On Wednesday, June 12, in front of a packed Houston City Council chamber, Houston Airports Aviation Director Jim Szczesniak proudly presented four gold plaques from the 2024 Skytrax World Airport Awards to Mayor John Whitmire and the Houston City Council. Houston Airports Chief Operating Officer Kelly Woodward and Houston Airports Chief Terminal Management Officer Liliana Rambo joined Szczesniak in representing the 1,200 City of Houston aviation workers. 

“While Houston Airports doesn’t chase awards and accolades, these Skytrax plaques symbolize and celebrate our unwavering commitment to the 60.1 million passengers we serve annually at Bush and Hobby airports,” said Jim Szczesniak, Aviation Director for Houston Airports. “Houston Airports is a powerful economic engine for the City of Houston. Our airports inject $36.4 billion annually, into the local economy. We are responsible for creating more than 190,000 jobs. And these awards, which spotlight our commitment to the folks we serve and the facilities we maintain remind us that Houston Airports is a well-oiled machine.”

Houston Mayor John Whitmire accepted the Skytrax plaques on behalf of the the City Council and said, "We ought to celebrate this great city we live in. We all know how critical it is. We're proud to be Houstonians. And that just emphasizes the importance and economic engine that is Houston Airports. You are so important, and I hope you remember that each and every day. We need to be as user-friendly as possible."

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Skytrax, a premier international air transport rating organization, audited Houston Airports in February. William P. Hobby Airport has been the first and only 5-Star Skytrax-rated airport in North America for three consecutive years. Passengers continue to rate Hobby Airport as the Best Regional Airport in North America. Their vote of confidence is driving up passenger demand, fueling a $470 million 7-gate expansion of Hobby Airport. 

“Congratulations! The airport is an important economic engine,” said council member Joaquin Martinez who represents District I, which includes Hobby Airport. “It’s a good place for folks to work. Looking forward to back-to-back-to-back-to-back wins.”

In the coming weeks, Houston Airports will open the brand-new D-West Pier to international passengers at George Bush Intercontinental Airport. It will offer 10 additional gates and a new retail and dining experience. 

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“I hear people complain about the traffic. But I say, the traffic is nothing,” said council member Twila Carter, At-Large Position 3. “Wait until you see the end result. And I’m so excited, as a frequent flyer, I am so excited for the expansion and the vision of the airport.”

The new International Central Processor at Bush Airport will fully open by next summer. Despite that massive $1.458 billion construction project, Bush Airport has maintained its 4-Star Skytrax rating for seven consecutive years.

“We can see the vision. We can see the impact this construction is having on the terminal at IAH,” said Mayor Pro-Tem Martha Castex-Tatum, “and I look forward to IAH being a 5-star airport very soon.”

The team at Bush Airport continues to deliver a safe and clean airport experience while providing world-class customer service and Refreshing Terminal D with amenities like Ablution and Sensory Rooms and more art.

“It is great to witness the investment of how arts and culture show up in our airport,” shared council member Tiffany Thomas who represents District F. 

This year, as Houston Airports celebrates 25 years of art at the airport, we’re proud to hold on to the title: World’s Best Airport Art Program. For a second straight year, the competition was fierce, but airports in other corners of the world can’t compete with our eclectic visual and performing arts collection. 

“Mayor, through your feedback and the data collected through our annual Skytrax audits, Houston Airports can strategically plan a course of action for significant improvements. Change is coming,” shared Kelly Woodward, Chief Operating Officer for Houston Airports. 

$30 million in restroom renovations are underway at Bush and Hobby airports. Houston Airports is leveraging technology to operate ‘smart restrooms’ complete with sensors that signal—in real-time—when supplies need to be restocked or when our facilities need extra attention. That technology significantly improves the experience for the 100,000 people who use our restrooms on any given day. 

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“Consistent feedback is crucial, and year by year, Houston Airports is improving,” said Woodward. 

FAA grants are helping to revitalize IAH Terminal A, so it meets passenger expectations when United Airlines completes its $2.55 billion transformation of Terminal B in 2026. 

The very first Skytrax audit for Houston Airports happened in 2017. “In the years since, we’ve improved our facilities, which has led to more airlines flying in and out of our airports,” said Liliana Rambo, Chief Terminal Management Officer for Houston Airports. “Today we offer direct flights to 193 destinations. On Friday, we will officially add one more, as we welcome Avelo - a Houston-based airline - to Hobby Airport.”

With the addition of Avelo, Hobby Airport will now offer flights from seven airlines. 

“This is an incredible day. For a third year in a row, we are 5-Star at Hobby and 4-Stars at Bush,” said Castex-Tatum. “Houston is a global city and we deserve to have incredible airports. For us to have 193 destinations, we will remain a global city. But we have to be able to move people in and out of the city seamlessly. And we are doing that. Skytrax got it right.”