HOUSTON — Are you preparing to travel for the holidays? If so, you're among the millions of Texans expected to hit the road and the skies.
If you're heading to the airport, prepare for long lines. Parking lots fill up fast, so make sure to make a reservation at least six hours before your flight.
And you'll want to arrive early, as there's ongoing construction at the airports.
Houston airports prepare for largest holiday crowd since 2019
Houston’s airports are getting ready for their largest winter holiday crowd since 2019. Both are expected to see a big holiday rush.
Between Bush and Hobby airports, nearly 4 million passengers are traveling, which is said to be a 16% increase from 2022.
The 21-day window for holiday travel opened Friday, Dec. 15. Another busy travel day in Houston is Sunday, Dec. 17, with more than 201,000 passengers expected.
Then Monday, Dec. 18, is the third busiest travel day in Houston after Friday, with more than 200,000 people planned to hit the skies.
Now, if you want to beat the crowds, experts suggest booking last-minute flights primarily on Christmas Day or Dec. 30.
On Christmas Day, only 159,000 passengers are set to travel and on Dec. 30, only 154,000 people will fly in and out of both airports.
Another interesting fact is one million passengers will board flights before Harris County school districts or Houston ISD wrap up their fall semesters.
What you need to know
Whether you're driving or flying in or out of Texas, you should stay up to date with travel conditions. KHOU 11 is tracking the weather, road traffic and flight updates.
Stay up to date with KHOU 11's local 10-day forecast and state-wide weather radar.
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Tips and tricks for airport travel
Here are a few tips and tricks to keep you from turning into a Grinch while traveling this holiday season.
- Remember the TSA rules for flying, including what food you can bring on the plane and whether you should bring wrapped gifts
- Try to book a morning flight since they are typically less likely to get delayed
- Always prepare for the worst and have a plan B and C to avoid getting stuck at the airport days before Christmas
- If you can, don't check a bag to help avoid long lines and lost luggage
- Don’t forget to be nice and patient to airport workers and other travelers who are dealing with the same stress as you.
Check the status of your flights
- Bush IAH: Arrivals | Departures
- Hobby airport: Arrivals | Departures