With an estimated uptick in air travel to begin Thursday before Labor Day and continue through Tuesday, Houston Airports is preparing travelers for the best airport experience this holiday weekend.
HOUSTON- More travelers are expected to pass through Houston Airports during Labor Day weekend in 2022 than they did during the same holiday weekend in 2021. It’s a sign that air travel continues to rebound from the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Houston Airports projects more than 777,000 passengers will fly through George Bush Intercontinental Airport, IAH, and William P. Hobby Airport, HOU, during the 5-day period between Thursday, Sept. 1 and Monday, Sept. 5.
That’s a projected increase of 6%, or more than 43,000 travelers, from the same 5 days surrounding the Labor Day holiday in 2021. HOU is ready to welcome nearly 200,000 people during the holiday travel period, while IAH is anticipating more than 580,000 people to move through its terminals.
Passenger traffic numbers are still below pre-pandemic levels, though not by much. Projections for 2022 show only a 2% difference, less than 16,000 travelers, for the same period in 2019.
Because of the anticipated uptick in air travel, passengers are encouraged to carefully plan their trip to the airport, especially IAH, largely because of ongoing construction.
NEW CONCESSIONS | Three new concession options are elevating the IAH guest experience in Terminal A. Travelers can satisfy their sweet tooth at Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. After polishing off a cupcake purchased through a Sprinkles ATM, passengers can touch-up their lipstick with the help of products sold through a Kylie Cosmetics vending machine.
CONSTRUCTION | Construction at IAH will allow for the development of a new world-class international terminal. As the projects move forward on time and within budget, construction may impact traffic, mainly during morning and afternoon peak travel times. Friday is forecasted to be the single busiest travel day this extended holiday weekend. As we work to minimize the impact on the traveling public, we ask passengers and their families to follow these important recommendations to ease traffic delays, reduce roadway congestion and enhance the passenger airport experience.
Arriving at the Airport – Parking and Drop-off
- If you are traveling during peak travel times, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., please build in an extra hour to your arrival time so you can comfortably get to your gate on time.
- Plan ahead and reserve parking online, It’s the easiest way to guarantee a parking spot at the Terminal garages or ecopark locations. You can pre-book, adjust and make valet reservations visit www.fly2houston.com/parking
- Anticipate high parking volumes at the Terminal garages. Please allow yourself extra time to find a parking space, and if necessary navigate to another parking location if your first parking choice is full.
Picking up Passengers at the curb
- People picking up passengers curbside should wait at a cell phone lot until the arriving passenger has cleared baggage claim and they are ready at the curb. Learn more about cellphone lots at Bush Airport here.
- Follow roadway signage that alerts to detours and options for motorists and passengers.
- All five terminals are connected through our subway and Skyway systems. Passengers can move around the terminals to avoid curbside congestion.