HOUSTON — United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby has a lofty goal: “to build the best airline in the history of aviation.” And today, as he welcomed guests to a preview of the new Terminal B North Concourse at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport, and the massive new United Club housed within, he didn’t mince words about how United will make good on this vision.

“We’re maniacally focused on making air travel great for customers, making it easy,” Kirby told United employees, high-status loyalty members, local dignitaries, and members of the media who attended the event.

“And for so long in aviation, people thought of air travel as a commodity. I do not think air travel is a commodity. I think we owe you, our customers, a good experience,” he declared, while flanked by a dazzling digital light installation, The Digital Bayou, at the heart of the new concourse. 

United’s work to offer a world-class inflight passenger experience is well documented: it is installing Panasonic seatback IFE screens across its mainline fleet, complementing its already-fitted widebodies; going fleet-wide with SpaceX’s Starlink Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satcom solution to power free Wi-Fi for loyalty members (more than 640 aircraft are equipped); and it’s even integrating Starlink with the screens to offer deeper personalization. The airline’s new Polaris and Polaris Studio doored mini-suites are also winning passenger accolades, and business traveler awards.

But Kirby wants to go further. “I want your vacation to start when you arrive at your departure airport,” he said today at IAH, which serves as a key United hub and premier gateway for Latin America and Caribbean traffic.

To that end, as part of a 33-month project to replace the 1969-era Terminal B, IAH’s new Terminal B North Concourse has been thoughtfully designed for the modern traveler.

With 22 gates for narrowbody aircraft — and jet bridges for all flights — the facility features an open, airy, and spacious layout, a tech-forward TSA checkpoint, and a public art program that’s inspired by Houston’s bayou ecosystem. There’s also an inclusive sensory room for travelers with autism and sensory sensitivities, and a children’s play area.

Parts of the three-level, 765,000 sq ft facility were still under wraps today, in advance of tomorrow’s big debut, but as your author toured the new concourse, it was clear that the space has been designed for the modern traveler.

Natural light streams in from the floor-to-ceiling windows while recessed and decorative lights add sparkle. Restaurants and concessions celebrate Houston’s foodie scene, with hearty comfort foods and healthy options on offer, while inviting spaces beckon travelers to grab a beverage and socialize.

There’s also a variety of seating options, with private, lounge-style seats at Gate B10 being a particular standout.

Notably, there’s ample AC power and USB ports to keep devices charged. That’s particularly important now that United’s marvelous app is an invaluable extension of the passenger experience.

“Our technology is by far the best,” Kirby enthused. “The most common comment I get from customers is that ‘the app is amazing,’ particularly when they fly other airlines.”

Beyond the tech, United is in “the people business,” Kirby stressed. Customer service agents are “the heart of United Airlines” and flight attendants are “the face of United Airlines,” he said.

“There’s nothing that we can do that matters as much as when you walk on an airplane, and there’s two flight attendants in the galley that are smiling, that are positive, that care, and you can tell they want to be there and they want to help you. They want to make things good for you.”

The on-the-ground experience does, however, represent a key passenger touchpoint, and an opportunity for United to set a good impression before a traveler steps on board. And that’s where the mammoth new United Club at Terminal B North Concourse comes in.

They say that everything is bigger in Texas. And this space definitely fits the bill. Roughly the size of a football field, the 54,000 sq ft facility is the largest airline club in the Americas, and features multiple distinct zones.

Able to accommodate 800 travelers, this United Club offers a vast array of seating options — from dining booths, private booths and loungers to squashy chairs, armchairs, sofas and stools. United even installed private phone booths in the spectacular space.

Aviation enthusiasts will geek out on the 1,350 sq ft outdoor terrace, as will any traveler seeking some Texas sunshine during a connection.

United describes the club design as being “inspired by Houston’s distinctive spirit,” and says it captures “the feeling of traveling from the city to the sky, blending elements of the local cityscape and bayou landscape with nods to Houston’s legacy as a center of aerospace innovation and cultural diversity.”

Though the design brief is exceptionally dense, remarkably, United has succeeded. 

Here, too, art from predominantly Texas-based artists is a fixture, even adorning the walls that lead into restrooms.

Each room is, quite simply, a treasure — and an adventure.

This United Club facilitates everyone from cocooners to socializers to workaholics.

There’s also two buffet stations, multiple coffee stations, two full-service bars, and departure displays throughout the facility.

Olympic gymnast Simone Biles, who grew up in the Houston metropolitan area, famously once said: “The world doesn’t need you to be perfect. It needs you to be bold.”

That’s a worthy description of what United is pursuing. “[T]here is always going to be challenges. There’s going to be weather issues. There’s going to be maintenance issues. There’s going to be things that happen,” Kirby said. “But how do we make everything about the experience good for you?”

Releasing its Q3 earnings today, and revealing that it saw fuel prices increase by $1.8 billion year-over-year, United is “not going to make as much as we did last year,” Kirby confided, “but we’re still solidly profitable. And it really is because we have focused on winning customers. And a great investment like this is just part and parcel of what we’re doing.” The new concourse and club, he said, are another milestone in United’s journey to build the ‘best airline in the history of aviation.’

Upgrades to the Terminal B South Concourse are, meanwhile, expected to be completed soon. You really have to see the new United Club to believe it.

All images credited to Mary Kirby