About George Bush Intercontinental Airport

Our city's largest airport, George Bush Intercontinental (IAH), joined the Houston Airport System in June 1969.

Bush Intercontinental is located approximately 23 miles north of downtown Houston, near the Sam Houston Tollway (Beltway 8 North)

The airport is operated and maintained by the City of Houston Department of Aviation. The Houston Airport System functions as an enterprise fund and does not burden the local tax base for airport operations, maintenance or capital improvements.

Fast Facts

More than 11,000 acres
IAH currently ranks 3rd in the United States among U.S. airports with scheduled non-stop domestic and international service (over 170 destinations)
More than 40.4 million passengers through IAH in 2010 and more than 49.5 million passengers through IAH and William P. Hobby (HOU)
More than 700 daily departures occur at IAH
With nearly 30 destinations in Mexico, IAH offers service to more Mexican destinations than any other US airport
7th busiest airport in the U.S. for total passenger traffic and international passenger traffic
In 2010, Travel + Leisure ranked Houston for having America's Best Airports
17 passenger airlines [ more info]
5 passenger terminals [ more info]
Terminal E for international travelers [ more info]
11 all-cargo airlines at IAH, handled more than 389,075 metric tons of cargo in 2010 [ more info]

General Facts

Houston headquartered United Continental Airlines largest hub with more than 700 daily departures
Terminal Link above ground inter-terminal passenger train to all terminals
Underground inter-terminal passenger train to all terminals and the airport hotel
$440 million, 784,000 sq. foot Terminal E and Federal Inspection Services (FIS) with 84 primary inspection booths that can process over 4,500 passengers per hour
Free shuttle to and from ecopark, the official on-airport value lot
Marriott Hotel on the airport
More than 880,000 sq. ft. of cargo area to handle up to 454,000 tons
More than 24,500 parking spaces
Ground transportation services to downtown Houston
Two fixed-base operators on the airport
Consolidated car rental facility

Runways & Airfield Facilities

George Bush Intercontinental Runways
Runway	Dimensions	Type
15L/33R	12,000 feet by 150 feet	R/W 33 ILS Category I
9/27	10,000 feet by 150 feet	R/W 27 - ILS Category I/III
8R/26L	9,400 feet by 150 feet	R/W 26 - ILS Category I/III
15R/33L	10,000 feet by 150 feet	R/W 15 - ILS Category I
8L/26R	9000 feet by 150 feet	R/W 26 ILS Category III

Navigational aids and other FAA-operated facilities which include:

Instrument Landing System for each major runway.
Airport Surveillance Radar.
Other highly sophisticated navigational aids and lighting systems for all runways.
Low Level Alert Wind Shear System.
Doppler radar to enhance weather prediction.
Aircraft rescue and firefighting facility meet current FAA safety standards.
Runway 8L/26R - utilizes LED Taxiway Edge Light Fixtures.
Three parallel Category III runways at IAH permit triple independent simultaneous all-weather flight operations.