Houston City Council approved the first installment towards a total of $470 million in funding and plans to expand the West Concourse at William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) on Aug. 30.
Here are five key takeaways about the project:
HOU will Get 7 New Gates
The new gates can accommodate domestic and international flights arriving at the airport. HOU saw more than 913,000 international passengers and more than 12.2 million domestic travelers in 2022.
An expanded and renovated baggage handling system and baggage claim area are included with the project. An overhead canopy along the departures curb will also be constructed to protect against inclement weather and connect the Red Garage to the terminal.
It's HOU’s Second Expansion in 8 Years
Houston leaders see big demand for HOU since it regained commercial air service in 2015. The airport completed a $156 million 280,000 square-foot West Concourse to accommodate Southwest Airlines flights. The project included five gates along with a ticketing hall; a Federal Inspection Services facility; and an expanded TSA checkpoint.
The Project is Being Funded Locally
In March 2022, Houston’s City Council approved Houston Airports to appropriate an initial $20 million of airport funding for the planning and design of the expansion project in March.
The council approved Houston Airports to use $250 million of airport funds to move forward with construction in August. A supplemental appropriation request of $200 million will be made by Houston Airports to city council in the next 12 to 15 months, totaling $470 million.
HOU’s Expansion is Forward-Thinking
The West Concourse Expansion takes advantage of the natural continuation of modern design, natural light and “Houston Friendly” ambiance included in the previous expansion. It also creates more space for restaurants, retail and art installations.
