Houston Airports delivers strong passenger experience during World Cup travel period

Jul 9, 2026

HOUSTON — Houston Airports completed its FIFA World Cup 2026 travel period after welcoming an estimated 4.5 million passengers through George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) from June 12 to July 6.

Nearly 1.8 million departing passengers were screened by TSA at IAH and HOU during the 25-day travel period.

International arrivals also remained strong. U.S. Customs and Border Protection processed more than 439,000 international passengers at IAH and HOU from June 12 to July 3. International arrivals increased by more than 2% compared with the same period in 2025. On average, U.S. citizens were processed by CBP in 10 minutes, while foreign arrivals were processed in 30 minutes or less, meeting the airport system’s processing goal.

The travel period concluded without a major security incident. The airport system’s response reflected the city's broader World Cup strategy, centered on public safety, mobility and coordinated operations. At IAH, 99.8% of the 600-hour period was free of heavy roadway traffic.

The airport experienced only about one hour of heavy traffic. That performance extended to the most basic passenger needs.

Restrooms in IAH Terminals A and D served 1 million passengers and maintained a 94% positive rating. At HOU, restrooms served 944,000 passengers and maintained a 97% positive rating.

IAH and HOU also maintained pre-tournament passenger satisfaction levels, earning scores of 4.2 and 4.3 out of 5, respectively, through passenger Wi-Fi surveys.

"Our preparation focused on the fundamentals of a good airport experience: safe operations, clear communication, clean facilities and moving people efficiently," said Jim Szczesniak, director of aviation for Houston Airports. "The World Cup gave us a global stage and an opportunity to demonstrate what years of planning, investment and coordination can deliver for our passengers."

Transportation demand remained strong without overwhelming airport roadways. IAH and HOU recorded more than 440,000 rideshare pickups and drop-offs. Parking facilities across both airports recorded more than 186,000 vehicle entries during the World Cup travel period.

IAH also handled 60 charter flights related to FIFA World Cup 2026, including 30 team charters serving 13 national teams. Royal Air Maroc and Corendon operated 30 additional charter flights carrying more than 5,800 passengers.

Houston Airports brought the tournament atmosphere into the terminals through free Fan Zones, live music and interactive experiences. Nearly 24,000 giveaways were distributed at IAH and HOU, passengers snapped 6,149 photos at AI photo booths and Harmony in the Air musicians delivered 44 live performances totaling 132 hours of music.

The passenger experience was supported by thousands of hours of service. Houston Airports Volunteer Ambassadors contributed 1,745 hours of customer service; HAS Pet Therapy teams provided 104 hours of passenger support and FIFA Host Committee volunteers contributed 7,200 hours across IAH and HOU.

For Houston Airports, the close of Houston's FIFA World Cup 2026 travel period marked the completion of years of planning, coordination and operational preparation.

"We understood from the beginning that for many visitors, the airport would be their first and last impression of Houston," Szczesniak said. "Our employees, volunteers, airlines, federal partners, concessionaires and regional partners worked together to make sure Houston was ready. They delivered."