After nearly three years of construction, the new Terminal B North Concourse serving United Airlines is finally open at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). Part of a $2.6 billion renovation project, the terminal features modern design and premium amenities that should make traveling considerably more pleasant.

"The roads that were backed up, the lines out the door? Those days are behind us," said Phil Griffith, vice president of Houston Hub for United at the terminal's opening ceremony on Wednesday, August 21.

Terminal B was last updated in 1969, long before many of the accommodations and luxuries travelers now take for granted were common. The updated terminal features 22 new gates, a low sensory room, and comfortable seating complete with charging stations at nearly every chair. Even the bathrooms are exceptional, with more floor space than a one-bedroom apartment, full sized wooden stall doors for extra privacy, and sleek fixtures.

The renovation's crowning jewel is the new United Club located upstairs, touted by United as the largest club of any airline in the Americas. Houston Mayor John Whitmire, who attended the opening, joked that it was the size of a football field. If that's an exaggeration, it can't be by much.

At 54,000 square feet, the enormous space offers seating for 800 people. Amenities include two bars, one of which is size of a departure gate waiting area all by itself. It also offers two full buffet sections serving hot meals (brisket, biscuits and gravy, cilantro rice, and a taqueria bar at the opening), as well as coffee, fruit, and snack bars. Lounge chairs face the windows for those who want to watch the planes take off, and an elegant open-air patio will be refreshing now that Houston's hot summer has finally come to an end.

Whitmire praised United and Houston Airports for completing such a major overhaul on time and on budget.

"We're actually making a statement today," he said. "We believe here today that Houston is a can-do city. In collaborating with the private sector, we can get it done for 33 months on time. All major cities have challenges. The difference is, in Houston, we're meeting our challenges."

The new terminal reflects the importance of United Airlines as part of IAH's expansion into Latin and South America. Currently, United serves 57 destinations south of the border and in the Caribbean, which will expand in October with service to Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Mexico. A non-stop route to Cartagena, Colombia opens in December.

Terminal B also continues IAH's dedication to shopping, food, and art. Restaurants already or slated to open in the terminal include Pizaro's Pizza, Jersey Mikes, Katz Coffee, Smashburger, B&B Butchers & Restaurant, Rosie Cannonball, Blood Bros. BBQ, and H-Town Beer Garden.

A $16.8 million public art program includes 10 large-scale installations from Houston-based, national, and international artists. One piece that particularly stands out is Rick Lowe's "You Are in the Gray," a massive canvas of abstract lines Lowe painstakingly mapped from interactive flight data.

Courtesy of United

The new Terminal B is light and spacious.