Jul 12, 2016, 7:59 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Checking in and departing from IAH:
Terminal C has the most reliably open Precheck and Premier Access security lanes. Consider checking in and clearing security in at Terminal C even if departing from another terminal.
There are no UA check-in counters in Terminal A, even though UA has a few flights that depart from Terminal A. Check in at Terminal B or C.
There is an underground, somewhat slow landside tram system (the Subway) that runs between the basement level of all terminals (plus the on-site Marriott hotel) outside of security. (The Subway was built by Disney and modeled after their PeopleMover ride. It's worth a look if you're into that sort of thing.)
Recommended practices for transiting IAH:
IAH is a huge airport, but all terminals are very conveniently connected by a very frequent, fast airside tram system (the Skyway) inside security. You can pretty much get from any point in the airport to any other point in the airport within about 15 minutes (with a combination of Skyway and a brisk walk) without reclearing security. UA publishes as low as a 35-minute minimum connect time (MCT) at IAH, and while you shouldn't dilly-dally, this is doable on a typical domestic-domestic connection. (It helps if your inbound is not delayed and you're seated towards the front of the plane, of course; your departure flight will be almost fully boarded by the time you get there, but you'll make it.)
Note that the higher-numbered C gates (C29-C45, aka "C South") are directly connected to the E terminal by a walkway. It is usually faster to walk from C South to E (especially the low E gates) than it is to take the train. Similarly, C North (C14-C27) are directly connected to the D terminal, though the Skyway is not really out of the way and is useful if going from a low C gate to a high D gate (C24 to D10, for example). Terminal A and Terminal B are not connected by any walkways, and you must use the Skyway to change to or from these terminals.
For international arrivals: after clearing customs, stay to the left of the baggage re-check belts and follow signs to exit to arrivals (like you're going to curbside). Once in the arrivals lobby, take the elevator or escalator up one floor to find a PreCheck checkpoint and a usually-less-crowded regular checkpoint. If you ignore this advice and proceed up the escalator behind the baggage re-check area, the transit security checkpoint there is often congested and does not have a separate PreCheck checkpoint.
While perhaps not usually recommended, in a pinch, with Global Entry, no checked bags, and PreCheck, it is possible to make a one-hour (or even slightly less) connection by following the above instructions specifically (on a good day, it can take less than 30 minutes from flight arrival to sitting in the Terminal E United Club, as one member reported in the thread). Without Global Entry and with checked luggage (which must be retrieved to go through customs and dropped back off after clearing customs), especially if you are a foreign resident, expect the immigration and customs process to take longer, so allow enough time accordingly. For UA-UA international-international connections (ITI), there is a special immigration line that usually moves pretty quickly, and your baggage will be checked through and does not need to be retrieved to go through customs. No need to collect checked luggage while transiting through IAH. [OneStop]
Again, do not follow signs for international connections up the escalator behind the baggage re-check area; exit to the arrivals waiting area and re-enter one floor above through normal airport security. A map follows for visual learners:
Terminal E arrivals level / departures level:
The marked elevator will spit you out literally directly in front of the PreCheck checkpoint.
Standard UA-UA MCT table for IAH:
Results from ExpertFlyer.com
There are lots of exceptions, though, and some specific flights have as low as a 35-minute MCT, which is doable as mentioned above. IAH is a very efficiently designed airport, and you should not worry about what appears to be an abnormally low connection time; if UA says your connection is valid, it is almost certainly doable within the allotted time (notwithstanding delays, of course, and standard advice regarding allowing longer connections for mission-critical travel or travel on separate tickets still stands).
Airport map, courtesy of United Airlines:
Map displays Star Alliance partners only; most non-Star Alliance airlines have domestic operations in Terminal A or international operations in Terminal D
Archive posts - Consolidated Connection time/logistics-Domestic & International at IAH [ARCHIVE]
Terminal C has the most reliably open Precheck and Premier Access security lanes. Consider checking in and clearing security in at Terminal C even if departing from another terminal.
There are no UA check-in counters in Terminal A, even though UA has a few flights that depart from Terminal A. Check in at Terminal B or C.
There is an underground, somewhat slow landside tram system (the Subway) that runs between the basement level of all terminals (plus the on-site Marriott hotel) outside of security. (The Subway was built by Disney and modeled after their PeopleMover ride. It's worth a look if you're into that sort of thing.)
Recommended practices for transiting IAH:
IAH is a huge airport, but all terminals are very conveniently connected by a very frequent, fast airside tram system (the Skyway) inside security. You can pretty much get from any point in the airport to any other point in the airport within about 15 minutes (with a combination of Skyway and a brisk walk) without reclearing security. UA publishes as low as a 35-minute minimum connect time (MCT) at IAH, and while you shouldn't dilly-dally, this is doable on a typical domestic-domestic connection. (It helps if your inbound is not delayed and you're seated towards the front of the plane, of course; your departure flight will be almost fully boarded by the time you get there, but you'll make it.)
Note that the higher-numbered C gates (C29-C45, aka "C South") are directly connected to the E terminal by a walkway. It is usually faster to walk from C South to E (especially the low E gates) than it is to take the train. Similarly, C North (C14-C27) are directly connected to the D terminal, though the Skyway is not really out of the way and is useful if going from a low C gate to a high D gate (C24 to D10, for example). Terminal A and Terminal B are not connected by any walkways, and you must use the Skyway to change to or from these terminals.
For international arrivals: after clearing customs, stay to the left of the baggage re-check belts and follow signs to exit to arrivals (like you're going to curbside). Once in the arrivals lobby, take the elevator or escalator up one floor to find a PreCheck checkpoint and a usually-less-crowded regular checkpoint. If you ignore this advice and proceed up the escalator behind the baggage re-check area, the transit security checkpoint there is often congested and does not have a separate PreCheck checkpoint.
While perhaps not usually recommended, in a pinch, with Global Entry, no checked bags, and PreCheck, it is possible to make a one-hour (or even slightly less) connection by following the above instructions specifically (on a good day, it can take less than 30 minutes from flight arrival to sitting in the Terminal E United Club, as one member reported in the thread). Without Global Entry and with checked luggage (which must be retrieved to go through customs and dropped back off after clearing customs), especially if you are a foreign resident, expect the immigration and customs process to take longer, so allow enough time accordingly. For UA-UA international-international connections (ITI), there is a special immigration line that usually moves pretty quickly, and your baggage will be checked through and does not need to be retrieved to go through customs. No need to collect checked luggage while transiting through IAH. [OneStop]
Again, do not follow signs for international connections up the escalator behind the baggage re-check area; exit to the arrivals waiting area and re-enter one floor above through normal airport security. A map follows for visual learners:
Terminal E arrivals level / departures level:
The marked elevator will spit you out literally directly in front of the PreCheck checkpoint.
Standard UA-UA MCT table for IAH:
Results from ExpertFlyer.com
Code:
Minimum Connect Times: Connecting at IAH Incoming airline UA Outgoing airline UA STANDARD.D/D...D/I...I/D...I/I. ONLINE .45 1.00 1.00 1.15 OFFLINE .45 1.00 1.00 1.15
Airport map, courtesy of United Airlines:
Map displays Star Alliance partners only; most non-Star Alliance airlines have domestic operations in Terminal A or international operations in Terminal D
Archive posts - Consolidated Connection time/logistics-Domestic & International at IAH [ARCHIVE]
Consolidated IAH connection time/logistics-Domestic & International
Feb 23, 2020, 11:25 am
#152
formerly 1984SW
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Merida, Yucatan, Mexico
Programs: UA
Posts: 1,058
I frequently fly in/out of MID on UA and I recall several times the pre-arrival announcement on the MID-IAH flights mentioning that passengers with baggage checked through to NH in IAH do *not* need to collect their bags in IAH.
Is that same arrangement available on NH flights arriving into IAH and connecting to MID on UA? Where would that information be available (other than here on FT, of course)?
Is that same arrangement available on NH flights arriving into IAH and connecting to MID on UA? Where would that information be available (other than here on FT, of course)?
HOWEVER, my IAH-MID flight was on a separate PNR, and since I was originating in BKK more than 24 hours prior to that IAH-MID segment TG could only issue bag tags but not check me in on the UA flight. An agent paged me in the jetway* as I was deplaning in IAH and advised that since TG was unable to check me in for the UA flight, I needed to pick up my bags off the IAH carousel and take them to the UA customer service counter in the bag re-check area and have a UA agent manually enter my bag tag numbers into the UA check-in system or else the bags would not be boarded by UA. I was not the only person at the UA counter in IAH doing that...
Looking back, I wonder why the bags themselves had to be offloaded to the carousel for me to lug to the UA counter. She never re-tagged the bags, just typed into her computer and then waved me over to the bag-recheck conveyor belts. Why would it have not been sufficient to simply have me show her my claim checks when she checked me in? Why did I need to have the bags with me? <shrug>
*I consider myself lucky to have heard the page. He stood by the aircraft door saying my name, but didn't begin until *after* I had passed him and was halfway down the jetway. (I was the very first passenger off the flight.)
Mar 5, 2020, 12:45 pm
#153
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: SEA once more (previously CDG and NRT)
Programs: Former DL DM and UA 1k, now a J class free agent (UA Gold, AS MVP Gold)
Posts: 2,450
First time transiting IAH today, have a delayed inbound which will create a very tight connection C7 to E11. Currently showing 17 minutes. Obviously need to run like hell, but what’s the best route?
Mar 5, 2020, 1:13 pm
#154
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Between AUS, EWR, and YTO In a little twisty maze of airline seats, all alike.. but I wanna go home with the armadillo
Programs: CO, NW, & UA forum moderator emeritus
Posts: 35,432
T take the train.
Mar 5, 2020, 1:15 pm
#155
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: SEA once more (previously CDG and NRT)
Programs: Former DL DM and UA 1k, now a J class free agent (UA Gold, AS MVP Gold)
Posts: 2,450
Mar 5, 2020, 1:23 pm
#156
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Houston
Programs: UA GS 2.6MM & Lifetime UC, Qantas Platinum, Hilton Lifetime Diamond, Bonvoy Platinum, HawaiianMiles
Posts: 8,703
ADDENDUM: agree with NOT taking the skytrain.
Mar 5, 2020, 1:24 pm
#157
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,417
It likely doesn't matter, as you're going to need a minor miracle to make your connection. Do you have checked luggage?
The app shows you the route it recommends. I agree with it. It's suggesting 19 minutes; even running, you won't make it before the doors close unless your IAH-SJO flight is quite delayed or your DEN-IAH flight makes up a ton of ground en route.
I see one J seat available on AA, via PHX, that would get you in to SJO at 5 AM. If that works for you, I'd push for it. Otherwise, you're quite likely to be spending the night in Houston. (They do have J seats on all four of tomorrow's IAH-SJO flights, though, if that's the route you'd prefer).
The app shows you the route it recommends. I agree with it. It's suggesting 19 minutes; even running, you won't make it before the doors close unless your IAH-SJO flight is quite delayed or your DEN-IAH flight makes up a ton of ground en route.
I see one J seat available on AA, via PHX, that would get you in to SJO at 5 AM. If that works for you, I'd push for it. Otherwise, you're quite likely to be spending the night in Houston. (They do have J seats on all four of tomorrow's IAH-SJO flights, though, if that's the route you'd prefer).
Mar 5, 2020, 1:29 pm
#158
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Between AUS, EWR, and YTO In a little twisty maze of airline seats, all alike.. but I wanna go home with the armadillo
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With 17 minutes between arrival and departure you really only have 2 minutes at best - presuming you are off the plane as soon as it arrives - as boarding ends 15 minutes bef
re scheduled departure time.
re scheduled departure time.
Mar 5, 2020, 1:30 pm
#159
Moderator: Budget Travel forum & Credit Card Programs, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: YYJ/YVR and back on Van Isle ....... for now
Programs: UA lifetime MM / *A Gold
Posts: 14,429
I'd suggest asking GA for assistance.
Mar 5, 2020, 1:35 pm
#160
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,417
OP is connecting to an international flight (detail picked up from another thread). UA actually reserves the right to offload an international passenger at T-30.
Mar 5, 2020, 3:39 pm
#162
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,417
Turned in 57 minutes; currently estimating a 6:07 PM arrival in IAH, for a 7 minute transfer. If OP is still on that flight, he's going to have to hope for ConnectionSaver.
Mar 5, 2020, 4:02 pm
#163
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,088
E11 is in the main E Concourse. Not one of the side concourses. It’ll be on your right.
Just a long walk from C1. I don’t see how you can make it unless your outbound is late.
Good Luck.
Mar 5, 2020, 6:02 pm
#165
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: SEA once more (previously CDG and NRT)
Programs: Former DL DM and UA 1k, now a J class free agent (UA Gold, AS MVP Gold)
Posts: 2,450
Made it. They had a cart waiting for us at the gate, and delayed the flight a couple of minutes. Checked bag made it too.