What United is adding at Houston
United says this will be its biggest lounge, and it says it will be the largest in the Americas. It opens Thursday in Terminal B at George Bush Intercontinental in Houston, with seating for 800, an outdoor terrace for plane-spotting, plus two full-service bars and buffet stations.
The lounge is one piece of a broader Terminal B overhaul that also includes 22 gates for mainline aircraft.
Why it matters at this airport
George Bush Intercontinental has more than 500 departures a day. United also characterizes the airport as its principal nexus for Latin America connections, which helps justify the scale of this build.
The industry push for bigger lounges
United is not alone. Earlier this month, American Airlines announced plans for what would be its biggest lounge to date at its Charlotte Douglas hub in North Carolina. Delta Air Lines has been expanding its Delta Sky Clubs and adding more of its top-tier Delta One Lounges.
Southwest Airlines has begun creating an initial system of airport lounges in partnership with its co-branded card issuer, Chase. Last week, it showed mock-ups for the new spaces, which it is calling Icon. And within the last year, JetBlue Airways debuted lounge locations in New York and Boston.
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What this could mean for your portfolio
Larger lounges underscore an effort to win premium travelers by appealing to top-tier frequent fliers, holders of co-branded credit cards, and passengers ready to pay extra for comfort. The bottom line: carriers are committing serious capital to larger, higher-end spaces at important hubs, a sign of where they see growth.
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