George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) sits about 20 miles north of downtown Houston and is the larger of the city’s two airports. It’s a major hub for United Airlines, while its counterpart, William P. Hobby Airport (HOU), sits to the south and is mainly Southwest Airlines territory.
The five IAH terminal buildings stretch across more than a mile, so this is definitely one airport where you really want to know what terminal you’re flying into and out of, especially if you’re arriving from an international flight, traveling with a good amount of luggage or have family members with you. Read on for my expert tips on flying through George Bush Intercontinental Airport.
IAH layout
Navigating IAH means understanding its unusual layout: five separate terminal buildings stretch in a long line across more than a mile. From east to west they’re simply labeled Terminal A through Terminal E, and they’re connected by a pre-security subway train and a post-security elevated Skyway. Terminals C, D and E are also linked by walkway connectors, but you’ll need to use either the subway train or the skyway to travel to or between Terminals A or B.
It might sound counterintuitive, but IAH is actually easy to navigate if you’re not flying the hometown airline. While many airlines operate from specific terminals, United and its partners have gates throughout the airport.
The on-site Marriott hotel is connected to the terminals via the subway, but you’ll pay a premium for the convenience. A wide variety of other airport hotels are clustered nearby, many with shuttle service, and even if you take a rideshare for speed, you’ll likely end up saving money.
Getting to and from IAH by public transportation
Public transportation to IAH is limited but inexpensive: METRO bus 102 takes between 53 and 72 minutes depending on traffic and stops at only a few downtown locations. Houston is a city that primarily travels by car and the airport operates accordingly, so if you’re traveling elsewhere, you’ll need to look at shuttle buses that serve regional cities and cruise line passengers. Hotel shuttle buses pick up and drop off at specific doors outside Terminals A, B and C, and from Terminals D and E you’ll want to proceed to Terminal C South Side, Door C-105 for pickup.
I always make sure to check the details with my specific hotel before booking and keep a note in my calendar for my arrival.
Rental cars are consolidated at the offsite IAH Rental Car Center. Shuttles run approximately every five minutes throughout the day with a ride time of about five minutes. Note that not all terminals are served all the time, so check the rental car shuttle page for the airport for details.
Getting to and from Houston Airport by car
Getting picked up at IAH depends on your transportation choice. Personal pickups have specific spots for each terminal and multiple cell-phone waiting lots, and prebooked limousines wait in designated areas where some drivers can meet you at arrivals. One important note if you’re arriving internationally: Terminal D passengers actually emerge from the Terminal E arrivals hall, so make sure anyone picking you up knows this.
Metered taxis operate from Terminals A, B, C and E with a $2.75 airport surcharge and an extra $1.00 between 8:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. Look for the transportation agent or use the courtesy phone if they’re not there when you arrive.
Rideshare apps like Uber and Lyft are my usual go-to, but here’s the catch: all pickups for Terminals C, D and E now happen at Terminal C. If you arrive at Terminals D or E, you’ll need to head over to Terminal C by train. Pickup points are at Door A-115 on the south side (Terminal A), Door B-103 on the south side (Terminal B) and Door C-106 at arrivals (Terminal C, serving C, D and E).
Arriving at Houston Airport
Your arrival experience at IAH depends entirely on whether you’re flying domestically or internationally. Domestic arrivals are straightforward: you’ll enter your terminal, head through baggage claim and move on to ground transportation. International arrivals require going through US immigration first, then collecting checked bags, clearing US customs, and either heading to ground transportation or rechecking bags for an onward flight.
Here’s where it gets confusing: if you’re arriving internationally in Terminal D, you’ll actually end up in the Terminal E arrivals hall after you clear customs. And remember, the US doesn’t allow checked-through bags from international to domestic flights with very few exceptions, so you will almost surely need to collect and re-check your bags before heading to your onward gate.
Security lines and departures at Houston Airport
Each of the IAH terminals (A, B, C and D) has at least one security checkpoint, and the airport website lists current wait times. Unless the difference is more than 20 to 30 minutes I don’t bother terminal-hopping. CLEAR has lines at Terminal A (North and South), Terminal B, Terminal C South and Terminal D/E, while TSA Pre-Check is available at all checkpoints: Terminal A North and South, Terminal B, Terminal C North and South and Terminal D/E. Terminal C has both North and South checkpoints, and the South checkpoint can back up at peak times.
Security at IAH follows standard TSA rules: one quart-sized transparent resealable bag for liquids, aerosols, gels, creams and pastes, with no single item larger than 3.4 ounces. Once you’re past security you can move between terminals using the skyway, which has 4 stops: one each at Terminals A, B and C and one combined for Terminals D and E.
Lounges and free Wi-Fi at IAH
Houston Airport is home to a solid range of lounges, most operated by United. You’ll find United Clubs in Terminal A (near gate A9), Terminal B (currently temporarily closed on the South Mezzanine, with a new one opening soon), Terminal C (near gates C1 and C43) and Terminal E (near gate E11).
Of all the lounges, the only one I’d travel between terminals for is the United Polaris Lounge between gates E11 and E12. You can get in if you’re flying United Polaris Business Class on long-haul international flights or first or business class on a Star Alliance partner airline, even if that airline tries to send you elsewhere.
Terminal A also has an American Airlines Admirals Club near gates A25 and A26. Terminal D is the international hub, with an Air France lounge (gate D12), KLM Crown Lounge (gate D8) and British Airways lounge (gate D9). You’ll also find the Centurion Lounge by American Express on the mezzanine level near gate D12 and a USO lounge for military members and their families near gate D8.
Priority Pass offers access to the Air France and KLM lounges in Terminal D. It also gets you into the Minute Suites near gate C14 and provides a dining credit at Landry’s Seafood (Terminal C) and Cadillac Mexican Kitchen & Tequila Bar (Terminal A). If the United Clubs aren’t busy, you may be able to buy a one-time pass via the United mobile app.
And yes, there is free Wi-Fi across all airport terminals. Just look for the “Free Airport WIFI” network.
This KAYAK-commissioned article is presented as-is, for general informational purposes only, and may not be up-to-date. The opinions contained in the article are original to the author and reflect their authentic experience, which may vary significantly from the experience of others.
