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
Jul 28, 2023, 5:04 pm
#361
Join Date: May 2015
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We are veering OT but ATL concourses E and F checkpoints after exiting customs (but before exiting into arrivals in the case of F) do not require bp either so not an entirely unique concept to IAH. If CBP just let you into the country and verified your identity then really there isn't a security risk at all to enter airside...
Jul 29, 2023, 2:41 pm
#362
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Can someone explain to me what the security risk is of someone clearing the security screening without actually having a plan to fly? This is much ado about nothing. There isn't a risk. I could almost as easily buy a ticket, get a boarding pass, clear security and cancel my ticket -- and I've done so in the past f
r a variety of reasons (plans changed, etc.).
r a variety of reasons (plans changed, etc.).
Jul 29, 2023, 3:08 pm
#363
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,088
Can someone explain to me what the security risk is of someone clearing the security screening without actually having a plan to fly? This is much ado about nothing. There isn't a risk. I could almost as easily buy a ticket, get a boarding pass, clear security and cancel my ticket -- and I've done so in the past fr a variety of reasons (plans changed, etc.).
r a variety of reasons (plans changed, etc.).
Jul 29, 2023, 3:16 pm
#364
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Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,417
Can someone explain to me what the security risk is of someone clearing the security screening without actually having a plan to fly? This is much ado about nothing. There isn't a risk. I could almost as easily buy a ticket, get a boarding pass, clear security and cancel my ticket -- and I've done so in the past fr a variety of reasons (plans changed, etc.).
r a variety of reasons (plans changed, etc.).Since you have to have flown into IAH to reach this apparently unstaffed checkpoint, I don't think it's a particularly big deal even if you happen to believe that the US has a list of all possible bad actors.
Jul 30, 2023, 6:31 am
#365
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: IAH/EWR-LGA/MIA
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The extremely hypothetical risk only applies to someone who is on the no-fly list.
Since you have to have flown into IAH to reach this apparently unstaffed checkpoint, I don't think it's a particularly big deal even if you happen to believe that the US has a list of all possible bad actors.
Since you have to have flown into IAH to reach this apparently unstaffed checkpoint, I don't think it's a particularly big deal even if you happen to believe that the US has a list of all possible bad actors.
I'm flying EWR-IAH on Tuesday and plan to take a peek from the airside D/E walkway to see if there is an ID check and confirm if maybe my experience on Friday was just a one-off. If other FTers happen to go through this area and see this thread, it would be good to get more data points. Why does this even matter? Well, speaking for myself, I could envision future scenarios where I might try to pop into the PL for a bit after an international IAH arrival (something I never thought to do before -- although some reports are that this security area can be hellish at times, so maybe not worth the trouble).
Jul 30, 2023, 9:48 am
#366
Join Date: Jun 2014
Programs: UA MM
Posts: 4,130
The extremely hypothetical risk only applies to someone who is on the no-fly list.
Since you have to have flown into IAH to reach this apparently unstaffed checkpoint, I don't think it's a particularly big deal even if you happen to believe that the US has a list of all possible bad actors.
Since you have to have flown into IAH to reach this apparently unstaffed checkpoint, I don't think it's a particularly big deal even if you happen to believe that the US has a list of all possible bad actors.
Jul 30, 2023, 10:12 am
#367
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Jul 30, 2023, 10:30 am
#368
Join Date: Jun 2014
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Jul 30, 2023, 10:36 am
#369
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Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,417
If we can assume that the airlines aren’t working in conjunction with bad actors, yes. Furthermore, anybody who gets to this magical no-ID checkpoint just passed through an ID check at immigration.
Jul 30, 2023, 12:51 pm
#370
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: BNA
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Jul 30, 2023, 2:39 pm
#372
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If your inbound flight is anywhere near on time, that should be a sufficient margin.
Jul 30, 2023, 2:59 pm
#373
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: IAH
Programs: UA
Posts: 605
I am not alarmed in the least by this phenomenon, as no one can reach that area without their identity having been verified by CBP at the immigration checkpoint.
Jul 30, 2023, 4:23 pm
#374
Join Date: May 2011
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Booked DEN-IAH-LIM with a 2.5hr connection. IA just sent me a schedule change and now it’s only 50 minutes in IAH 🙄
I’m not going to chance this one, especially with UAs Summer from Hell 2.0 well underway.
I’m not going to chance this one, especially with UAs Summer from Hell 2.0 well underway.
Jul 31, 2023, 7:31 am
#375
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: IAH/EWR-LGA/MIA
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Posts: 2,506
I went I->D at IAH dozens of times between 2005 and 2020, and there was never a TSA ID checker at that location. There was many years ago a contractor stationed up there, and that might have included a brief glance at a boarding pass, but no scrutiny.
I am not alarmed in the least by this phenomenon, as no one can reach that area without their identity having been verified by CBP at the immigration checkpoint.
I am not alarmed in the least by this phenomenon, as no one can reach that area without their identity having been verified by CBP at the immigration checkpoint.
Last edited by st530; Jul 31, 2023 at 10:21 am