Houston airports break passenger record, add new routes

Houston airports saw a combined 60.1 million passengers last year, a new record for the system.

Why it matters: The record year shows that George Bush Intercontinental and William P. Hobby airports have recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic, surpassing the 2019 high of 59.7 million passengers.

By the numbers: IAH saw 46.1 million total passengers in 2023, while Hobby saw 14 million total passengers.

• There were 47.6 million domestic passengers across both airports and 12.5 million international passengers.

The intrigue: Domestic flight prices have dropped 24% from their peak in May 2022, Axios' Ivana Saric reports.

• The average cost of airfare "hasn't been this cheap since 2009," Katy Nastro, a travel expert with Going.com, told CNN.

Plus: Since travel demand is high, United Airlines is offering more routes this summer.

• Houston is offering more than 40 new flights from IAH to some of the most popular U.S. destinations this summer, including Tampa, Florida; Boston; Charleston, South Carolina; and Miami, the airline announced.
• The airline will offer nonstop flights to Georgetown, Guyana, and Tulum, Mexico, starting in the spring.