Houston Airports is urging all passengers flying out of George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) on Friday, December 20, to plan ahead. All travelers flying out of IAH—even those on domestic flights and those being dropped off—should arrive at least three hours before their scheduled departure.

Why arrive 3 hours early?

More than 207,000 travelers are expected to depart IAH today, the single busiest day of the record December holiday travel season. Peak departure demand, combined with peak arrival demand, is creating a heavy volume of passengers between 4 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.

Arriving three hours before departure ensures that each passenger has enough time to reach the airport, check in, clear TSA security and reach their gate.

What is Bush Airport doing?

Bush Airport is prepared with fully staffed terminals. Law enforcement officers and customer service representatives are strategically placed to manage traffic. All available TSA lanes will be operational. The new International Arrivals Curb is open.  However, the volume of Houstonians departing tomorrow evening is very high.

Houston Airports is ready to welcome passengers who arrive early. Passengers can enjoy a touch of holiday spirit as a local high school choir performs Friday afternoon. Passengers can also enjoy the World’s Best Airport Art program and the airport dining experience—which ranks among the Top 10 best in the world. Passengers can also experience the new IAH Terminal D-West Pier, which features a child’s play area and a new sensory room near Gate D4. 

Know before you go:

• Arrive three hours early: Prepare for heavy volumes at parking, check-in and security screening. Ensure carry-on items comply with TSA protocols.
• Reserve parking in advance: Guarantee your spot by reserving parking at fly2houston.com/parking. Reservations made 12 hours ahead can save time and money.
• Keep traffic moving: If you're dropping off a passenger, follow the “active loading” policy—pull up, unload and move along.
• Monitor TSA wait times: All five terminals are connected via the Skyway train or Subway. The free Houston Airports mobile app allows you to monitor live TSA wait times. If one checkpoint is busier, consider being screened at another terminal.

This December, airports across the U.S., including those in Dallas, Orlando, Miami, San Francisco, Atlanta and Washington D.C, are also urging passengers to arrive 2.5 to 3 hours early due to record holiday travel demand.