Welcome toGeorge Bush Intercontinental Airport

Texas lost one of its most recognizable artistic voices with the passing of David Adickes, the modernist sculptor and painter behind some of the state’s most colossal and enduring landmarks. He was 98.Adickes, a native of Texas, was born in Huntsville in 1927. According to his website, he was best known for his towering presidential busts and the 67-foot Sam Houston statue, A Tribute to Courage, that continues to greet drivers along Interstate 45 in Huntsville. In Houston, his work lives on in concrete and steel—and in the memories of millions of travelers who pass through the city’s airports.A statue of George H.W. Bush has stood inside Terminal C at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) for more than two decades. Earlier this year, the beloved “We Love Houston” sculpture found a new home at William P. Hobby Airport (HOU), where it now welcomes passengers with a burst of color and civic pride. Just outside IAH, his monument to President John F. Kennedy marks a symbolic threshold between history and flight.“David Adickes made Houston feel bigger—literally and culturally,” said Alton DuLaney, chief curator of cultural affairs for the City of Houston. “His work is more than monumental. It’s connective. You see it on the side of the freeway or in an airport terminal, and it instantly grounds you in place, in story and in scale. His legacy is cemented—quite literally—into the city’s identity.”Photo of DuLaney and AdickesAdickes once said he wanted his work to outlast him. In Houston, it already has.

For most travelers, the airport experience begins in a car, often in traffic, inching toward a terminal under stress and a deadline. In Houston, that narrative quietly changed this summer.Without the fanfare of a ribbon-cutting or a press conference, George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) pulled off a rare feat in modern airport management: a 75% drop in curbside congestion from April to June when compared to the same time last year. It wasn’t magic. It was infrastructure. Houston Airports opened permanent Terminal E Departures and Arrivals curbs in late 2024.Freshly painted columns and 4,500 square feet of anti-slip epoxy along the Departures Curb now welcome passengers to Terminal A, Bush Airport's oldest terminal. A vestibule with two rows of sliding glass doors insulates the Terminal A Ticketing Lobby and provides airport guests another layer of safety and protection.These subtle, smart improvements are not limited to Bush Airport. At William P. Hobby Airport (HOU), a new ride share pickup area within Zone 5 now gives Uber and Lyft passengers a more intuitive, shaded, organized space. The areas also feature comfortable benches.At the same time, Houston Airports completed the full rollout of a new cashless parking system at IAH’s A/B Garage, marking the final milestone in a system-wide upgrade across all Houston Airports parking facilities at IAH and HOU. The new system simplifies the parking experience with faster entry and exit and more digital payment options.The public noticed. In April, satisfaction with the A/B Garage hit a low of -20 as exit lanes were temporarily closed while the technology was installed. Two months later, in June, satisfaction rates jumped to +47, a 67-point upswing in traveler sentiment.Behind the scenes, 36 new ecopark shuttles were deployed, and rental car shuttle operations were restructured to match peak passenger times. RELATED | More rides, better experience: Upgrades to shuttle service and infrastructure at IAHThese changes reflect a larger philosophy for Houston Airports: that world-class infrastructure isn’t always shiny or loud. Sometimes it’s the paint on a column, the texture of the pavement or a sign that finally points to the right place.

Somewhere between the Mother’s Room and the iShoppes duty-free store, a traveler in camo shorts and Converse sneakers taps a screen, stares intently and makes a decision that has nothing to do with boarding zones or seat assignments.He’s choosing a Pokémon booster pack.Welcome to The Fan Stand, a vending-machine-meets-time-machine installed at the newly expanded Terminal D at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). With walls splashed in Topps’ signature reds and oranges, and vending slots filled with trading cards spanning everything from baseball legends to anime champions, it’s a bold departure from your average airport impulse buy.And it’s exactly the point.“We’re always looking for new ways to surprise and delight travelers,” said Libby Hurley, director of concessions for Houston Airports. “The Fan Stand taps into nostalgia and culture in a way that feels both familiar and unexpected. Whether you’re a die-hard collector or just need a quick gift, it’s a fun stop that makes the terminal experience a little more memorable.”Positioned steps away from international gates, the vending machines are stocked with Pokémon cards—including rare Japanese imports—alongside NBA, NFL, UFC and Star Wars collectibles. The crisp digital interface invites users to scroll through options like they’re choosing a playlist, not a pack of foil-sealed adrenaline.The machines offer a convenient way for collectors to purchase cards, including single packs, blasters and mega boxes. Designed with an elevator system for gentle product retrieval and well-lit displays that border on theatrical, the setup caters to the casually curious and the cardboard-devout alike.It’s a savvy move for Houston Airports at a time when collectibles are booming, and travelers—especially Gen Z and millennial fans—are craving connection, not just convenience.“Airport retail is evolving,” said Hurley. “People want more than coffee and souvenirs. They want moments. They want stories. And sometimes, they want to rip open a pack of cards while they wait for their flight.”The Fan Stand is only one act in the Houston Airport System’s larger vending renaissance. Over the last three years, Houston Airports has transformed what vending means in a terminal. Think Sprinkles cupcake ATMs, Kylie Cosmetics kiosks, LEGO machines and Parents on the Go setups stocked with baby wipes and diapers. At Hobby Airport, there’s even a library vending machine, BOOKLink, run by the Houston Public Library.And right next to The Fan Stand? A vending machine stocked floor-to-ceiling with Polly Pocket.This is not the Houston airport retail of five years ago. This is curated, connected, culturally relevant commerce. It’s vending with personality, strategy and selfie lighting.As travelers move through the bright, modern Terminal D—fresh off a multimillion-dollar expansion—it’s hard to miss the buzz around the vending zone. People point. Kids tug on sleeves. Grown adults hover a beat too long before making a purchase and walking away smiling.It’s retail theater, in a vending machine.And for a few bucks and a little luck, you just might pull a holographic Charizard before your flight to Frankfurt.RELATED | Travelers thankful for next-gen vending machines that sell more than snacksRELATED | Hip & Humble opens inside IAH Terminal DRELATED | Houston Airports unveils dynamic dining, retail at IAH Terminal D