Where is united in iah?
George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IATA: IAH, ICAO: KIAH, FAA LID: IAH) is an international airport in Houston, Texas, United States, serving the Greater Houston metropolitan area. Located about 23 miles (37 km) north of Downtown Houston between Interstate 45 and Interstate 69/U.S. Highway 59 with direct access to the Hardy Toll Road expressway, George Bush Intercontinental Airport has scheduled flights to a large number of domestic and international destinations covering five continents. It is the busiest airport in Texas for international passenger traffic and number of international destinations, as well as being the second busiest airport in Texas overall, and the 12th busiest in the United States for total passenger traffic.
The airport, originally named Houston Intercontinental Airport, was later renamed after George H. W. Bush, the 41st president of the United States and resident of Houston, in 1997. IAH covers 10,000 acres (40 square kilometres) of land and has five runways. Houston Intercontinental is one of the largest passenger hubs for United Airlines.
A group of Houston businessmen purchased the site for Bush Intercontinental Airport in 1957 to preserve it until the city of Houston could formulate a plan for a new airport as a replacement for William P. Hobby Airport (at the time known as Houston International Airport). The holding company for the land was named the Jet Era Ranch Corporation, but a typographical error transformed the words "Jet Era" into "Jetero" and the airport site subsequently became known as the Jetero airport site. Although the name Jetero was no longer used in official planning documents after 1961, the airport's eastern entrance was named Jetero Boulevard. Most of Jetero Boulevard was later renamed Will Clayton Parkway.
The City of Houston annexed the Intercontinental Airport area in 1965. This annexation, along with the 1965 annexations of the Bayport area, the Fondren Road area, and an area west of Sharpstown, resulted in a gain of 51,251 acres (20,741 ha) of land for the city limits.
Houston Intercontinental Airport, which was the original name for the airport, opened in June 1969. The airport's IATA code of IAH derived from the stylization of the airport's name as "Intercontinental Airport of Houston." All scheduled passenger airline service formerly operated from William P. Hobby Airport moved to Intercontinental upon the airport's completion. Hobby remained open as a general aviation airport and was once again used for scheduled passenger airline jet service two years later when Southwest Airlines initiated intrastate airline service nonstop between Hobby and Dallas Love Field in 1971.
In the late 1980s, Houston City Council considered a plan to rename the airport after Mickey Leland—an African-American U.S. Congressman who died in an aviation accident in Ethiopia. Instead of renaming the whole airport, the city named Mickey Leland International Arrivals Building, which would later become Mickey Leland Terminal D, after the congressman. In April 1997, Houston City Council unanimously voted to rename the airport George Bush Intercontinental Airport/Houston, after George H. W. Bush, the 41st President of the United States. The name change took effect on May 2, 1997.
On August 28, 1990, Continental Airlines agreed to build its maintenance center at George Bush Intercontinental Airport; Continental agreed to do so because the city of Houston agreed to provide city-owned land near the airport.
As of 2007, Terminals A and B remain from the airport's original design. Lewis W. Cutrer Terminal C opened in 1981, the Mickey Leland International Arrivals Building (now called Terminal D) opened in May 1990, and the new Terminal E partially opened on June 3, 2003. The rest of Terminal E opened on January 7, 2004. Terminal D is the arrival point for all international flights except for United flights, which use Terminal E. Flights from Canada on Air Canada and WestJet arrive in terminal A. Terminal D also held customs and INS until the opening of the new Federal Inspection Service (FIS) building, completed on January 25, 2005.
At the time of the opening of IAH in 1969, domestic scheduled passenger airline flights were being operated by American Airlines, Braniff International Airways, Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Eastern Air Lines, National Airlines and Houston-based Texas International Airlines, which had formerly operated as Trans-Texas Airways. International flights at this time were being flown by Pan American World Airways with ten nonstop flights a week operated with Boeing 707 jetliners to Mexico City; KLM Royal Dutch Airlines operating Douglas DC-8 jets four days a week to Amsterdam via an intermediate stop in Montreal; Braniff International with Boeing 727 services several times a week to Panama City, Panama; and Aeronaves de Mexico (now Aeroméxico) flying Douglas DC-9 jets to Monterrey, Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta, Acapulco and Mexico City several days a week. Texas International was also operating direct services to Mexico at this time with Douglas DC-9 jets to Monterrey and Convair 600 turboprop flights to Tampico and Veracruz. KLM introduced Boeing 747 services in 1971 and by 1974 Air France was operating four nonstop Boeing 747 flights a week to both Paris and Mexico City. Also in 1974, Continental, Pan Am, and National were operating McDonnell Douglas DC-10 wide body jetliners into IAH while Delta was flying Lockheed L-1011 TriStar wide body jets with both types being operated on respective domestic routes from the airport by these airlines; with National also operating Boeing 747s on a Miami–Houston–Los Angeles routing.
By the late 1970s, Cayman Airways had begun nonstop flights between Grand Cayman in the Caribbean and Intercontinental with BAC One-Eleven jets. Cayman Airways served the airport for many years, operating a variety of aircraft including Boeing 727-200, Boeing 737-200, Boeing 737-300, Boeing 737-400 and Douglas DC-8 jetliners into IAH in addition to the BAC One-Eleven. In 1977, British Caledonian, commenced non-stop flights between London's Gatwick Airport and Houston with Boeing 707 service, and later with DC-10 and Boeing 747-200 service. British Airways continued operating the route, when in December 1987, BA took over B-Cal increasing its frequency on the route to double-daily.
By July 1983, the number of domestic and international air carriers serving Intercontinental had grown substantially. American, Continental, Delta and Eastern had been joined by Piedmont Airlines, Southwest Airlines, TWA, United Airlines, USAir and Western Airlines. Western was operating daily McDonnell Douglas DC-10 wide body jet services nonstop to Salt Lake City at this time, with this flight also offering one-stop services to Anchorage, Alaska. International services were being operated by Air Canada, Aviateca, British Caledonian Airways, Continental Airlines, Eastern Air Lines, SAHSA, South African Airways, TACA, TWA and Viasa in addition to Pan Am, KLM, Air France, Aeroméxico and Cayman Airways. Several commuter and regional airlines were also operating passenger services at this time from IAH including Emerald Air (operating as Pan Am Express), Metro Airlines, Rio Airways and Royale Airlines. Metro Airlines was operating "cross-town" shuttle services with de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter turboprops with up to seventeen round trip flights a day between IAH and the Clear Lake City STOLport located near the NASA Johnson Space Center and also up to nine round trip flights a day between the airport and Sugar Land Regional Airport as well as other flights to regional destinations in Texas and Louisiana. In addition, at this same time the airport had scheduled helicopter airline services operated by Executive Helicopters with Bell 206L LongRanger helicopters to four Houston-area heliports with up to 36 round trip flights a day.
As Houston was not an approved gateway for USA–London Heathrow flights under the Bermuda II Agreement, Continental Airlines and British Airways flew their London services to Gatwick Airport. British Airways, keen to allow its passengers access to connections at its larger Heathrow Airport hub, subsequently flew various routings from Houston to Heathrow, via a gateway approved technical stop, allowing its Houston originating flights to land at Heathrow. While keeping a daily Houston–Gatwick flight, British Airways operated a flight from Houston to Heathrow via Washington-Dulles, with the technical stop being later changed to Chicago-O'Hare and finally to Detroit. In March 2008, the Bermuda II agreement was replaced with the EU–US Open Skies Agreement, allowing Continental Airlines and British Airways to switch its London services from Houston to Heathrow Airport that summer. Currently, BA operates double-daily flights to London's Heathrow Airport with Boeing 777 and Boeing 787 service.
Other airlines that served Houston Intercontinental were Aviacsa, America West Airlines, Atlantic Southeast Airlines, Canadian Airlines, China Airlines, Comair, Grand Airways, Gulf Air, Korean Air, Martinair, Northwest Airlines, Pakistan International Airlines, PrivatAir (operating on behalf of KLM) and later SAS, Royal Jordanian (then called ALIA), SeaPort Airlines, South African Airways, UltrAir and World Airways.
On January 7, 2009, a Continental Airlines Boeing 737-800 departing Bush Intercontinental was the first U.S. commercial jet to fly on a mix of conventional jet fuel and biofuel.
In December 2009, the Houston City Council approved a plan to allow Midway Cos. to develop 10 acres (4.0 ha) of land owned by Houston Airport System (HAS) on the grounds of Bush Airport. Midway planned to develop a travel center for the airport's rental car facility. The city dictated the developer needed to place a convenience store and gas station facility, a flight information board, a fast casual restaurant, and a sit-down restaurant in the development. Beyond the required buildings, the developer planned to add an office facility of between 20,000 and 40,000 square feet (1,900 and 3,700 m2) and additional retail space.
In 2011, Continental Airlines began Boeing 777-200ER services to Lagos, Nigeria; this was the airport's first nonstop flight to the African continent. In May 2016, United ended the Houston–Lagos service citing the inability to repatriate revenue sold locally in Nigerian currency. South African Airways previously operated nonstop Boeing 747SP services in 1983 between Houston and Amilcar Cabral International Airport in the Cape Verde islands off the coast of Africa as a refueling stop for its flights between Houston and Johannesburg, South Africa. Continental was also planning to commence nonstop Boeing 787 services to Auckland in New Zealand but these plans were canceled as a reaction to new international flights at Hobby Airport announced by Southwest Airlines. United — which acquired Continental and had fully integrated it into the United brand by early 2012 — had postponed the introduction of this service owing to delays associated with the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Its 787s were put to use on other international routes, however, including Houston–London and United's then-new Houston–Lagos nonstop flights. The Houston–Auckland nonstop route was then begun by Air New Zealand using a Boeing 777-200ER. In 2014, United added a second daily flight to Tokyo and new routes to Munich, Germany; Santiago, Chile; and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, and it restarted the Aruba route, which had been canceled in 2012.
In August 2012, Lufthansa switched its daily Houston–Frankfurt route to an Airbus A380 from a Boeing 747-400, making Houston the first airport in Texas to receive A380 service. In addition, Lufthansa has also operated the Boeing 747-8 on the route. Dubai-based carrier Emirates has also operated the A380 on the Dubai-Houston route.
In 2014, Taiwan-based carrier EVA Air announced it would launch nonstop flights from Houston to Taipei on June 19, 2015. This began with three flights a week on the 777-300ER. The frequency was increased to four times a week starting July 1, 2015, and to six times a week starting March 28, 2016. EVA Air has made these flights daily since the end of 2016. This marks the first time nonstop flights are being operated between Taipei and any airport in Texas.
IAH became the first airport in North America to have nonstop flights to every inhabited continent in 2017, with the addition of Air New Zealand, but lost this claim when Atlas Air ended its nonstop flight to Luanda. The airport regained this status in December 2019 when Ethiopian Airlines launched service to Lomé in Togo and Addis Ababa in Ethiopia.
On September 7, 2017, United announced the launch of flights from Houston to Sydney, using a 787-9. The Houston–Sydney service, at 8,596 miles (13,834 km), is currently United's longest nonstop route. Additionally, it surpassed Emirates' Dubai route as the longest flight at IAH.
In January 2019, Ethiopian Airlines became the latest international carrier to announce new service, three-times weekly, to Addis Ababa. The route will be Addis Ababa–Lome–Houston, and the airline is replacing its Los Angeles gateway for Houston. The route will be serviced using the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and will be the city's only gateway to Africa after service to Lagos, Nigeria, was canceled by United Airlines. Service was supposed to begin in June 2019, but was delayed until December 2019. Service began on December 16, 2019.
In October 2020, Southwest Airlines announced it would return to Bush airport for the first time since it stopped serving the airport in 2005. Service began in April 2021 with five nonstop destinations, augmenting the several dozen destinations it serves from Hobby airport.
On February 28, 2022, Caribbean Airlines announced a new international route to IAH. A seasonal flight from Georgetown, Guyana to Houston would be operated by their new Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.
On July 20, 2022, Spirit Airlines crew base plans were cleared. It was also announced that Spirit will bring 500 new jobs to the Houston Area. They added Bush airport as their tenth crew base and Focus city.
George Bush Intercontinental Airport is currently undergoing a $1.3 billion capital improvement program called the IAH Terminal Redevelopment Program (ITRP). The flagship project of this program is the construction of the Mickey Leland International Terminal (MLIT), which will consolidate what is today Terminal D and Terminal E into one centralized terminal including a shared ticketing, departure, and arrival hall. Terminal D will be extensively refurbished with a new concourse, Pier D West, being constructed. The ITRP should be complete by late 2024 or early 2025. Future expansion plans call for a Central D and East D pier to be built as passenger numbers grow, with the full project being capable of handling 33 million enplaned international passengers annually.
George Bush Intercontinental Airport has five terminals and 161 total gates, 131 with jet bridges and 30 hardstands. The Skyway automated people mover system provides airside connections between all five terminals. The Subway provides landside connections between the five terminals and the airport hotel. Terminals D & E have access to an international arrivals facility, and Terminal D has gates to support super jumbo jets including the Airbus A380 and Boeing 747-8.
From Downtown Houston one can travel to George Bush Intercontinental by taking Interstate 69/U.S. Route 59 (Eastex Freeway) to Beltway 8 or to Will Clayton Parkway, and access the airport from either road. From Downtown one could also take Interstate 45 (North Freeway), connect to Beltway 8, and enter the airport from the Beltway. The Hardy Toll Road has an exit from the north or south to the airport.
The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, Texas, or METRO, offers bus services available at the south side of Terminal C. The 102 Bush IAH Express serves the airport. Previously, METRO also operated an express bus service known as Airport Direct, launched in the summer of 2008, which traveled from Downtown Houston to Terminal C via the HOV lane of the Eastex Freeway (I-69)/(US 59). In 2010, in an effort to increase ridership and maximize revenue, METRO reduced the fare of Airport Direct and closed a dedicated passenger plaza for the service in Downtown Houston; instead, the bus stopped at several downtown hotels. The fare each way was reduced from $15 to $4.50. The fare change increased ridership levels but reduced cash flow. METRO consistently provided the service at an operational loss. However, in the summer of 2011, METRO announced it was discontinuing the Airport Direct service, while the Route 102 local service (which serves the greater Greenspoint business and residential district before traveling on I-45 to access downtown) continued to operate.
As of 2016 the Taiwanese airline EVA Air operates a shuttle bus service from Bush IAH to Richardson in the Dallas-Fort Worth area so DFW based customers may fly on its services to and from Houston. Previously China Airlines, also a Taiwanese carrier, provided a shuttle bus service to Sugar Land and the Southwest Houston Chinatown. It ended in 2008 when China Airlines ended its Houston passenger service.
Carriers provide scheduled bus and shuttle services to locations from IAH to NRG Park/NRG Astrodome, Downtown Houston, Uptown, Greenway Plaza, the Texas Medical Center, hotels in the Westchase and Energy Corridor business districts, the city of College Station and William P. Hobby Airport. Super Shuttle uses shared vans to provide services from George Bush Intercontinental Airport to the surrounding communities.
Ed Carpenter's "Light Wings", a multicolored glass sculpture suspended below a skylight, adorns the Terminal A North Concourse. In Terminal A, South Concourse stands Terry Allen's "Countree Music." Allen's piece is a cast bronze tree that plays instrumental music by Joe Ely and David Byrne, though the music is normally turned off. The corridor leading to Terminal A displays Leamon Green's "Passing Through," a 200-foot (61 m) etched glass wall depicting airport travelers.
The elevators in Terminal B are cased in stainless steel accordion shaped structures designed by Rachel Hecker. The corridor leading to Terminal B has Dixie Friend Gay's "Houston Bayou." This work is composed of an 8 ft × 75 ft (2.4 m × 22.9 m) Byzantine glass mosaic mural depicting scenes from Houston's bayous and wetlands, several bronze animals embedded in the floor, and five mosaic columns.
"Lights Spikes," designed by Jay Baker, was created for the 1990 G7 Summit when it was hosted by President George H. W. Bush in Houston. The sculpture was relocated to the airport outside E Terminal after the meetings, from its original location in front of the George R. Brown Convention Center. The columns lean at a ten-degree angle toward a central point that represents Houston. The distance between each "spike" and this point is relative to the distance between Houston and the capitals of the countries the flags represent. The countries represented are the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Japan, Canada, Italy and Germany, as well as the European community. The airport has a display of lighted modern sculptures between terminals C and D.
Radiant Fountains, LED-illuminated towers on JFK Boulevard, is the most prominent sculpture around the airport.
The airport houses an on-site hotel, a Marriott, between Terminals B and C and is accessible via the landside inter-terminal train which runs every 3 minutes from 3:30 am to 12:30 am every day. The hotel has 573 rooms, one restaurant and bar, a concierge lounge, a coffee shop, health club, sundry shop and a conference center.
A VOR station, identified as IAH, is located on the airport property, south of runway 33L.
IAH is a hub airport for United Airlines and is a focus city for Spirit Airlines.
Airport: George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) Terminals: 5 terminals — A, B, C, D, and E Airport Address: 2800 N. Terminal Rd., Houston, TX 77032 Distance From Downtown Houston: Approximately 23 miles (37 km) Website: fly2houston.com Phone Number: 281-230-3100 Destinations Served: 118 domestic, 69 international Flight Information: IAH departures and arrival information can be viewed online
IAH consists of 5 terminals (A, B, C, D, and E) that are all connected by the Skyway and subway train services. Terminal A is separate from the other terminals with no access via walkways; Terminals B to E are all connected via walkways inside the secure area.
Access to the airport is through roadway systems on the east or south ends of the airport looping all terminals and parking facilities. A Marriott hotel is situated in the central area of the airport (outside of the secure area).
Terminals A, B, and C primarily operate domestic flights, but Spirit Airlines has international departures from Terminal A. Terminals D and E operate domestic and international flights.
For all terminals apart from D, arrivals are on level 1, and departures are on level 2. Terminal D utilizes Terminal E’s arrival hall.
Terminal A has 2 departure concourses at the north and south ends. The north concourse serves 18 gates numbered A1, A2, and A3A to A3H, and the south concourse serves 11 gates numbered A17 to A20 and A24 to A30.
There are security checkpoints at the north and south ends of the terminal leading into the departure concourses. The north concourse has a United Club and the south concourse has an Admirals Club.
To connect to another terminal inside the secure area, passengers can take the escalator to level 3 to ride the Skyway. If exiting the secure area, then passengers can ride the subway on level LL.
Arrivals is on level 1 of Terminal A with baggage claim and access to ground transportation and parking.
Terminal B also has north and south departure concourses with 1 security checkpoint to access the secure area. The south concourse has 30 gates numbered B1 to B12 and B14 to B31.
The north concourse has 9 gates numbered B76/A, B77/A, B79/A, B80, B81/A, B83/A, B85A/B, B87, and B88.
To connect to another terminal inside the secure area, passengers can take the escalator to level 3 to ride the Skyway or walk to Terminal C from near gate B85. If exiting the secure area, passengers can ride the subway on level LL.
Arrivals is on level 1 of Terminal B with baggage claim and access to ground transportation and parking.
Terminal C has a security checkpoint that provides access to the secure area and the north and south concourses. The north concourse serves 14 gates numbered C1 to C12, C14, and C15, and the south concourse serves 16 gates numbered C29 to C37 and C39 to C45.
There’s a United Club lounge in both the north and south concourses along with a good range of shops and restaurants.
To connect to another terminal inside the secure area, passengers can take the escalator to level 3 to ride the Skyway or walk to Terminals B, D, or E via the airside walkways. If exiting the secure area, passengers can ride the subway on level LL.
Arrivals is on level 1 of Terminal C with baggage claim and access to ground transportation and parking.
Terminal D is the main international terminal serving flights all over the world with airlines such as Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa, and Qatar Airways.
Level 1 is the ticketing level that has 1 security checkpoint leading through to escalators up to the departures level.
Terminal D’s departure area is on level 2 with 12 gates numbered D1 to D12. On this level, there is the British Airways Lounge, Air France Lounge, KLM Crown Lounge, Executive Club, and USO Lounge.
There is a small selection of shops and restaurants in Terminal D, including duty-free shopping.
Terminal D shares its arrival level with Terminal E for baggage claim and ground transportation.
Passengers arriving on international flights must clear Immigration and Customs and will end up outside of the secure area in Terminal D/E arrivals. To connect to another terminal, you can ride the subway train on level LL.
Terminal E is operated exclusively by United Airlines for domestic and international flights. Ticketing/check-in is on level 1 along with a security checkpoint leading through to the departure areas.
In the departure concourse, there are 23 gates numbered E1 to E12 and E14 to E24.
There is a United Club and United Polaris Lounge in the center of the concourse along with a range of restaurants and shops (including Duty-Free).
Update: Due to the construction of a new international terminal, passengers departing from Terminal E must now check-in and use the TSA security checkpoints at Terminals B, C, or D. United passengers will be provided with their specific terminal check-in location.
Arrivals is on level 1 and is used for Terminal D and E arrivals. For international flights, Immigration and Customs is on this level leading through to the central arrivals area for onward ground transportation.
IAH is one of the few U.S. airports that has a passenger train inside and outside of the secure area, making terminal connections quick and easy.
Once inside the secure area, passengers can walk between the 2 concourses at Terminal A without having to re-clear security. For any further connections from Terminal A, passengers must ride the Skyway train.
Once inside the secure area of Terminals B, C, D, or E, passengers can walk between these terminals without having to re-clear security. Passengers looking to connect outside the secure area of these terminals must ride the subway train.
The Skyway is an above-ground train that runs between all terminals inside the secure area. Trains depart every 2 minutes with a total journey time of 4 minutes 15 seconds from Terminal A to Terminal D/E station.
The subway is a below-ground train that runs the length of the airport outside of the secure area. Stations are positioned in every terminal, as well as at the Marriott hotel. Trains operate every 3 minutes from 3:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m.
IAH has the following security checkpoints:
If arriving on an international flight, passengers or friends and family waiting for passenger collection can view the international IAH Immigration and Customs processing times on the airport website.
IAH has dedicated TSA PreCheck lanes at the below checkpoints with these hours of operation:
IAH has a TSA PreCheck Enrollment Center located in the baggage claim of Terminal C operating from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday.
Hot Tip: TSA PreCheck can be especially helpful if you regularly fly out of IAH as it ranks in the 5 U.S. airports with the worst average security wait times.
IAH has Global Entry kiosks for preapproved, low-risk travelers arriving in the U.S. All applicants are required to attend an interview that they can arrange at 1 of 2 Enrollment Centers at IAH:
IAH also participates in Enrollment on Arrival, so conditionally approved passengers may fulfill the interview portion of their application on arrival at IAH with a CBP agent.
Hot Tip: For more information, check out these frequently asked questions about Global Entry along with our helpful advice.
Passengers can use Mobile Passport Control when arriving at IAH from an international flight.
Just download the free app, answer the questions about your trip, and present your electronic receipt to a CBP agent.
There are dedicated CLEAR security program lanes at IAH available for eligible passengers. These are located at:
IAH has 14 lounges, with 7 of those lounges available for passengers to purchase day passes. The remaining lounges are for eligible passengers or credit cardholders, excluding the USO Lounge which is reserved exclusively for active military. If you’re active military, see our post on the best credit cards for military members as many issuers waive annual fees and you can use lounge access benefits offered by those cards.
* Hours are subject to change without notice. Lounge access may be restricted at times due to capacity. ** Day Pass for any passenger. Lounges marked as N/A only allow entry for eligible passengers in their premium cabins, frequent flyer programs, or participating credit card programs.
Hot Tip: Want access to lounges without paying the day-pass fee? Here are the best credit cards for complimentary lounge access to avoid entry fees to airport lounges.
Subject to availability, Priority Pass holders can access the following lounges in Terminal D:
Eligible Priority Pass holders can use their membership to receive a discount/credit at:
Find out more about Priority Pass memberships as well as the best cards for Priority Pass access.
There are over 100 restaurants, cafes, and food stations at IAH. Most are located inside the secure area, with only 3 options pre-security in Terminals A, B, and in the Marriott.
Plan ahead and view the range of IAH restaurants available on the airport website.
Free Wi-Fi is available in each terminal and the parking garages. To connect, select “Free Airport WIFI” from the available connections, agree to the terms and conditions, and click “Connect.”
For any technical issues, you can contact the Wi-Fi help desk at 844-310-990.
Charging Stations: Charging stations are available in each terminal with the option of rapid charging for a small fee.
Hot Tip: To ensure you’re connected at all times, check out the best mobile Wi-Fi hotspots.
IAH advises passengers to contact the following departments, depending on where an item was lost:
IAH has 4 information booths located in the baggage claim of Terminal A and C, in the D/E international arrivals hall, and just past the security checkpoint in Terminal E. These are open daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Airport volunteers can be found throughout the airport and are identifiable by their bright red tops.
Interactive information kiosks are also positioned throughout the airport.
There are no children’s play areas at IAH. Keep the kids entertained with regular live music held in Terminals A or D, ride the Skytrain, or visit one of the airport’s art exhibits.
Given that there isn’t a dedicated children’s play area, IAH doesn’t rank as one of the top kid-friendly U.S. airports.
IAH has private nursing rooms throughout the airport, located at:
A nursery with a crib and rocking chair is available in Terminal D opposite gates D8 and D9.
Unisex family restrooms are available at:
While IAH didn’t make it into our top pet-friendly U.S. airports, IAH does offer pet relief areas that can be found at the following locations:
IAH has several duty-free shops, located in Terminals A, B, D, and E.
Designated smoking areas are located outside of the airport and must be at least 25 feet from the exits:
IAH has 2 interfaith chapels located in Terminal C near gates C29 to C33 and Terminal D near gate D8. Both are open 24/7.
ATMs can be found at:
Currency exchange centers can be found at:
There are no luggage storage facilities at IAH.
General Inquiries: 281-230-3100
Lost and Found: 281-230-3299
Parking: 281-233-1730
METRO bus 102 runs from IAH through to the downtown Houston METRO station with the journey taking 50 to 90 minutes. Buses pick up and drop off from the south side of Terminal C on the baggage claim level. The fee for 1 ride is $1.25.
The airport recommends a couple of shuttle providers. Shuttles depart from the south side of Terminal C, near door C-105.
Hotel shuttles pick up and drop off at Terminal A, B, and C south side and Terminal E west side.
Taxis are available from outside baggage claim at Terminals A, B, C, and E. For all destinations within the Houston city limits, the flat zone rate or meter rate is charged (whichever is cheaper). Approximate rates are:
Alto, GetMe, GreenLight, Lyft, Uber, and Wingz are all approved ride apps that operate at IAH. Drop off for all terminals is on the departure level, and pick up is permitted at:
Take I-69 North and use the right 2 lanes to take the Beltway W./Sam Houston Parkway exit. Merge onto Beltway W./N. Sam Houston Parkway and then take the exit towards JFK Boulevard for access to the airport.
Take US-290 East (toll road), then use the right lane to merge onto TX-36 S/US-290 east via the slip road to Houston/Bellville. Use the right 2 lanes to merge onto Sam Houston Tollway North (toll road) and then take the exit towards Bush Intercontinental Airport.
Terminal parking is available at Terminals A, B, and C, while the Terminal D/E garage is permanently closed.
Valet parking is available from the ground level of the Terminal A and B parking garages and on level 4 of the Terminal C garage.
The daily rates are $28 for the Terminal A and B parking garages and $30 for the Terminal C garage.
There are 2 ecopark parking lots at IAH that offer cheaper rates than terminal parking. These are located further away from the terminals and require passengers to ride a shuttle bus that picks up and drops off on level 1 outside of baggage claim at each terminal. Shuttles operate daily from 5:30 a.m. and 12 a.m.
Update: Due to construction, the ecopark shuttle no longer accesses Terminal E; customers must go to Terminal C or D to access an ecopark shuttle.
ecopark (JFK Boulevard)
ecopark2 (Will Clayton Parkway)
Hot Tip: You can guarantee a space in the terminal lots by pre-booking parking online. If you park regularly in the ecopark parking lots, then you can join the Parking Plus frequent parking program to earn award points toward free parking.
IAH has 2 cell phone waiting lots that family and friends can use to park for free until the passenger is ready for curbside pick up. These are located at:
Off-site lots such as hotels can offer cheaper parking than what is available at the airport.
Prices start at $5 per day when booking on airportparkingreservations.com, which is a handy site for comparing prices and distances from the airport.
Parking for passengers with disabilities is available on each level of all official airport parking lots, including ecopark and ecopark2. Wheelchair-accessible shuttle buses are also available to transport passengers to/from the non-terminal parking lots.
General parking inquiries: 281-233-1730
The rental car center is located on airport property, around 5 minutes from the terminals. Blue and white shuttle buses depart every 5 to 10 minutes from outside of Terminal A, B, C, and D arrivals, between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. If arriving at Terminals D or E after 9 p.m., passengers will need to ride the car rental shuttle from Terminal C.
Hot Tip: Want to avoid paying for expensive insurance through the rental company? Find out which credit cards include car rental insurance as a benefit.
The Houston Airport Marriott at George Bush Intercontinental is a 4-star hotel situated on airport property. There is also a range of 2- to 4-star hotels from 2.2+ miles away, with most offering an airport shuttle service.
The Sheraton North Houston at George Bush Intercontinental Airport offers guests both comfort and convenience. Guests have access to the airport shuttle, outdoor pool, and fitness center. Those guests who have Platinum Elite status or higher with the Marriott Bonvoy program will receive a complimentary hot breakfast each morning.
The Holiday Inn Houston Intercontinental offers guests access to a fitness center, basketball and tennis courts, a sand volleyball court, and an outdoor pool. The hotel is perfect for traveling families as up to 4 kids ages 11 and under eat free any time of the day in any on-site restaurant (terms and conditions apply). When it’s time to head home you can load everyone up into the free shuttle back to the airport.
Stay rejuvenated at the DoubleTree Houston Intercontinental Airport hotel with a fitness room equipped with cardio machines and weights, an outdoor pool, a hot tub, quiet gardens, and a complimentary airport shuttle. Hilton Honors Gold and Diamond members can enjoy a hot breakfast each morning of their stay.
Hot Tip: If you’re looking to top off your points to stay at any of these options, see our guides on the best ways to earn more Hilton Honors, Marriott Bonvoy, or IHG One Rewards points.
George Bush Intercontinental Airport is the busiest airport in Houston and the second largest in Texas after Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW).
It’s a well-laid-out airport, with easy connections between terminals due to the Skyway and subway trains that run inside and outside of the secure area. Passengers also have the option of walking between most terminals inside the secure area if connecting from a domestic flight.
The airport began construction in Terminal E in August 2021 as part of the IAH Terminal Redevelopment Program. At its completion, the new international terminal will have a modernized ticketing and arrivals hall and additional international gates.
