How is the traffic leading up to the terminals at IAH? I understand they've closed the entire road from JFK to Terminal C (?) and are directing traffic by way of Terminal A first. Is it a nightmare? This is supposedly going to go on through August.

Traffic patterns to C/D/E are nearly back to normal. However, traffic to B and A is being detoured around Terminal B North, as seen in this map. I didn't see much impact on traffic flow in my recent visit there, but it wasn't exactly peak times either. It certainly wasn't anything like the nightmare that was Terminal E for 2 years.

7 Hours Diurnal Layover at IAH (on a Sunday)
 

Hi everyone,

Possessing zero familiarity with the Houston area, I'd like to visit somewhere walkable, and/or walkable leading to somewhere to escape the humidity.

Supermarkets/clusters of food are a priority, as could be architecture ((bizarre, modern, whatever) trails.

Thinking to take public transit somewhere, and then eventually a rideshare back to IAH.

Thanks in advance!
NWAT

There is nothing anywhere close to IAH :( Public transport is extremely limited.

IIRC you can only go south (then east and on to downtown), but there's not much there until you get to Greenspoint (I-45 and Loop 8) aka North Freeway, which takes a while. There is something at FM1960 and I-69 (US 59) aka Eastex Freeway IIRC. But no public transport, though you may be able to hop on one of the hotel shuttles that go to nearby hotels (I've never really done that).

METRO (the Houston public transportation authority) started a new nonstop bus service between IAH and downtown earlier this year:

https://fly2houston.com/airport-busi...-bush-airport/

https://www.ridemetro.org/riding-met...owntown-direct

That said, it’s a 21-mile journey each way, so not ideal for someone looking to leave IAH for a somewhat-abbreviated layover.

You’d need to take Uber/Lyft each way, but maybe take a look at visiting The Woodlands Waterway? Or further afield, the Galleria/Post Oak area?

However, I’d strongly recommend renting a car to give you more flexibility about where you go and when. Probably cheaper than trying to rideshare it two ways given how sprawling Houston is and how there’s nothing of interest anywhere near IAH, unfortunately, as EmailKid correctly pointed out. The silver lining is that you’re coming on a Sunday, so traffic on I-45 (the major north/south highway bisecting Houston) won’t be too bad.

It doesn't matter much on a Sunday, but that 21-mile bus ride would be relatively traffic-proof using an elevated HOV express lane. Someone else had the same question a while back.

Thanks, everyone, for your responses.

Ultimately, I took that #500 non-stop bus downtown (lucked-out on that one, as it had just pulled up to the airport stop). Had a nice chat with the driver, and happened to be the only passenger. Indeed, that it was Sunday helped out a bit, as we sailed down that HOV lane.

Having not visited Houston in over 30 years, I wanted to wander around downtown for some architectural photography. As most U.S. city downtowns tend to be, Houston's, too, was devoid of humanity.

After three hours, I took a depressing walk down Main St. to Hermann Park/Rice University, where the depression mostly disappeared. Thereafter, it was a short amble to a H-E-B, from where I Uber'd back to IAH. Caught up on some computer stuff in one of the underwhelming UA lounges, then gate C33 shuttle bus'd it to the Bs.

I'm considering an itinerary for my parents (older, not horrible but not experts at airports) where they would fly into IAH from CDG on AirFrance and then connect to a separate United itinerary from IAH to SHV. They would have checked bags.

Question: how complex (or not) is it to collect bags in IAH after customs and re-check them in onto a different airline in a different alliance? Would it all be in the same terminal etc? Thanks!

Air France arrives at Terminal D where non-UA Int'l flights arrive. After going through Customs and Immigration they would be at lower level and need to go to even lower level to catch "Subway" to whichever terminal UA departs from to check their bags.

They could conceivable go to any terminal from what I read on UA forum to check in and check bags, but to make it simple, I'd go to the terminal where the plane is scheduled to depart.

They would go on the slow Subway in the basement (original before they built Skyway that is past security), go upstairs and after dropping bags go through security.

Not at all difficult, but a little slow.

Oh, and the Subway is not marked all that well, so they would have to look for signs and/or just take the elevator to the lowest level.

(don't recall if UA has checkin / bag drop in Term D)

Very easy. There is one international arrivals facility receiving all airlines between Terminals E and D. Your parents will pull their bags off the carousel and exit the Customs area - one just exits, there's no interaction with officials required. Outside those doors, there should be* a United Counter on the right where they can check their bags, then go upstairs for re-security into the terminal.

*I'm not sure if construction has modified the United desk on the lower level. If it has then they simply have to take their bags up the elevator to United's check-in desks in the brand new Terminal E, no terminal transfers required.

Check the United forum for more info.

I am departing IAH on BA194 (Terminal E). I'm reading horror stories about security wait lines during the shutdown. I have TSA Pre. I understand that it is closed at D/E but open at A and C. Can I go through security at C and make my way to E?

Thanks

Absolutely.

Once through security just hop on the Skyway which runs frequently and is pretty quick. You can also walk from C to D/E, which have a shared Skyway stop unlike the other terminals which have their own stop.

I normally take the shuttle from Galveston and arrive at Terminal A but fly from pretty much any other terminal (though very rarely from A) and do it all the time.

Thank you!

IAH is a dumpster fire today. Due the partial shutdown, all PreCheck lanes are closed and only the Terminal A-South and Terminal E TSA checkpoints are open. The current published wait times to clear security are 250 minutes at A and 270 minutes at E.

A 4+ hour minimum wait to clear security no matter where you enter? Insane! And how are international travelers with bags to check and/or documents to get checked at the airport check-in counter supposed to navigate that when many check-in counters only open three hours before departure?

Anyone know of a porter service that I can contact ahead of time to help my wife (+2 kids) go from domestic to international with bags due to separate tix?