
Santiago, Chile; Punta Cana, Dominican Republic; Munich, Germany and more.
The airline will also debut its largest-ever schedule between
Houston and Florida this March, with a 25% increase in
flying compared to 2023. The airline is adding more than 200
additional flights in March to top destinations including
Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach, Fort
Myers, Tampa, Orlando and more.
New, Cutting-Edge Baggage System
United today also previewed a new Early Bag Storage facility set
to become fully operational in early 2024. With a capacity of more
than 3,300 trays to store baggage for passengers arriving early
before departure, on long layovers, or during irregular operations
when flights are delayed, the system will prioritize the release of
baggage according to flight time allowing for more efficient and
dependable baggage delivery. The new system has a remarkable 40
bags per-minute throughput enabling United's overall baggage system
to handle an impressive 80,000 bags per day. United is the only
U.S. airline with a dedicated EBS facility, making it the most
advanced in North America.
A321neo Joins the Fleet
United's new Airbus A321neo takes its inaugural flight from
Houston on November 30. This is the first new Airbus
aircraft to enter United's fleet since 2002 and features
United's most advanced cabin interior yet – including Panasonic's
new NEXT inflight entertainment system, which offers an up to 13
inch, 4K screen and a customizable
passenger experience including curated content options, a more
detailed flight timeline, 3D map with destination guides and
onboard food and beverage menus. The new aircraft also
offers:
- United's new domestic first-class seat, with wireless charging
and more privacy
- Larger overhead bins with space for every passenger's roll
aboard bag
- High-speed Wi-Fi with streaming capabilities
- Bluetooth connectivity
- LED lighting designed to create a modern, calming
atmosphere
The A321neo is just the latest addition to United's fleet as
progress continues on the airline's ambitious United Next growth
strategy; United expects to take delivery of about 800 new
narrowbody and widebody aircraft between 2023 and the end of 2032,
while retrofitting existing narrowbody aircraft with United's
Signature Interior.
*flights subject to government approval.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains certain "forward-looking statements"
within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995. All statements that are not statements of historical facts
are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Such
forward-looking statements are based on historical performance and
current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about
our future financial results, goals, plans, commitments, strategies
and objectives and involve inherent risks, assumptions and
uncertainties, known or unknown, including internal or external
factors that could delay, divert or change any of them, that are
difficult to predict, may be beyond our control and could cause our
future financial results, goals, plans and objectives to differ
materially from those expressed in, or implied by, the statements.
These risks, assumptions, uncertainties and other factors include,
among others, any delay or inability of United Airlines to realize
the expected benefits of the proposed project and that the proposed
project will close on the terms or within the time frame described
in this document. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed.
Forward-looking statements in this press release should be
evaluated together with the many risks and uncertainties that
affect United's business and market, particularly those identified
in the "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition
and Results of Operations" and "Risk Factors" sections in United's
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, as updated by our subsequent
Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and
other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The
forward-looking statements included in this document are made only
as of the date of this document and except as otherwise required by
applicable law or regulation, United undertakes no obligation to
publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as
a result of new information, future events, changed circumstances
or otherwise. The use of words such as "partnered," "partnering,"
"partner" and variations of such words in this press release is not
intended to and shall not be construed to imply that a legal
partnership relationship exists between United and any other
company.
About United
At United, Good Leads The Way. With U.S. hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los
Angeles, New
York/Newark, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., United operates the most
comprehensive global route network among North American carriers,
and is now the largest airline in the world as measured by
available seat miles. For more about how to join the United team,
please visit www.united.com/careers and more information about the
company is at www.united.com. United Airlines Holdings, Inc., the
parent company of United Airlines, Inc., is traded on the Nasdaq
under the symbol "UAL".
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