Houston · United States
IAH — George Bush Intercontinental
Five terminals, two internal trains, and no train into the city
Bush Intercontinental is Houston's long-haul gateway and a major connecting hub for Latin America. Five terminals sit around the airfield, connected airside by one train and landside by another, which sounds confusing and mostly is not once you know which one you need.
The weakness is ground transport. There is no rail link into Houston, the airport sits well north of downtown, and traffic on the run in is unpredictable. Whatever your plan, allow more time than the distance suggests.
Terminals and how they connect
Terminals A, B and C
Predominantly domestic operations, with Terminal C serving as a main hub concourse for the largest operator.
Terminal D
The principal international terminal, handling most foreign carrier arrivals and departures.
Terminal E
Mixed domestic and international, including much of the hub carrier's own international flying.
Getting between them
The Skyway runs airside and connects the terminals without leaving security — this is the one to use when connecting. The Subway runs landside and is for passengers who have already exited.
Getting into Houston
Times below are realistic ranges rather than best cases. Rail journeys keep to a timetable; road journeys do not, and treating the two the same is how people miss flights.
Taxi or rideshare
35 to 75 minutes to downtown
The default option, and the range is wide because Houston's freeways are genuinely unpredictable. Off-peak it is quick; at rush hour it is not.
METRO bus route 102
About 60 to 90 minutes to downtown
Cheap and it exists, which is the main thing to say for it. Slow and infrequent compared with the rail links other US hubs have, but a genuine option on a budget.
Connecting through IAH
Use the Skyway rather than the Subway if you are connecting: the first runs airside and the second does not, and confusing them means clearing security again. International arrivals must clear immigration and customs, collect bags and re-enter security, which at Terminal D during the afternoon arrival bank takes real time. Allow generously on any itinerary that arrives internationally and connects onward.
Worth knowing before you fly
Skyway is airside, Subway is landside
The names give no clue. Taking the wrong one when connecting means exiting security and queuing again, which is the single most common mistake here.
There is no train into Houston
Unlike Atlanta, Chicago or Washington, Bush has no rail connection to the city. Budget for a road journey and for the possibility that it takes twice as long as the map suggests.
Houston has a second airport
Hobby, on the south side, is closer to downtown and serves mostly domestic and some Latin American routes. If you are comparing fares between them, the ground transport difference is significant.
Terminal assignments, transit timetables and fares all change. Confirm the details that matter to your trip with the airport or transport operator before you travel.
Routes through IAH
Flying from Houston
- Houston to London
- Houston to Paris
- Houston to Frankfurt
- Houston to Amsterdam
- Houston to Dubai
- Houston to Cancún
- Houston to Mexico City
- Houston to Guadalajara
- Houston to Monterrey
- Houston to León
- Houston to Puerto Vallarta
- Houston to Los Cabos
- Houston to Mérida
- Houston to San Salvador
- Houston to Guatemala City
- Houston to Panama City
- Houston to San Juan
- Houston to Bogotá
- Houston to Lima
FAQ
IAH — common questions
Terminals, transfers and getting into the city.
How do I get from Houston Bush airport to downtown?
There is no rail link, so it is a road journey of roughly thirty-five to seventy-five minutes depending entirely on traffic. Taxi and rideshare are the practical options. METRO bus route 102 is much cheaper and takes an hour or more, running less frequently than a city rail link would.
What is the difference between the Skyway and the Subway at IAH?
The Skyway is the airside train, connecting terminals without leaving security, and it is the one to use when connecting between flights. The Subway is the landside train, for passengers who have already cleared security or collected bags. Taking the wrong one during a connection means clearing security a second time.
Should I fly into Bush or Hobby?
Bush Intercontinental handles the long-haul international traffic and most connecting itineraries. Hobby is closer to downtown and serves mostly domestic and some Latin American routes. Since neither has a rail link, the ground transport difference comes down to distance, and Hobby's position south of the city is an advantage if that is where you are heading.
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