Houston Airports anticipates busy July 4 holiday
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If you're headed to the airport this week, brace yourself for heavy crowds.
State of play: This holiday period is expected to see an 8% increase in passengers flying through Houston compared with the extended Fourth of July holiday last year, per Houston Airport Systems.
- More than 1.9 million people are expected to fly through George Bush Intercontinental Airport and William P. Hobby Airport combined from June 27 to July 8.
Why it matters: 2024 is on pace to be a record-setting travel year, with unprecedented numbers during spring break and Memorial Day travels and now an anticipated record-shattering July, Houston Airports said in a statement.
Flashback: Last July, a record 5.6 million passengers flew through Bush and Hobby airports combined.
By the numbers: July 7 (161,000 estimated passengers), July 8 (166,000 estimated passengers) and July 3 (159,000 estimated passengers) are expected to be among the busiest days at IAH this holiday.
Between the lines: A contributor to the record-breaking numbers is the utilization of larger aircraft. Airlines are "upgauging," meaning they're adding seats to existing jets or replacing smaller planes with larger ones.
- United Airlines, the largest airline in Houston, currently operates 490 daily flights out of Bush Airport. And as part of its United Next growth plan, over the next decade the airline intends to introduce more than 800 narrow and wide-body aircraft to its fleet nationally for domestic and international routes.
The big picture: Nearly 71 million people in the U.S. are expected to travel during the entire holiday period, per AAA.
- That means some 5.7 million more people will travel during the holiday this year compared with pre-pandemic levels in 2019, making for congested roads and airports.
The bottom line: Arrive early, reserve parking and anticipate traffic, especially with terminals B and D under construction at IAH.