11/02/2025
Houston IAH Travelers:
✈️ Important Travel Update ✈️– Please Read
Travelers departing from or transferring through George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) should plan ahead.
Here’s what’s going on:
• At a national level, the ongoing federal funding impasse has pushed key aviation and security workers — including air traffic controllers and security screeners — into working without pay. This has resulted in broad staffing shortages at many major U.S. airports. 
• Those staffing gaps are causing delays and cancellations of flights and creating longer wait times at checkpoints and traffic flow areas in airports. 
• At IAH specifically, you’ll want to factor in not just the flight itself but the arrival at airport parking, traffic around the airport, terminal construction zones (including the closure of Terminals, and security/TSA checkpoint wait time. Also keep in mind the limited capacity of the basement train and Sky Train to shuttle travelers between terminals now limited to Terminal A and E checkin. Terminal C is for bag check ONLY!
Here are our recommendations to help you mitigate the impact:
1. Consider adding an extra 1-2 hrs on top of your standard Airport arrival time, to account for parking, shuttle/foot transfers, construction detours, and longer security lines. And ALWAYS make a parking reservation!
2. Check in online early and drop bags sooner if possible. United Airlines has convenient Bag Drop outside Terminal C Departures, so be sure to note your bag count at check in for your flight online.
3. Monitor your airline and airport alerts for last-minute changes, terminal shifts, or checkpoint re‐assignments.
4. Have a backup mindset. Delays may accumulate faster than usual — flights can ripple when one hub or facility gets backed up; this is happening across the country. 
5. For connections, especially if you’re on tight schedules, build in a cushion. A missed connection may become more complicated when backups are system-wide.
6. Stay calm and patient. Pack plenty of snacks and grab a water before you board. Delays can happen even after you have pushed away from the gate.