United Airlines on October 21, 2026 previewed its new Terminal B North Concourse at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), a three-level, 765,000 square-foot, 22 mainline gate facility that opens to the public tomorrow.

Terminal B North also includes a huge, 54,000-sq-ft United Club – the largest club of any airline in the Americas – with seating for 800 people, an outdoor terrace and panoramic views of the airfield.

The terminal design creates a sense of openness with soaring ceilings, expansive gathering spaces and sweeping airfield views and the public spaces feature 10 different art installations inspired by Houston’s bayous, cultural diversity, innovation and global connections, as well as a dedicated sensory room for travelers.

Travelers will find new retail, concession and restaurant options including Houston favorites like B&B Butchers & Restaurant, Rosie Cannonball, Pizaro’s Pizza, Blood Bros. BBQ, Katz Coffee and Blue Bell Creameries.

United is the largest airline in Houston, with more than 14,000 employees and 500 daily departures, and has invested more than $3.5 billion in the city’s airport since 2015.

The new concourse, replacing facilities dating back to 1969, is the centerpiece of United’s broader $2.6B Terminal B Transformation Program. Together with improvements to the Terminal B South Concourse, United will have 48 gates in Terminal B. Every United flight operating from the Terminal B North Concourse will board through a jet bridge, delivering more convenience to travelers. The transformation also increases the overall number of customers who can fly on peak travel dates in 2026 by 40% compared to 2023, while building on United’s broader investment in Houston facilities and employees.

Operational Excellence and Modern Infrastructure

The new Terminal B is engineered to accommodate United’s growing fleet and support a seamless customer journey. Key infrastructure highlights include:

• 22 new mainline gates in the North Concourse: The gates are designed for narrow-body aircraft and provide larger seating and boarding areas.
• 26 gates in the South Concourse: Upgrades to the Terminal B South Concourse include accommodations for larger regional aircraft, additional jet bridge access, and other customer-focused enhancements
• Jet bridges for every United flight in North Concourse: All United flights operating from Terminal B North use jet bridges, providing a climate-controlled connection between the terminal and aircraft.
• Advanced baggage technology: A new baggage handling system includes tracking technology designed to support the terminal’s increased capacity.
• Expanded airport access: Includes additional curbside and roadway capacity, a ground-level check-in area and a traffic bypass between Terminals B and A.

Latin America Gateway and a Record-Size Domestic Network

From IAH, United serves 65 international destinations across the globe. With 57 international destinations within Latin America and the Caribbean, United offers more destinations to the region than from any other hub in its network, including destinations that no other U.S. airline serves. Domestically, 2026 represents United’s largest schedule in over 10 years, with nearly 17M annual seats for both Houston residents and visitors as well as international connecting customers. This year, United added ten new cities to its domestic network including Hartford, Connecticut, Chattanooga, Tennessee, Burlington, Vermont, and Spokane, Washington and will continue to grow in 2027.

This winter, United is adding three new international destinations from IAH, enabled by the continued growth of the airline in Houston. Later this month, United will launch new service to Tuxtla Gutiérrez* from Houston, giving the Mexican city its only nonstop international connection. In December, United will become the first U.S. airline to offer nonstop service between Houston and Cartagena, Colombia, and in January United will connect Houston with Caracas, Venezuela*.  Together, these new routes strengthen Houston’s role as an important global hub and a key gateway to Latin America, connecting travelers with places that have historically been harder to reach from the United States.

The redeveloped Terminal B gives United greater flexibility to grow its Houston network. With 22 new mainline gates in the North Concourse, United can now accommodate larger aircraft and add seats to markets where demand is strongest. The South Concourse has also been reconfigured to better accommodate larger, two-class regional aircraft, enhancing connectivity across United’s network. This added flexibility is creating opportunities for future growth, including the plans to restart of service between Houston and Chihuahua, Mexico (CUU)* next spring, further expanding travel options for customers and strengthening Houston’s role as a leading gateway to Mexico and Latin America.

The Largest Airline Club in the Americas

The redeveloped Terminal B North includes the largest United Club and largest airline club across North and South America. Located on the mezzanine level, the 54,000-square-foot club features panoramic views of the airfield and expanded space for customers to dine, work or relax before their flights.

With seating for 800 travelers, the expansive club offers more space, comfort and convenience, including a 1,350-square-foot outdoor terrace. Customers can enjoy two full-service bars, two buffet stations, eleven private phone rooms, high-speed Wi-Fi and power outlets throughout the club, whether they’re looking to relax, work or recharge before their flight.

Inspired by Houston’s distinctive spirit, the club’s design 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. The space features a curated collection of artwork from predominantly Texas-based artists, including photography by a San Antonio-based United employee.

The new club builds on United’s growing lounge portfolio at IAH, following the February 2025 opening of United Club Fly on the south side of Terminal B. Designed for travelers on the go, United Club Fly offers self-scan entry and a convenient selection of fresh food, snacks, beverages and barista-made coffee to take to their gates. With the opening of the new Terminal B North club, United has seven club and lounge locations across IAH, including United Club Fly and the United Polaris® lounge.

Customers can access United Club locations through a United Club membership, eligible United credit cards or select premium cabin tickets.

A Sense of Discovery

Terminal B North was designed to elevate the entire experience of getting customers from curb to gate:

• Houston-Inspired Art: A $16.8 million public art program creates a distinct Houston experience for travelers, including 10 large-scale installations from Houston-based, national and international artists selected from nearly 150 submissions across Houston, the United States and Europe. The Terminal B public art program is the single largest art program investment at IAH to date.
  • Inspired by Houston’s bayous, ecosystem, cultural diversity, history and innovation, the artworks are integrated throughout the terminal’s public spaces, concourses and baggage claim areas.
  • Highlights include The Digital Bayou, a series of three immersive digital art experiences created by Moment Factory, a new commission from internationally recognized Houston artist Rick Lowe and reimagined mosaic murals by Houston artist Dixie Friend Gay. Unique sculptural artworks by artists Karen Navarro, Shavon Aja Morris, Rachel Hecker, Matthew Mazzotta, and Edra Soto can also be found throughout the terminal.
• A More Inclusive Customer Experience: Designed to create a more inclusive customer experience, Terminal B features a dedicated sensory room for travelers with autism and sensory sensitivities.
  • Located in the connector area and separate from the children’s play area, the calming space gives children and adults a place to step away from the airport environment and engage with sensory experiences they can control.
  • Building on sensory rooms in Terminals A and D, the new space includes tactile, auditory, visual and multisensory features such as an airplane experience room, sitting pods, interactive activity panels, a nature room, a fiber-optic stargazer ceiling and a bubble tube area.
• Built Toward LEED Certification: As part of United’s commitment to sustainable development, the new IAH Terminal B North Concourse is pursuing LEED Gold Certification through the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED v4 Building Design and Construction program.
  • The terminal incorporates a wide range of sustainable design features, including a projected 29% reduction in energy costs, significant (more than 35%) indoor water-use reductions, advanced energy and water metering, enhanced indoor air quality strategies, heat island reduction measures, light pollution reduction, and dedicated recycling collection systems.
  • The project also features extensive electrification infrastructure, including 91 ground support equipment charging stations, electric ground power units, and pre-conditioned air systems to support lower-emission airport operations.

World-Class Dining and Retail

United selected a world-class lineup of dining and retail partners for the new space, dedicating more than 105,000 square feet to retail and concessions that reflect Houston’s status as a culinary capital.

The Concourse features local concepts that reflect the culinary diversity of Houston alongside trusted national brands including:

• Houston Favorites: B&B Butchers & Restaurant, Rosie Cannonball, Pizaro’s Pizza, Blood Bros. BBQ, Katz Coffee and Blue Bell Creameries.
• National Brands: Starbucks, Raising Cane’s, Jimmy John’s, Jersey Mike’s, Smashburger, Jamba, Auntie Anne’s, Cinnabon and Protein Bar & Kitchen.
• Wellness and Retail: Be Relax Spa, offering massages, nail care and facials, sits alongside high-end duty-free and specialty retail shops.

Later this year, United plans to introduce food delivery through the United app at IAH, giving eligible customers a new way to order food, beverages and select travel essentials before their flight. Customers will be able to browse participating restaurants, place an order directly through the app and pick it up near their gate, or have it delivered to them, making it easier to grab a meal or essential item when time is limited. The service is designed to complement the expanded dining options in Terminal B and help create a more seamless airport experience from curb to gate.

United’s Continued Investment in Houston

The Terminal B transformation has supported employment and economic activity across the Houston region with approximately 3,000 construction-related jobs, while partnering with 308 Houston-based suppliers. According to a recent study by Compass Lexecon, United’s direct employment in Houston contributes more than $1.2 billion in economic activity annually.

“The opening of the Terminal B north concourse strengthens one of Houston’s most important transportation and economic assets,” said Houston Mayor John Whitmire. “This investment supports jobs, expands the airport’s capacity and gives residents and visitors a modern facility that represents the scale and ambition of our city.”

United’s $3.5 billion investment in Houston includes a $16 million Technical Operations Training Center at IAH, a $177 million Ground Service Equipment Maintenance Facility designed to support both employees and the airline’s fleet and the transformation of Terminal B.

*Subject to government approval

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United Airlines customers won’t miss a play this football season, thanks to a new agreement between the airline and DISH. Starting this week, travelers can catch live professional and college football games right on their Starlink-enabled seatback screen.

Starlink is the fastest, most reliable Wi-Fi in the sky and United is installing Starlink at a rapid rate – and, fans can now watch live broadcasts from ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, FS1, ESPN, ESPN2, NFL Network and TNF on Prime Video on more than 200 Starlink-equipped airplanes – about 700 of flights per day. The service will be available on domestic flights through the big game in February, and United expects to have Starlink on nearly 700 airplanes by then.

Starlink is free for MileagePlus members in every class of service, and the airline expects to complete installations before the end of 2027.

This new entertainment offering builds on the airline’s long history of supporting professional football, sponsoring nine professional football teams in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Houston, Washington D.C., Denver, Kansas City, Cleveland and Nashville and operating more than 200 team charter flights for 11 teams this season.

United’s new agreement represents a collaborative effort with DISH, utilizing its OnStream platform, to deliver content to next-generation aviation environments.

Starlink Sets a New Standard for Live Entertainment in Flight

This new service is just the latest example of how United is using Starlink to redefine the inflight entertainment experience. Last month, United partnered with ESPN to host a first-of-its kind live Fantasy Football Draft from 30,000 feet where ESPN analyst Tyler Fulghum made his picks live from the sky during the two-hour broadcast. And earlier this summer, United customers could stream the biggest soccer tournament in the world onboard Starlink-powered domestic flights.

Starlink is now active on more than 560 United mainline and United Express® aircraft and the airline has already flown more than 31 million passengers on Starlink-powered aircraft across more than 464,000 flights, powering 14.2 million devices.

Starlink is just one way United is investing nose to tail in its customer experience. The airline continues to install seatback screens across its fleet – up to 1,000 aircraft before the end of 2027 – and is rolling out new airplanes with 27-inch, 4K OLED seatback screens, the largest among U.S. carriers. Passengers can now access more than 2,500 hours of premium entertainment content including Apple TV, HBO Max, A24 and Spotify.

Football Flies United

Separately, for the second year in a row, United is celebrating the intersection of football, fashion and travel for its Football Flies United advertising campaign. Featuring New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh, Giants players Abdul Carter and Arvell Reese, and Chicago Bears players Rome Odunze, Luther Burden III and Colston Loveland, the campaign is built around a simple idea: how you arrive matters. Whether stepping off a plane for game day or arriving for an important business meeting, traveling well can help people feel refreshed, confident and ready to work – no matter what comes next.

The campaign is featured across prominent out-of-home locations in Chicago and New York, including Wrigleyville and Penn Station, with additional content rolling out across social media throughout the NFL season. The teams and locations were chosen to highlight United’s roots as Chicago’s hometown airline, and its global reach with Newark as a gateway to more than 90 international destinations.

The airline will also charter flights for the Washington Commanders, New Orleans Saints and San Francisco 49ers for their international games in London, Paris and Mexico City.

United Airlines on September 1, 2026 announced an industry-first mobile app feature that gives customers more flexibility and options when travel plans are disrupted.

Now, customers who are rebooked to a later flight after a travel disruption can stand by for up to three earlier flights*. Instead of repeatedly checking the app to see if seats open up on earlier flights, United automatically monitors availability behind the scenes and sends a text notification when a seat becomes available.

This new feature is rolling out just in time for the busy Labor Day travel weekend; more than 3.4 million people are expected to fly United between September 3-8 – about 300,000 more than last year. More than 85% of United customers use the airline’s award-winning mobile app on the day they travel, making digital tools an increasingly important part of how customers manage disruptions and navigate their journey.

Customers can use the new feature in three simple steps:

1. Add yourself to the standby list on up to three earlier flights.
2. Sit back while United automatically monitors those flights for available seats.
3. Get a text when a seat becomes available and choose whether to switch to the earlier flight – while keeping your existing confirmed reservation until you decide.

“This feature reflects our commitment to making travel more seamless and less stressful for our customers,” said Jennifer Schwierzke, Vice President of Customer Operations, Strategy & Execution at United. “During disruptions, customers can keep their confirmed itinerary and stand by for three additional flights. We work behind the scenes to monitor availability and alert customers as soon as a seat becomes available.” 

The feature expands United’s portfolio of self-service recovery tools, which allow customers to automatically rebook flights, receive meal and hotel vouchers when eligible and track checked bags during disruptions – all without having to wait in line to speak to an agent.

Recent mobile app updates that help customers prepare for travel, navigate changes and stay informed include:  

• A more seamless airport experience: Customers can now use Digital ID in Apple Wallet, which offers a secure and private way for users to add and use an ID in Apple Wallet using information from their U.S. passport, to make it easier to enroll in TSA PreCheck® Touchless ID right in the United app.
• Real-time inbound aircraft status updates: United is expanding its “Where is my plane coming from?” app feature by showing customers their inbound aircraft directly on the flight status page, providing even more insight into where their plane is before departure.
• TSA wait times tracker: As the first major U.S. airline to offer the feature, United introduced Transportation Security Administration (TSA) security wait time estimates^† at U.S. hub airports, giving customers greater visibility into airport security lines before heading to the airport.
• Personalized connection support: United launched new, personalized app features that make catching connecting flights easier, including personalized, turn-by-turn directions to connecting gates with estimated walk times, real-time flight status updates, tips for longer layovers, and notifications powered by United’s ConnectionSaver technology if the airline is able to hold a departing flight for those with an extra-tight connection.
• Bag tracking enhancements: United integrated Apple’s Share Item Location, so customers everywhere who travel with an AirTag or Find My network accessory can seamlessly share the accessory location with United’s customer service team to help locate their luggage in the event that it is misplaced or mishandled.

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United Airlines and CAE today celebrated the first phase of expansion at the world’s largest pilot training facility, adding 40 new CAE training devices (a combination of full-motion and fixed simulators) since 2022.

United’s Flight Training Center in Denver now has eight total buildings, nearly 700,000 square feet of training space, the equivalent of 12 football fields, and a total of 86 CAE training devices: 52 state-of-the-art full-motion flight simulators and 34 fixed training devices.

The airline now can train up to 860 pilots per day and with nearly 18,000 current pilots and continued growth ahead, United already has plans on adding to the training facility. Phase two of the expansion project is expected to break ground next year and be operational before 2030.

United Chief Executive Officer Scott Kirby was joined by CAE’s President and Chief Executive Officer Matthew Bromberg, along with other United and CAE leaders, to celebrate the completion of phase one.

United’s Flight Training Center Capabilities

Located in the Central Park neighborhood of Denver, the facility spans 22-acres and is the sole training facility for the airline’s nearly 18,000 active pilots and all newly hired pilots. All United pilots complete intensive simulator training with pilot instructors and evaluators during the initial qualification process and every nine months thereafter to maintain their certifications at United’s Flight Training Center in Denver.

• United’s Flight Training Center has 52 full-motion flight simulators and 34 fixed training devices. 
• The Flight Training Center can conduct more than 32,000 training events annually and train up to 860 pilots per day.
• The facility is in operation 24 hours a day for 362 days a year.

In July of 2026, the Denver City Council approved United’s rezoning request for two parcels of undeveloped land United purchased in 2023 near Denver International Airport (DEN). United has begun formal site building plans and anticipates groundbreaking on the next phase of the Flight Training Center expansion to begin on the new land in 2027, with the facility expected to be operational around 2030. The airline will operate the additional Flight Training Center in conjunction with its current facility. 

Flight Training Center’s Local Impact

United invested more than $145 million in the new building that opened in 2024. Following the opening of the new building, United hired employees for more than 300 new jobs. In total, more than 1,600 of United’s 11,400+ Denver-based employees work at United’s Flight Training Center, representing 24 different departments in roles that include flight instructing, flight evaluating, scheduling, pilot hiring, human resources and flight standards.

In 2025, nearly $40 million was spent on hotel room nights in Denver for pilots visiting the training facility, with an expectation to spend nearly $50 million on hotel room nights in 2026.

United’s Flight Training Center was originally constructed between 1966-68 as part of the Stapleton Airport complex and has served as United’s main pilot training facility since then. Since 2016, United has invested $370 million in the Flight Training Center overall.

United in Denver

United continues to invest in Denver. As home to its fastest-growing hub, the airline has funneled nearly $1 billion in investments since 2021 to further improve the customer experience at DEN. This includes new gates, state-of-the-art United Club locations, including the largest in the United network to-date, and a new check-in lobby. United hired more than 1,400 people in Denver last year and plans to hire more than 1,300 people in 2026.

United operates the most flights and carries the most passengers in the state compared to any other carrier. This summer, United is operating with an airport-leading average of 570 daily departures from DEN. The airline provides service to more than 200 total destinations, including more than 20 international destinations, from the Mile High City.

Careers Take Flight

United is the career destination of choice for pilots, offering the largest widebody fleet in North America, and the most comprehensive global network and hubs across the U.S. Since announcing its United Next growth strategy in 2021, United has hired more than 9,500 pilots. In 2026, the airline has hired 700 pilots so far, with plans to hire hundreds more this year.

United offers a broad range of paths to the flight deck to ensure that the best pilots can find their opportunity at United:

• First Officer hiring – For experienced pilots who meet United’s hiring requirements and are ready to fly for the airline now.
• Aviate®  Program – United’s pilot career development program offering aspiring and established pilots the most secure path to a United flight deck.
• United Aviate Academy – United’s wholly owned flight school, located in Goodyear, Ariz.
• United Military Pilot Program – Launched in September 2023, an industry-leading program that gives full-time, active-duty U.S. military pilots access to conditional job offers as a First Officer. Since 2024, nearly 600 military pilots have transitioned to United through the program, with 500 more expected by the end of 2027. Of United’s nearly 18,000 pilots, 4,500 are veterans.

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United Airlines today announced a $15 million investment in Eve Air Mobility and a conditional purchase agreement for 200 four-seat electric aircraft plus 200 options, expecting the first deliveries as early as 2026. This marks another significant investment from United in flying taxis – or eVTOLs (electric vertical take-off and landing vehicle) – that have the potential to revolutionize the commuter experience in cities around the world. Under the terms of the agreement, the companies intend to work on future projects, including studies on the development, use and application of Eve’s aircraft and the urban air mobility (UAM) ecosystem.

“United has made early investments in several cutting-edge technologies at all levels of the supply chain, staking out our position as a leader in aviation sustainability and innovation,” said Michael Leskinen, President of United Airlines Ventures. “Today, United is making history again, by becoming the first major airline to publicly invest in two eVTOL companies. Our agreement with Eve highlights our confidence in the urban air mobility market and serves as another important benchmark toward our goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050 – without using traditional offsets. Together, we believe our suite of clean energy technologies will revolutionize air travel as we know it and serve as the catalyst for the aviation industry to move toward a sustainable future.”

“United’s investment in Eve reinforces the trust in our products and services and strengthens our position in the North American market,” said Andre Stein, co-CEO of Eve. “I am confident that our UAM agnostic solutions, coupled with the global know-how we have been developing at Eve and Embraer’s heritage, are the best fit for this initiative, giving United’s customers a quick, economical and sustainable way to get to its hub airports and commute in dense urban environments. It is an unparalleled opportunity to work with United to advance the US UAM ecosystem, and we look forward to it.”

United was the first major U.S. airline to create a corporate venture fund, United Airlines Ventures (UAV), designed to support the company’s 100% green commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2050 without the use of traditional offsets. Through UAV, United has led the industry in investments in eVTOL and electric aircraft, hydrogen fuel cell engines, and sustainable aviation fuel. Last month, United gave a $10 million deposit to a California-based eVTOL company for 100 aircraft.

United’s investment in Eve was driven in part by confidence in the potential growth opportunities in the UAM market and Eve’s unique relationship with Embraer, a trusted aircraft manufacturer with a proven track record of building and certifying aircraft over the company’s 53-year history. Critically, their relationship includes access to Embraer’s service centers, parts warehouses and field service technicians, paving the way for a reliable operation. Upon entry into service, United could have its entire eVTOL fleet serviced by Eve’s agnostic service and support operations. Moreover, United joins the consortium led by Eve, which will simulate UAM operations in Chicago from Sept. 12.

Rather than relying on traditional combustion engines, eVTOL aircraft are designed to use electric motors, providing carbon-free flights and to be used as ‘air taxis’ in urban markets. Eve’s design uses conventional fixed wings, rotors and pushers, giving it a practical and intuitive lift-plus-cruise design, which favors safety, efficiency, reliability and certifiability. With a range of 60 miles (100 km), its vehicle has the potential not only to offer a sustainable commute but also to reduce noise levels by 90 percent compared to current conventional aircraft. Eve is also creating a new air traffic management solution designed for the UAM industry to scale safely. This software is intended to perform at the same safety level as Embraer’s existing air traffic management software and expected to be a strategic asset to helping the entire industry grow.

United Airlines aircraft photo gallery (Boeing, current livery):