HOUSTON – Hobby Airport is celebrating the opening of Southwest Airline's new international terminal.
The airline and the City of Houston broke ground in September 2013 on the international terminal complex which includes a five-gate international concourse (called the West Concourse), federal inspection station, new Southwest Airlines ticketing hall and expanded security checkpoint.
The first international departure took off Thursday morning bound for Cancun, Mexico.
"Houston's already strong connection to the Americas — both culturally and economically — just got even stronger," Mayor Annise Parker said. "Houston has a well-earned reputation as a great place to do business, but it also features world-class amenities and an amazing quality of life. This partnership with Southwest will help provide limitless opportunities for businesses, residents and tourists from the Americas to experience all of that."
"Our roots run deepest in Houston, one of our original Southwest cities where our friendly People offer reliable service at low fares and helped make Southwest the airline that now flies more travelers in the U.S. every day than any other carrier," Gary Kelly, Chairman, President and CEO of Southwest Airlines, said. "It's a fitting place to firmly plant our investment to connect Houstonians and millions of Southwest Customers who will pass through this facility to what's important in their lives across a growing list of international service options."
Destinations include Cancún, Mexico City, Puerto Vallarta and San Jose del Cabo/Los Cabos in Mexico, San Jose and Liberia in Costa Rica, Belize City, Belize and Montego Bay, Jamaica.
The $156 million project was fully funded by Southwest Airlines and completed on schedule and under budget.
The City of Houston is funding roadway improvements and building a new garage, the first phase of which will open later this fall, to accommodate the additional international passengers.