Understanding IAH — Airport Overview

• George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) in Houston is a large, multi-terminal airport with five passenger terminals: IAH Terminal A, B, C, D (Mickey Leland International), and E.

• The terminals are spread over a considerable footprint, but are well connected internally — so transferring between terminals is manageable for passengers.

• Two automated train systems link all terminals:

• The Skyway — an elevated people-mover inside the secure (airside) area, connecting Terminal A, B, C, D and E.

• The Subway — an underground train that connects all terminals (A–E) and the on-airport hotel, outside security (landside).

• The Skyway makes travel between distant terminals relatively quick — for example, moving from Terminal A to the Terminal D/E complex via Skyway takes about 4 minutes 15 seconds.

• Because of this interconnectivity, IAH can operate efficiently even with many terminals — but travelers should still allow extra time if they have connecting flights involving different terminals.

Delta at IAH — Which Terminal(s) and What to Expect

Primary Terminal: Terminal A

• Delta Air Lines at IAH primarily uses Terminal A for its flights — both for departures and arrivals.

• Terminal A serves mainly domestic and short-haul flights (though not exclusively) operated by several carriers including Delta, along with other airlines.

• Within Terminal A: there are two concourses — North and South — which together house gates A1 through A30. Delta flights are typically assigned within these gate groups.

• Terminal A amenities include standard traveler facilities: check-in counters (and kiosks), security checkpoints, baggage-claim on arrival level, ground-transport access, shops, restaurants/food outlets, charging stations, restrooms, and more.

Occasionally: Other Terminal Use (e.g., International / Codeshare Flights)

• While Delta Airlines IAH Terminal is the default for Delta, there are cases when flights labeled as “Delta” (especially codeshare flights operated by partner airlines, or certain international/long-haul flights) might use other terminals — often the more international-oriented terminals like IAH Terminal D or even the Terminal D/E complex.

• In those cases, be sure to carefully check your boarding pass or flight-status notice — terminal and gate assignments can vary depending on factors such as codeshare airline, flight type, or scheduling.

What About Lounges?

• Officially, Delta does not maintain a dedicated “Delta Sky Club” lounge at IAH.

• However — there is a premium lounge accessible to certain Delta passengers (those holding eligible membership cards) — the American Express Centurion Lounge, which is located in Terminal D near gate D6.

• That means if your flight lands or departs from Terminal A (Delta’s usual terminal), and you don’t need to move terminals, you might not have immediate lounge access unless you transfer via Skyway/Subway to Terminal D — which may require extra time and planning.

Navigating IAH — Transfers, Layout and What Travelers Should Know

Because IAH is a large, multi-terminal airport, successful travel requires familiarity with how to move between terminals, and what to expect in terms of amenities, walking distances, and transfers. Here’s what to keep in mind:

Getting Between Terminals: Skyway vs Subway

• If you're airside (already past security) — use the Skyway: It runs every ~2 minutes and connects all terminals; fastest way to transfer between terminals for connecting flights.

• If you're landside (arriving, or needing to re-check baggage, or going to parking/hotel) — use the Subway: underground, free, connects all terminals & on-site hotel, runs every ~3 minutes (except roughly between 12:30 a.m.–3:30 a.m., when service is closed).

• Within Terminal A: walking from security to most gates takes just a few minutes (even to the farthest gates

Plan Adequate Transfer Time

Because terminals are physically separate — and given security, check-in, or immigration (for international flights) — it’s wise to build in extra time for transfers. This is especially true if:

• You arrive on one airline/terminal and depart on another.

• You land on an international flight in Terminal D/E on a codeshare, but depart on Delta (or vice versa).

• You need to access lounges in another terminal (e.g. Centurion Lounge in D) but fly from A (Delta origin).

Amenities, Shops & Services — What to Expect

Terminal A offers a full set of traveler conveniences: check-in counters, baggage claim, ground transport access, food & beverage outlets, duty-free and retail shops, charging-stations, restrooms, pet-relief areas, currency exchange, and more.
If transferring via Skyway/Subway, signs to terminals, gates, train stations etc. are clearly marked — which helps.

What to Do — Advice for Delta Passengers Flying via IAH

If you’re planning to fly with Delta through IAH (or connect via IAH), here are practical tips to make your journey smoother:

• Always confirm terminal & gate on your boarding pass or flight-status app — while Delta usually uses Terminal A, codeshare/international flights may land/depart elsewhere.

• Allow extra time for transfers, especially if you suspect a terminal change — at least 60–90 minutes for connections involving different terminals (or more, if international).

• If you want lounge access and hold an eligible card, check if you must transfer to Terminal D for the lounge — and account for transfer time.

• Use Skyway (after security) or Subway (before security or landside) to move between terminals — they’re frequent and free.

• Keep comfortable walking shoes or arrive early — even within Terminal A or moving between terminals, there can be considerable walking depending on your gate, concourse, or transfer path.

Summary — What Delta at IAH Means for You

• Delta Air Lines at IAH commonly uses Terminal A — which handles many domestic and short-haul flights.

• For certain flights (international, codeshare, partner operations), Delta-branded flights may use other terminals (e.g. Terminal D/E), so always check terminal assignments.

• Thanks to internal transit systems (Skyway — airside, Subway — landside), moving between terminals is fairly convenient, though requiring some time.

• Terminal A offers full airport services — check-in, security, shops, dining, baggage-claim, and ground transport access — but Delta does not have a dedicated lounge there, so lounge access may require terminal change.

• As a traveler, it’s wise to plan ahead, check your boarding pass carefully, and allow buffer time if your itinerary involves transfers across terminals or uses lounges in other terminals.