Continental Airlines opens largest and final phase of new 23-Gate Terminal at Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston

Continental Airlines has opened the final phase of the new 23-gate "Terminal E" at its largest and busiest hub, Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston. The facility, which will eventually host all of Continental's international service from Houston, features a spacious, modern design and conveniences for travelers, and gives Continental a platform for growing domestic and international service.

With the full operation of Terminal E, Continental now has access to 100 gates at Bush Intercontinental Airport for its schedule of 538 daily departures.

"With Terminal E, Continental has made another three hundred million dollar investment in Houston's future," said Gordon Bethune, Continental's chairman and chief executive officer. "No other airline has invested as much capital and as many resources to fuel this region's growth. We're committed to shaping Houston into the best point of entry to the United States, and Terminal E further solidifies that position."

Included in the final phase of the project is the grand opening of 10 new retail and food concessions, and the world's largest Presidents Club, a three-floor, 26,000-square-foot lounge featuring expansive views of airport operations from its floor-to-ceiling windows, free wireless internet access, 60 carrels for business, and personal showers for customers arriving from overseas in BusinessFirst.

In June 2003, seven gates on the west concourse went into operation. With the current opening of the central building and east concourse, Terminal E offers its full complement of 23 gates. Continental has been responsible for the construction of Terminal E and will also oversee its operation.

The City of Houston is building an adjoining Federal Inspection Station (customs and immigrations) expected to open in early 2005 that will allow Continental to handle all international arrivals at Terminal E. This facility is in addition to a brand-new, 9,000-foot runway. These improvements work together to give Bush Intercontinental Airport the ability to handle more traffic without bottlenecks for airplanes or travelers.

Traveler-friendly Terminal

Travelers using Terminal E will first notice the feeling of spaciousness throughout the u-shaped facility. Soaring ceilings, wide concourses, spacious seating areas and huge glass window-walls combine to make the 600,000 square-foot building seem even bigger. Continental adopted architectural design elements from its recent, highly successful terminal expansion at Newark Liberty International Airport, which lends consistency to the travel experience for Continental's frequent flyers.

Terminal E is state-of-the-art high-tech with flat-screen monitors displaying flight information, automatically-adjusting volume on p.a. announcements to compensate for ambient noise, and the latest-generation eService terminals for self check-in.

Popular artist Peter Max was commissioned to create the large-scale mural displayed in the building's interior, and "The Art Guys" of Houston have installed  an 80-screen video ring that captures the attention of the passersby with modern visual art.

The concessions at Terminal E are a unique part of the experience in the facility and draw customers to an array of food and retail fare. A strong lineup of concessions was offered when the facility opened in June 2003, and that list has grown with the completion of the new areas in the terminal.

Eateries now available in the newly opened areas of Terminal E include: Charley's Grilled Subs (Hot Sandwiches), Cafe Famiglia, Nestle's Toll House/Auntie Anne's Pretzels, and Wendy's Hamburgers. The central building and east concourse also feature a brand-new Drexler's Barbeque, serving barbeque from former NBA star Clyde Drexler, and an expansive Fox Sports Bar and Grill, a full-service sports bar and restaurant.

Retail stores that opened in the second phase include: Alitunes, Borders Bookstore and Café, Travelex (for currency exchange and business services), and Stars of Houston (clothes, jewelry, food and wine from Texas). These vendors join those that opened in June 2003: Brookstone, Coco Moka, Famous Famiglia, Fresh'ns, Hudson News, In Celebration of Golf, Johnston and Murphy, Landau, Le Petit Bistro, The Little Creamery, Panda Express, Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen, Pappasito's Cantina, Starbucks, SpaceTrader, Sun Shades, Swatch and Weitnauer Duty Free.

Terminal E is accessible from the parking garage attached to the east side of Terminal C, and is connected to the South Concourse of Terminal C.