The project included the development of additional facilities at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) to handle aircraft, passengers, and cargo departing to and arriving from, domestic and international destinations on scheduled and chartered flights. To support the airlines’ growth plans in Houston, Houston Airport System (HAS) and airlines completed a major Capital Improvement Program (CIP), known as the IAH Terminal Redevelopment Program (ITRP) that included constructing a new 11-gate concourse undertaken by United Airlines (UA) and reconstructed and integrated the existing Terminal C North and Terminal D into a new single common-use international facility – the Mickey Leland International Terminal (MLIT). This project focused on the planning, programming, and design of the new MLIT including design coordination of airside, landside, and roadway improvements, and utilities to serve the project boundary.

The new MLIT replaced both the existing Terminal C North pier and the entire Terminal D facility with a new single consolidated terminal building to occupy four levels. The south face of the new MLIT was constructed to the north of the current building location to accommodate landside roadway improvements. The proposed new MLIT was planned for 15 wide-body gates including four gates for A380 aircraft, depending on the fleet mix, primarily on two double-loaded pier concourses. These gates can accommodate up to 30 narrow-body aircraft in alternative configurations. The new MLIT replaces all the terminal processing functions of existing Terminal D, while expanding capacity.