Roberta Aguirre
Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport, initially named Houston Intercontinental Airport, is one of the largest passenger hubs for United Airlines. It was opened in 1969 and renamed in 1997 to honour George H. W. Bush, the 41st president of the United States. The airport is distinguished by its ability to offer flights between different continents, as opposed to merely within the Americas. This is reflected in its name, distinguishing it from other airports, and its history as one of the nation's busiest for international passengers.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Original name | Houston Intercontinental Airport |
| Current name | George Bush Intercontinental Airport |
| Location | Houston, Texas, United States |
| IATA | IAH |
| ICAO | KIAH |
| FAA LID | IAH |
| Reason for the name "Intercontinental" | To distinguish it from the original airport in Houston, which was called Houston International Airport (now known as Hobby Airport) |
| Year of inception | 1957 |
| Year of opening | 1969 |
| Year of renaming | 1997 |
| Reason for renaming | Renamed in honor of George H. W. Bush, the 41st president of the United States and a resident of Houston |
| Number of terminals | 5 |
| Number of gates | 121 |
| Number of runways | 5 |
| Area covered | 10,000 acres (40 km2) |
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What You'll Learn
- The airport was initially named Houston Intercontinental Airport when it opened in 1969
- The name was chosen to distinguish it from the original airport in Houston, which was called Houston International Airport
- The name intercontinental emphasises that the airport offered flights to Europe, not just within the Americas
- The airport serves as a hub for United Airlines and previously served Continental Airlines and Texas International Airlines
- In 1997, it was renamed George Bush Intercontinental Airport in honour of George H. W. Bush
The airport was initially named Houston Intercontinental Airport when it opened in 1969
The name "Houston Intercontinental Airport" was likely chosen to distinguish the new airport from the existing Houston International Airport, and to emphasise that the new airport would be offering flights to other continents, rather than just within the Americas. Indeed, intercontinental flights from Houston to Paris were taking off as early as the 1960s.
The name also served as a marketing strategy to make the airport sound better and more prestigious than other airports. This was important for attracting passengers and establishing itself as a major aviation hub.
Over time, the airport underwent continuous upgrades and improvements to accommodate the growing city and state. Today, the airport, now named after George H.W. Bush, continues to be a significant international aviation hub, offering flights to various domestic and international destinations across five continents.
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The name was chosen to distinguish it from the original airport in Houston, which was called Houston International Airport
The George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IATA: IAH) in Houston, Texas, initially opened in 1969 under the name Houston Intercontinental Airport. The name was chosen to distinguish it from the original airport in Houston, which was called Houston International Airport (now known as Hobby Airport).
The site for the airport was purchased by a group of Houston businessmen in 1957 to be used for a new airport, as the existing Hobby Airport (then known as Houston International Airport) was in need of replacement. The new airport site was referred to as the Jetero airport site due to a typographical error that transformed "Jet Era" into "Jetero".
The name "Intercontinental" was likely chosen to emphasise that the new airport would offer flights to other continents, specifically Europe, and not just within the Americas. This was a significant distinction at the time, as transatlantic flights were relatively rare outside of East Coast cities.
The airport has since been renamed in honour of George H.W. Bush, the 41st president of the United States and a resident of Houston, in 1997. It is commonly referred to as Houston International Airport or George Bush International Airport.
As of 2025, the George Bush Intercontinental Airport is the second busiest airport in Texas for international passenger traffic and offers scheduled flights to a large number of domestic and international destinations covering five continents.
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The name intercontinental emphasises that the airport offered flights to Europe, not just within the Americas
The George Bush Intercontinental Airport (often shortened to Houston Intercontinental Airport) is located in Houston, Texas, United States. The airport was initially named the Houston Intercontinental Airport when it opened in 1969.
The name "intercontinental" emphasizes that the airport offered flights to Europe, not just within the Americas. At the time, transatlantic flights were relatively rare and mostly confined to East Coast cities. Houston wanted to emphasize that its new airport would be offering flights to Europe, which was considered intercontinental travel. Intercontinental flights refer to travel between different continents, as opposed to international flights, which can refer to travel between different countries on the same continent.
The airport has five terminals and 121 gates, with Terminals D and E having access to an international arrivals facility. The airport covers 10,000 acres of land and has five runways, making it one of the largest passenger hubs for United Airlines. It serves as a major international hub, offering flights to five continents and ranking as the second busiest airport in Texas for international passenger traffic as of 2025.
The name "intercontinental" was likely chosen to distinguish the airport from other international airports and emphasize its ability to offer transatlantic flights.
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The airport serves as a hub for United Airlines and previously served Continental Airlines and Texas International Airlines
Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) is one of the largest passenger hubs for United Airlines. It is also United Airlines' leading hub in terms of available seats in 2021, and the airline dominates the passenger market at the airport with a 58.7% market share in 2022. United Airlines has also added several new routes from the airport, including to Munich, Germany; Santiago, Chile; and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
Before Houston Intercontinental Airport was renamed in 1997, it served as a hub for Continental Airlines and Texas International Airlines. Continental Airlines agreed to build its maintenance centre at the airport in 1990 because the city of Houston agreed to provide city-owned land near the airport. Continental Airlines also operated London services from Houston to Heathrow Airport, and in 2014, United Airlines (which acquired Continental Airlines and had fully integrated it into the United brand by early 2012) introduced a new route to London, among others.
Texas International Airlines, which had formerly operated as Trans-Texas Airways, also operated out of Houston Intercontinental Airport when it first opened in 1969. The airline operated direct services to Mexico using Douglas DC-9 jets to Monterrey and Convair 600 turboprop flights to Tampico and Veracruz.
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In 1997, it was renamed George Bush Intercontinental Airport in honour of George H. W. Bush
Houston Intercontinental Airport was renamed in 1997 to honour George H. W. Bush, the 41st president of the United States and a resident of Houston. The airport, located about 23 miles (37 km) north of Downtown Houston, serves the Greater Houston metropolitan area. Covering 10,000 acres (40 km2) of land, it is one of the largest passenger hubs for United Airlines and was also a hub for Continental Airlines and Texas International Airlines.
The history of the airport dates back to 1957 when a group of Houston businessmen purchased the site to preserve it for future development. The original airport in Houston, known as Hobby Airport, was previously called Houston International Airport from 1954 to 1967. As Houston needed a new airport, the name "Intercontinental" was chosen to distinguish it from the previous international airport and to emphasise its ability to offer intercontinental flights, including transatlantic flights to Europe.
The airport has undergone continuous upgrades to meet the needs of Houston's growing population. Terminal C was completed in the early 1970s, and in 1990, a new $95 million building, the Mickey Leland International Airlines Building, was added to exclusively serve international flights. In 1989, the airport was ranked as the nation's second-largest airport by land size and was the 19th busiest airport in the United States.
The airport continues to be a significant hub for aviation, serving as the second busiest airport in Texas for international passenger traffic as of 2025. The name "George Bush Intercontinental Airport" honours the legacy of George H. W. Bush and reflects the airport's role as a vital gateway to Houston and its surrounding areas.
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Frequently asked questions
The airport was initially named Houston Intercontinental Airport when it opened in 1969, as it offered flights to Europe, not just within the Americas.
The original airport in Houston was formerly known as Houston International Airport, so the new airport had to be called something different.
The original airport was called Hobby Airport.
It was renamed in 1997 to George Bush Intercontinental Airport in honour of George H. W. Bush, the 41st president of the United States and a resident of Houston.
One Reddit user joked that it was because the Intercontinental Heavyweight Champion was flying into Houston.
