JohnnyColombia

I'd add Starbucks into the mix. Really IAH has a miserable selection of shops and eateries landside.

Here is my wildcard if you have time. Have your aunt pick you up and take you to Humble TX where you will have plenty of "restaurants" to choose from. Humble is right next to the airport

http://www.humblearea.com/restaurant/

mkleiderman

There are a couple of hotels with restaurants along JFK in between IAH and Rte 8. The airport Marriott between Term B and C might be your best bet. I would keep culinary expectations very low

robyng

My experiences leaving IAH security are to go outside and have a cigarette in the smoking area near the parking garage. Sometimes there is no line - sometimes it's a 30+ minute line. I always check before I leave. I have never cleared immigration/customs at IAH - so I don't know how long that takes.

I wouldn't expect lunch at an airport Marriott to be any better than lunch at the Stadium City Bar & Grill.

Another consideration. If there are delays in flights - customs - immigration - etc. - aunt can wait at airport restaurant and there will be no need for any last minute scrambling. Robyn

EmailKid

I second that. There are no restaurants anywhere close to IAH worth going outside for, and the potential for a misconnect is pretty high if you only have three hours which would include lunch.

EmailKid

Air Houston

If you clear customs in Canada you should have plenty of time for lunch, even if you have to pass through security again. Since your IAH-CLT flight will depart from Terminal A you can meet at the "sports bar" previously suggested. It's not really a sports bar and it is airport food, so keep both in mind. It is outside security, however, which makes it unique for IAH. The Marriott located between Terminal B and C is a second option.

jmcintosh

Thanks everyone for the thoughts so far. YEG has US pre-clearance, so we will land as a domestic flight if all goes according to the usual drill -- every once in a blue moon you hear about inbound pre-cleared flights that are screened again due to something unusual on the manifest; however that's not too often the case.

I think I will see about having her pick me up and then go somewhere nearby -- I'm totally okay with even fast food as it's more about seeing my aunt than anything else! I figured if there was a "sure hit" spot nearby then I'd recommend it. She's driving in from Katy, so she's not too familiar with the IAH area. Let's just hope CO has the flight leaving YEG for an on-time arrival -- helps that it departs first thing in the morning after an arrival the evening before!

TMOliver

Less because of the food than the "aunt-appropriate" ambiance and ease to meeting, my choice would be easy, the Marriott "on campus" adjacent to the terminals. She can park there and you can come (by the underground train (outside security) between terminals - and the Marriott has a "stop" IIRC) to meet her.

EmailKid

Yes, the Marriott has a stop. Otherwise it's quite a pain to access from Terminals.

Your status shows Aeroplan E. Does that give you President Club access as *G? Believe you can guest one in, and your aunt should be able to clear security in order to go to PC. Or do they do that only for people who have the actual PC card?

EmailKid

Duhey2

There are a couple decent options on JFK Blvd. Kung Food for chinese is not bad. It's in the stripmall heading south on JFK before the Beltway. It's not my all-time favorite but it's nowhere near the worst I've had (it's a lot better than Panda). The Middle Eastern place in there is decent as well but you might come out smelling like the grill.

Good Eats at the Holiday Inn on JFK just over the Beltway is very good with a good variety of offerings.

At all places you'll see employees from the nearby office buildings.

Assuming you're ontime or a little bit early, and you have your aunt pick you up at passenger pickup (ie, without parking) so you can just go, you could easily go to either place and be back by 2:00.

mkleiderman

And to answer your final question - there is no priority security line in Terminal A where US departs from - but the lines tend to be short and fast-moving during mid-afternoon.

Bdietzen

I'm flying from ORD to LIR on United (CO operated) and have a connection through IAH. I've never flown into IAH and have no idea what to expect, but 39 minutes is pushing it for me regardless of how well I know the airport. Also concerned with needing to change terminals for international?

Looking at the map of IAH i see CO flys into C and E, and it seems like E is the international? Is this connection even possible?

John Galt

IF the flight isn't late, and depending on the arrival/departure gate, and depending on where you're sitting on the plane (God help you if you're in the last row...) you should probably be able to make it. C and E are connected.

Do you have any idea what gates you're going to?

Bdietzen

I don't. I know I'll be into either C or E and I'm in row 18. I've also got a coworker in first class who will run to the gate and hopefully they'll hold for me.

SeamusSA

IAH is quite well laid out, with efficient connections even between terminals. While this doesn't give you time to dawdle it is doable. With CO row numbering 18 is just in front of mid cabin so you should be OK as long as your incoming flight is not delayed.

EmailKid

+1

As long as you don't get delayed at ORD, you can make it, though C has two sides, and if you land at the far end, it can be a bit of a hike to E, which is where most int'l departures leave.

I've made a one hour connection with a stop at President's Club ... er, United Club.

EmailKid