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New terminal processors, parking systems and added lanes aim to reduce congestion at Bush and Hobby
Summary
The Houston Airport System described phased openings of a new international processing center and Terminal E operations for United Airlines, parking system rollouts, new curb lanes and other customer‑facing improvements that the agency says sharply reduced holiday traffic congestion and will ease spring break travel.
City officials heard updates on terminal and customer improvements at both George Bush Intercontinental (IAH) and Hobby airports during the Feb. 15 Economic Development Committee meeting.
At IAH, Cessniak said testing and training in January will precede the initial transfer of United Airlines Terminal E operations into the new international central processor (ICP), with a planned move before spring break and a second phase later in 2025 to allow foreign carriers to transition once baggage‑system connections are complete. He showed renderings and described upper‑ and lower‑level roadways, and said United will expand operations at the transformed Terminal B (a $2.5 billion investment by United that includes new piers and an expanded central processor).
At Bush and Hobby, the airport has installed an automated parking system (license‑plate recognition, reservations, automatic charging and Apple Pay support) at Hobby and the CDE Garage at Bush and plans to expand it to additional garages. Cessniak said the new system lets travelers register and reserve parking, streamlines entry/exit and supports modern payment methods.
Cessniak credited recent infrastructure upgrades — including new arrivals curbs and temporary extra lanes during peak windows — with markedly reducing severe traffic metrics over the holidays: Thanksgiving passenger traffic was up roughly 3% from the prior year and Christmas up about 12%, while measures of heavy and severe traffic thresholds at Bush fell sharply compared with the previous year. He said temporary contractor cooperation created an additional lane during peak return windows and that two more arrivals lanes would open soon.
Cessniak also updated construction at Hobby (customer‑facing gate and baggage improvements) and said Southwest is building a seven‑gate expansion at Hobby with an estimated $470.7 million investment. Councilmembers praised the customer results and asked operational questions about gate usage and timelines; Cessniak said the airport will continue phased testing before full operations begin.
Next steps: staff will continue testing the ICP and related terminal systems, expand parking system rollouts to additional garages and open additional curb lanes as construction allows.
