Houston is the most populous city in Texas, and is the major city of the Greater Houston Metropolitan area. It is famous for its world-class culture, amazing museums, musical centers, and award-winning cuisines. Houston is also known as the world capital of exploration, and the world capital of international energy.
If you are planning to travel to Houston soon, you might be searching for suitable airports. We have prepared this detailed blog covering all airports in Houston TX including the important airport information, airlines & destinations, and much more.
Explore all the airports in Houston TX
There are a total of 4 major airports in Houston TX which are George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), William P. Hobby Airport (HOU), David Wayne Hooks Airport, and Ellington Airport. There are many other general aviation airports located in Houston which are listed below.
IAH, and HOU are the major airports that offer regular commercial flights to and from Houston connecting various domestic and international destinations. Other airports are used for general aviation purposes.
George Bush Intercontinental Airport (ICAO: KIAH, IATA: IAH, FAA LID: IAH)
George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) is among the major airports in Houston TX owned by the City of Houston, and operated by the Houston Airport System. The airport sits at an elevation of 97 ft (30 m) above mean sea level (AMSL), and serves the Greater Houston Metropolitan area.
IAH is the hub for United Airlines, and a focus city for Spirit Airlines. A total of 27 airlines (including domestic carriers, and foreign airlines) operate flights to and from IAH Airport connecting domestic, and international destinations.
IAH Runway Information
George Bush Intercontinental Airport occupies a total area of 10,000 acres (4,000 hectares), and features five concrete runways. The designations of the runways are 15L/33R, 15R/33L, 9/27, 8L/26R, and 8R/26L.
| RUNWAY DESIGNATION | LENGTH | SURFACE |
| Rwy 15L/33R | 12,001 ft (3,658 m) | Concrete |
| Rwy 15R/33L | 10,000 ft (3,048 m) | Concrete |
| Rwy 9/27 | 10,000 ft (3,048 m) | Concrete |
| Rwy 8L/26R | 9,000 ft (2,743 m) | Concrete |
| Rwy 8R/26L | 9,402 ft (2,866 m) | Concrete |
IAH Terminal Facility
George Bush Airport is equipped with five passenger terminals with a total of 161 gates. The five terminals are Terminal A, Terminal B, Terminal C, Terminal D, and Terminal E. Terminal D is capable of handling jumbo jets including Airbus A380, and Boeing 747-8.
| TERMINALS | NUMBER OF GATES |
| Terminal A | 20 Gates |
| Terminal B | 40 Gates |
| Terminal C | 29 Gates |
| Terminal D | 12 Gates |
| Terminal E | 30 Gates |
Airlines and Destinations
A total of 27 airlines including domestic carriers, and foreign airlines operate flights to and from George Bush Airport.
AeroMexico, Air Canada, Air China, Air France, Air New Zealand, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, All Nippon Airways, Avianca, British Airways, Delta Air Lines, Emirates, EVA Air, Frontier Airlines, Interjet, JetBlue, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Lufthansa, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines, Turkish Airlines, United Airlines, VIVA Aerobus, Volaris, and WestJet are the airlines operating scheduled commercial flights at IAH.
Almost all domestic destinations are covered by the airlines. The international routes include Mexico City, Toronto–Pearson, Calgary, Montreal–Trudeau, Beijing, Paris–Charles de Gaulle, Auckland, Tokyo–Haneda, Tokyo–Narita, London–Heathrow, Dubai–International, Taipei–Taoyuan, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Doha, Manchester, Singapore, Istanbul, Cancun, Leon/Del Bajio, Monterrey, and Guadalajara.
IAH Technical Information
| ICAO CODE | KIAH |
| IATA CODE | IAH |
| FAA LID | IAH |
| ELEVATION | 97 ft (30 m) |
| AREA | 10,000 acres (4,000 hectares) |
| RUNWAY | 15L/33R 15R/33L 9/27 8L/26R 8R/26L |
William P. Hobby Airport (ICAO: KHOU, IATA: HOU, FAA LID: HOU)
William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) is one of the major airports in Houston TX which is located 7 miles from downtown Houston. It is an international airport owned by the City of Houston, and operated by the Houston Airport System.
The airport is situated at an elevation of 46 ft (14 m), and serves Greater Houston Metropolitan Area. It is a focus city for Southwest Airlines.
HOU Runway Information
William P. Hobby occupies a total area of 1,304 acres, and features three runways. The designations of the runways are Rwy 04/22, Rwy 13L/31R, and Rwy 13R/31L.
| RUNWAY DESIGNATION | LENGTH | SURFACE |
| Rwy 04/22 | 7,602 ft (2,317 m) | Concrete |
| Rwy 13L/31R | 5,148 ft (1,569 m) | Concrete |
| Rwy 13R/31L | 7,599 ft (2,316 m) | Asphalt |
HOU Terminal Facility
William P. Hobby Airport is equipped with a single passenger terminal that holds two concourses. Among two concourses, one is for domestic flights and the other for international operations. There are a total of 30 gates available in two concourses.
Airlines and Destinations
A total of 5 domestic airlines operate at HOU airport, and connect to almost 55 destinations. The airlines flying in and out of HOU are Allegiant Air, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines, and Southwest Airlines.
| AIRLINES | DESTINATIONS |
| Allegiant Air | Asheville, Punta Gorda, Phoenix/Mesa, Provo, and KnoxvilleSeasonal flights to Lexington, Savannah, Des Moines, Destin/Fort Walton Beach, and Fayetteville/Bentonville |
| American Airlines | Dallas/Fort Worth |
| Delta Air Lines | Atlanta |
| Frontier Airlines | Cancun, Orlando, Las Vegas, and Denver |
| Southwest Airlines | Almost all domestic destinationsSeasonal Flights to Sarasota, Boston, Charleston, Colorado Springs, Destin/Fort Walton Beach, Fort Myers, Philadelphia, Orange County, Pittsburgh, Reno/Tahoe, and Sacramento |
HOU Technical Information
| ICAO CODE | KHOU |
| IATA CODE | HOU |
| FAA LID | HOU |
| ELEVATION | 46 ft (14 m) |
| AREA | 1,304 acres (528 ha) |
| RUNWAY | 04/22 13L/31R 13R/31L |
David Wayne Hooks Airport (ICAO: KDWH, IATA: DWH, FAA LID: DWH)
David Wayne Hooks (DWH) is a public-use privately owned airport located in Harris County, and serves Houston TX. It is known as the busiest general aviation airport in Texas, and also one of the busiest general aviation airports in the United States. DWH is privately owned by Jag Gill, and managed by Roger Schmidt.
DWH Runway Information
David Wayne Hooks Airport covers a total area of 480 acres (190 ha), and features two asphalt runways, and one water runway.
| RUNWAY DESIGNATION | LENGTH | SURFACE |
| 17R/35L | 7,009 ft (2,136 m) | Asphalt |
| 17L/35R | 3,987 ft (1,215 m) | Asphalt |
| 17W/35W | 2,530 ft (771 m) | Water |
DWH Technical Information
| ICAO CODE | KDWH |
| IATA CODE | DWH |
| FAA LID | DWH |
| ELEVATION | 152 ft (46 m) |
| AREA | 480 acres (190 ha) |
| RUNWAY | 17R/35L (Asphalt) 17L/35R (Asphalt) 17W/35W (Water Runway) |
Ellington Airport (ICAO: KEFD, IATA: EFD, FAA LID: EFD)
Ellington Airport is also among the airports in Houston TX that is owned by the City of Houston, and operated by the Houston Airport System. It is categorized as a general aviation reliever airport, and does not facilitate scheduled commercial passenger service. It is specially constructed for public and military use.
It is located at an elevation of 32 ft (10 m) above mean sea level (AMSL), and serves Houston.
EFD Runway Information
Elington Airport covers a total area of 2,362 acres and features three concrete runways with the designations Rwy 4/22, Rwy 17R/35L, and Rwy 17L/35R.
| RUNWAY DESIGNATION | LENGTH | SURFACE |
| 4/22 | 8,001 ft (2,439 m) | Concrete |
| 17R/35L | 9,001 ft (2,744 m) | Concrete |
| 17L/35R | 4,600 ft (1,405 m) | Concrete |
EFD Technical Information
| ICAO CODE | KEFD |
| IATA CODE | EFD |
| FAA LID | EFD |
| ELEVATION | 32 ft (10 m) |
| AREA | 2,362 acres |
| RUNWAY | 4/2217R/35L17L/34R |
Other General Aviation and Public use airports in Houston TX
- West Houston Airport (IWS)
- Scholes International Airport (GLS)
- Houston Southwest Airport (AXH)
- Conroe-North Houston Regional Airport (KCXO)
- Baytown Airport (HPY)
- Pearland Regional Airport (LVJ)
- Easterwood Airport (CLL)
Conclusion
We discovered all airports in Houston TX with their technical details, airlines, destinations, and other important information.
George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), and William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) are the top airports in Houston TX that facilitate regular commercial passenger flights to and from Houston connecting various domestic and international destinations.
Other airports listed other than IAH, and HOU are general aviation airports that don’t offer regular commercial flights.
FAQs on Airports in Houston TX
Are there 2 airports in Houston?
There are more than 4 airports in Houston TX however, 2 of them (George Bush Intercontinental, and William P. Hobby) are the top international airports that offer commercial flights.
Are IAH and HOU the same airport?
IAH, and HOU are the two major international airports in Houston, Texas. IAH is the code for George Bush Intercontinental Airport, and HOU is for William P. Hobby Airport.
Which is better IAH or HOU?
Both IAH, and HOU are the major international airports in Houston, and are useful in their own way. However, IAH is served by more airlines including domestic and foreign carriers than HOU.
How far apart are the two Houston Airports?
Two Houston Airports (George Bush Intercontinental, and William P. Hobby) are almost 30 miles apart.
Which airport is closer to downtown Houston?
William P. Hobby Airport is closer to Downtown Houston as it is just 9.4 miles away whereas George Bush Intercontinental Airport is 20.5 miles away.
Which is the main airport in Houston?
George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) is the main airport in Houston, Texas followed by William P. Hobby Airport (HOU).
