Spring break travel begins in Houston

Driving the news: The spring break travel period started Thursday and continues through March 17.

• Spring break for HISD starts Monday.

State of play: 2.3 million travelers are expected to pass through George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) during the 12-day travel period.

• This is a 6% increase at Bush Airport compared to last year.

Reality check: Flying for spring break is more expensive this year than last year, AAA found.

• The average roundtrip ticket is $820 for domestic cities, 7% higher than last year. Hotel stays in the U.S. average $660, up 8% from last year.
• Meanwhile, driving is less expensive. The average price of a gallon of regular gas in Texas is $2.73, per AAA. A year ago it was $2.94.

The intrigue: 19 million Americans are projected to go on a cruise for spring break, an all-time high, per AAA.

Fun fact: Galveston, Texas' only cruise port, is the fourth most popular port in North America for cruises and their guests. Almost 3.4 million people and 380 cruise ships sailed from the port in 2024, the most in its history.

Reality check: If you've procrastinated on planning, Texas state parks still have availability for daytime visits and overnight stays.