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Better parking spots and easier terminal access will be a few of the advantages made possible by the $42-million-plus worth of upgrades taking place at IAH
Houston Airport System
February 15, 2008

There is one final spot.

After driving in circles for what seems an eternity, you finally find one space that seems just the right size for your vehicle to squeeze into. Just then, you notice another driver eyeing the same parking spot from around the corner.

You are both the same distance away from the open space, and immediately your natural instincts kick in. Wicked thoughts race into your head as you vie to beat the other driver to the spot. This is a scenario that many drivers can relate to and one that more often than not may result in a headache.

It seems the larger the crowd, the harder it is to find a parking spot – and large public venues like universities, hospitals and airports are not the exception.

Here in Houston, however, the management at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) is taking matters into their own hands to avoid any such inconveniences for their travelers. This month, the Houston Airport System (HAS) began working on a $42-million-plus capital improvement initiative to upgrade and improve the parking facilities at IAH.

Among the improvements passengers can expect, once the project is complete, are more convenient parking spaces, new lighting inside the garage and easier access to the terminals – HAS officials report. The Terminal C parking garage will be the primary facility affected by these upgrades, which are expected to take place over the course of the next three years.

“This project will go hand in hand with some of the other improvements we are planning for the interior of Terminal C. Specifically, the ticketing and baggage claim areas,” says Richard M. Vacar, director of the Houston Airport System. “Keeping our facilities as convenient as possible is the ultimate goal.”

One floor of the garage may be closed temporarily while the improvements are taking place, but the majority of the upgrades will be made at night when passenger traffic is at its lowest. More than 22,000 spaces are available at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, including Parking Cents – the on-airport value lot.

Parking rates at the terminal garages start out at $1 for one hour and go up to $15 for up to 24 hours. The on-airport value lot charges $2 for the first three hours and $6 for up to 24 hours of parking time.

For frequent flyers that would prefer to have a more personal parking space, the airport will soon offer an executive lot as well. Slated to open in the next few weeks, the executive lot will allow individuals or corporations to rent their own private parking space at the airport.

Your spot may be customized to include your name and title, or a company name. Forty spaces have been designated for this purpose, but airport officials say the waiting list of interested parties is increasing everyday.

“A lot of business travelers that come through the airport every week or every couple of days are interested, as well as the companies who have employees traveling all the time,” says Pearl Hurd, parking coordinator at IAH. “If we need to make more spaces available, we will do so.”

The executive lot will be located at the entry point between Terminals C and E, which means it offers direct access to the terminal buildings. Users of the facility will only have to swipe an HAS-issued parking badge to gain access to their reserved spots.

For more information, contact Janet Schafer at janet.schafer@cityofhouston.net or (281) 233-1796.

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