Speed thru security at IAH - B
 

Holiday travels took me thru IAH 3 times. Everyone should know that you can avoid long security lines by going thru security at terminal b. Take the underground people-mover from either D or C to terminal B. Up the escalator, then thru security (took me less than 1 minute) - then take the monorail back to terminal C. This entire process takes about 8 to 10 minutes. Beats the heck out of a 45-minute security check at terminal C.

D works equally well, you do have to deal with tourists (people who can't seem to foind their boarding passes or ID when approaching security) returning from Mexico trying to make connecting flights after they have cleared customs, however the lines are much shorter than C, no inside monorail from D to C though

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"A Southwest line never gets longer, It only gets wider"

I did the same thing. However, another passenger was scolded for checking in at B for a terminal C flight!

However, the suggestion was to check in at terminal C and ride the small underground tram that connects all the terminals (not to be confused with the fast elevated monorail between terminal B and C airside)

opposite happens at DEN... the UA check-in is horribly long so everyone takes that long walkway to Terminal A where CO flys, then takes the train to the UA terminals...

so, via some strange karma, you may end up on the wrong end of this one somewhere else http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

Thanks! I tried it yesterday. I was at terminal D at 2:30pm. The security line was a mess. I spotted a woman in a yellow dress with black polka-dots near the end of the line. I took the escalator down to the tram, across to terminal B, thru security (there was no line at all), up the escalator to the monorail and back to terminal D (just like you said). Once in D, I looked out over the balcony to the security line. Miss Yellow Polka-Dot was not even half-way thru the line.
I timed my journey. From the time I left until I returned to D, it was 11 minutes.
Once again, thanks for the great tip!

Just wanted to share my expierence on this. Between dropping off my rental car and waiting for the shuttle to C, I was starting to get slightly worried. The check in lines in C were attricious, even for premier access members. I had an online checkin, but had to drop off a bag, and that process took another 15 minutes. I hesitantly decided to follow OPs post.

Down the stairs, monorail to B. up the stairs, and was at the checkpoint. Line was much smaller, but I will say, was by far the slowest security line I've ever seen. Only had the MM wave up and the metal detectors for employees. After I got through the monorail was simple enough and I was the terminal with about 35 minutes to spare.

Naturally my plane didn't leave the gate until 20 minutes late.

So the whole process took about 40 minutes for me. But if you need to check into united, it might be worth this even with a slap on the wrist. The terminal was completely empty sans security.

Interesting that,
even bumping a 10 year old thread...
Terminal C is still the same !! :D

:confused: How could there not be any security?

Was supposed to be a double negative, meaning all the united check in kioskis were empty, and the only place that had some type of line was the security check ins.

I didn't realize it was that old - I just googled flyertalk and IAH security, and that was what came up.

Also, Terminal E, which was not open when this thread was started, is a good option. I almost always go through security at Terminal E, even when my flight departs from C. It's close enough that you don't even need to take the elevated train to get back to C once clearing security.

Also, now that federal inspections have moved to E for inbound int'l passengers, they have a dedicated security checkpoint for connecting passengers. So, people originating at IAH and going through security at E are not contenting with the inbound connecting kettles.

Agreed. I nearly always clear security at E terminal, regardless of which gate my flight is leaving from. The Premier Access area there is large, well-staffed, and usually not busy. Same with the security lines.

The only disadvantage is that they love having the stupid MMW machines on, and I won't go through one. A bit of a hassle. When they were first deployed there, they only used them at off-peak or slow times. Now they use them constantly. The opt out takes a few more minutes, but other than that, Terminal E is my preferred way to check-in and clear security at IAH.

Did E security yesterday, and it was a breeze, at least for the Elite line. Not sure if there are times of the day that a lot of inbound itnl flights dump their patients for rescreening, but at 12:45 it was fine.

Let me repeat: At IAH Terminal E, the inbound int'l passengers that need to be rescreened use a totally different checkpoint than the IAH-originating passengers, so it doesn't matter how many inbound int'l passengers there are if you are using the normal E checkpoint.

The best kept secret in the airport is the "Garage checkpoint" bewtween C & E which brings you out by the by the food court at the lower numbered E gates.(You can enter it directly from the parking garage) Never a long line, but haven't been there in awhile....anyone know if they even have a nude-o-scope at this checkpoint?

Not tried the garage in a few months, but my understanding is that it is (now) only open in the morning.

As for 'B', I've seen some horrendous queues in there as well, haven't worked out day/time to avoid yet.