Perhaps the problem has gotten worse recently or bags are slower on purely domestic arrivals or connections, but I've probably cleared Customs at IAH with a checked bag 15 times in the past two years and can only recall one time that I waited more than 10 minutes for my bag, and that was due to some sort of systemwide baggage problem they were having at IAH that day (conveyor system?).

Good point, totally forgot about the checked bag cutoff times - might have to change the connecting flight now

Can anyone confirm if there is a DL counter in the recheck area?

Last (and only) time I had to change from a UA international arrival to an AA domestic flight (one ticket), the handler with the scanner at the re-check belt outside of customs refused to accept my bag. I saw no AA counter down there, so I had to lug them to the landside underground train and over to Terminal A, and missed the cutoff for the AA flight. Maybe the handler was mistaken.

That doesn’t sound right. Either your bag was checked through or it wasn’t.

In any event, I’ve been through there ~15 times in the past couple years, but always on United or Copa. I can’t recall if there’s an AA or DL desk there.

Have any fellow IAHers noticed an increase in use of Terminal A? The last 5 years I've been 1K-GS-GS-GS-1K and never stepped foot inside A. This year I've departed from or landed into A at least 10 times. Also, does anyone know when the remaining Terminal C north gates will open?

I've had a few UA flights out of T-A over the years but none in the past couple of years. It was a real pain the first time for the app status to show departure out A, only to find out that they don't staff the counter there so had to go all the way back to B to check my bag. I can imagine how hard that would be for Granny and Granddad Infrequent flyers to have to go through that.

It wouldn't be hard at all. Infrequent flyers don't tend to realize that airlines might operate multiple check-in desks at the same airport. They'll follow the signs to "United," check in, and then take the train to their gate.

(Hi. I've tried to search through past posts for an answer but the awful scrolling function made that fruitless. Or maybe there's nothing. Anyway...)

Can anyone please confirm with official links (1) whether a Japanese national (with ESTA of course) transferring intl to intl at IAH will have to collect/recheck bags and (2) whether there really is an expedited immigration lane for intl to intl connections that she can use?

I see posts saying that for international to international connections at IAH you don't need to pick up and recheck bags and that there's an expedited immigration line, including in the Wiki but the links to official (airport and CBP) sites are broken/old. It it were just me that would be good enough, but it's for a senior colleague so I'd like to see something more official than word of mouth. Searches of the IAH and CBP websites turned up nothing.

Details: I'm traveling NRT IAH MTY rt on an all-UA intinerary with a colleague. I have GE/am American and will only have a carryon. She's Japanese and wants to check a bag. (If I can manage to meet her before she checks in I can at least get the priority tag on her bag but...) The connection is pretty tight (1h40m). There are two later flights, which is why I booked that connection. But we're on separate reservations though so if she misses her connection, I'm not sure how easy it will be to change to the later flight to travel with her. (Tho I get free SDCs.)

This isn’t really IAH specific, it’s more to do with UA/EVA policies but IAH is the connection airport, so I can’t think of a better place for it.

I’m flying STL-IAH-TPE in a couple weeks, in J on a United award ticket. My layover is something ridiculous like 17 hours, but I’ll be leaving the airport and spending the day in Houston. Will United hold onto my checked bag for that long before handing it off to EVA, or will I need to collect it in IAH and drop it off at the EVA check in counter when I return that evening for the flight?

I’m renting a car, so it’s not a big deal, I can throw it in the trunk, I just want to make sure my bag makes it to Taipei with me.

Also, what’s the lounge situation like? The TPE flight doesn’t leave until around 1 AM, is there one open that late?

Policy is no (12 hour limit) but YMMV -- depends on what UA in STL does, the computer will resist.
Overnight, long layover/connection check through baggage question (consolidated)
UA Bag Interlining If Separate Tix with *A Partners (YES) & Non *A Partners (NO)

Polaris lounge closes at 10PM, the UCs on E (E11/12 -- near PL) is open to 11:30, the rest of the UCs close earlier.

Question about arriving/departing domestic flight from IAH
 

Trying to book a return flight for a friend, kinda don't mind putting her in first class since it's a relatively long trip (LAS to Akron, OH) and the prices for some flights isn't took bad (~$450). Considering a checked bag fee, an extra $200 from main to first doesn't seem too crazy for me.

Question is, for the decently priced F flight, there is a 46 minute layover in IAH. I've done ~45 minute layovers a few times in SEA on Delta and don't mind too much, but I've never been to IAH so I'm not sure how easy this will be for her. Does anyone know if these flights are in the same terminal and thus maybe just a few minutes walk from gate to gate?

She'll be coming into IAH on UA2289 (Depart Vegas at 12:17pm and land at IAH at 5:19pm)
The second flight is UA 6106 (Departs IAH at 6:05 pm and land at CAK 9:46 pm)

Is there a decent chance of success on this flight? The times are good, not out of Vegas too early, home not to late. The price for F is pretty decent, and the total travel time isn't bad. BUT, if she has a 15 minute hike at IAH from gate to gate that doesn't leave much (any?) wiggle room from deplaning and boarding the next flight. She'll be flying solo and have one checked bag and one backpack carry on.

If this looks like I'm setting her up to fail, then the next best option is down in main or premium economy with a 2.5 hr layover (yuck).

There's no way to know what terminals will be used for the flights until the day of travel (and, even then, it can change at the last minute). All terminals are connected airside at IAH, and there's a tram that runs between them. The longest possible distance to travel is 15-20 minutes.


If everything is on time, she'll be fine.. but IAH-CAK is once-daily. If she misses it, she's either spending the night and adding a connection, or she's traveling to CLE or PIT.

If she's 25, fit, and can fend for herself well if things go sideways, it's do-able. (I've made shorter connections than that at IAH on many occasions). If she's 95, needs a wheelchair, and gets flustered when things don't go precisely according to plan, I'd find another option.

I’ve taken that IAH-CAK flight a few times. IIRC, it always departed from Terminal B. Inbound from LAS would be Terminal C or E. As mentioned above, quite doable if you can get around quickly.

Assuming no delays and the fact that she is in F 46 minutes should be fine.

Yeah, but it can take a decent time just to get off the airport onto BW8. And 290 is routinely horrible.

Edit: just realized I am replying to a 4-year-old post. Never mind.