From gift wrapping to harmonic youth choirs to serenading musicians to photo filters, Houston Airports has got all their travelers covered! Houston Airports is celebrating the holiday season and spreading cheer through various initiatives and programs – all designed with the traveler in mind. 

"The most important part of our mission at Houston Airports is to demonstrate outstanding customer service and showcase our great atmosphere,” said Liliana Rambo, Chief Terminal Management Officer. “Everyone knows that 2021 has been another challenging year, but we are grateful to be able to provide the services we do – getting people to their destinations safely and promptly, whether visiting loved ones or for business or leisure. 

“The smiles on their faces puts smiles on our faces,” she said. 

Gift Wrapping 

One of those smiling faces was Faith Croom, a recent traveler from Palm Springs, California. Croom took advantage of the Dec. 16-17 gift-wrapping service at George Bush International Airport. Houston Airports helped passengers wrap gifts, led by Alton DuLaney, Curator of Public Art and also “The World’s Most Famous Gift Wrap Artist.” Each holiday season, DuLaney brings his gift-wrapping talent to harried travelers at Bush Airport, wrapping their Christmas gifts at his table at Terminal A. 

Croom was elated. 

“It’s fun that you guys have this available for people traveling in,” she said, while visiting family in Houston and taking advantage of the service to wrap gifts for a young cousin. 

“Honestly, I like stuff like this.” Croom said. “It makes people feel happy and warm – like they’re ‘seen.’ Holidays are hard for a lot of people so stuff like this cheers people up.” 

Christmas Choirs 

Cheers also arose for Kingwood High School’s Madrigals Runout, who showcased their vocal talents for travelers stepping off planes at both Bush and Hobby on Dec. 17. The faces of passengers exiting planes lit up when they heard the coordinated vocals of the youth. 

“Our holiday entertainment program was designed to create a cheerful environment in our terminals by bringing the joy of music to our passengers and guests during the busy holiday travel period,” Rambo said. “Our passengers have told us many times that the melodic ensembles provided the perfect start to their trip. We are so happy to give travelers a great send-off to their holiday destinations.” 

Harmony in the Air 

Additional music in the ears of passengers is provided over the holidays and year-round by Harmony in the Air, the Houston Airports performing arts program. Harmony in the Air contributes to achieving a high level of customer satisfaction and positive travel experience by providing such an exceptional amenity to the passengers. The program features a diverse repertoire of classical, jazz, pop, and international music performed by over 75 Houston’s finest professional musicians. The musicians also perform in other Houston music venues, including the Houston Symphony, the Houston Grand Opera, and the Houston Ballet. Most of the musicians are educators and have mentored young musicians during their professional career. 

The program features live performances by some of Houston’s finest professional musicians at both George Bush Intercontinental Airport/Houston (IAH) at the Art Gallery Connector in Terminal A, and William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) at the Rotunda, Monday through Friday from noon to 3:00 p.m. The performances include a diverse repertoire of Classical, Jazz, Pop, and International music performed by over 75 of Houston’s finest professional musicians. 

Photo Filters  

Many modern passengers enjoy sharing in-the-moment pictures and poses before and after flights. To give them yet another “resource,” Houston Airports rolled out a set of joyful holiday filters for everyone to use and enjoy during the holidays. A lot of passengers took selfies to new heights utilizing our Instagram and Snapchat filters. Houston Airports invited the passengers to capture their travel experiences via selfies inside the airports. The filters allowed them to decorate them with merry and bright frames that proved to be very popular. 

Holiday Shopping 

Dozens of shopping options exist for the busy traveler. Houston Airports has award-winning concessions, regularly ranked among the best at any airport system in the world. Houston Airports has many fine retailers and specialty shops, giving busy travelers multiple options for last-minute gifts or a holiday treat for the family.