George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) is the primary international airport serving Houston, Texas, having opened in June 1969 as Houston Intercontinental Airport. It was renamed in 1997 to honor George H. W. Bush, the 41st U.S. president and a Houston resident, after the city had previously considered naming it for Congressman Mickey Leland (who instead received Terminal D). Covering 10,000 acres with five runways, it ranks as the second busiest airport in Texas for international traffic (as of 2025) and the 15th busiest in the U.S. for total passengers (2022), serving as a major hub for United Airlines. The site's history began in 1957 when businessmen purchased the land—nicknamed "Jetero" due to a typo—and the city annexed it in 1965. Upon its opening, all scheduled service moved from William P. Hobby Airport, which later resumed commercial flights in 1971 with Southwest Airlines. Continental Airlines also built a maintenance center there in 1990, cementing the airport's role as a key aviation hub for the region.