Welcome toGeorge Bush Intercontinental Airport

The countdown is on. This Labor Day, travelers passing through George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) are among the first to see a bold new marketing campaign by Houston Airports designed for soccer fans heading to the planet's biggest sporting event in 2026.Window clings and posters inside Terminals A and D showcase bright, soccer-inspired artwork with the message: “Wherever fútbol happens, it’s nonstop from Houston.” Each display features a QR code linking passengers to Fly2Houston.com, where an interactive map highlights nonstop flight options from Houston to every tournament host city.Jim Szczesniak, director of aviation for Houston Airports, says the campaign underscores Houston’s role as both a host city and a central hub. “We’re the first and last impression of the city for many international travelers. The great thing is that we have a new international terminal that we’re basically completing prior to the tournament. That’s great for the city and also for the travelers,” Szczesniak said.Houston is among the few host cities with nonstop flights to all others, most within a three-hour journey. That accessibility, Szczesniak explained, gives fans the flexibility to explore matches across North America while basing their experience in Houston. “Very easy to use the airport system here to do a complete total base camp here in Houston."Beyond flights, Szczesniak said Houston Airports is preparing to handle the surge in traffic expected during the tournament. “We are planning, coordinating with METRO Houston and private companies that will be working here to be able to shuttle people to and from the airport much more efficiently. But we really won’t get into the detailed planning until we know what teams are in town."Infrastructure upgrades are also underway. “One of the things that we will have for the tournament is our new expedited passenger processing by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. That will allow us to process people through the facility much quicker,” Szczesniak said.Houston is planning for tens of thousands of visitors in 2026. As Szczesniak put it: “Houston’s a great location for soccer fanatics to be able to see the complete tournament because we’re roughly a three-hour flight from all of the destinations and we have nonstop service to all the destinations.”The message is clear: whether fans are flying to a match in Mexico City, Los Angeles or Miami, Houston is positioning itself as the ultimate hub — and the journey starts at IAH.

Houston has long been called the gateway to Latin America. In 2024, 5 million passengers flew between Houston and Mexico, an increase of 3% from 2023. An additional 3.6 million people flew between Houston and Central or South America, up 9% from 2023.In August 2025, Frontier Airlines is doubling down on that momentum by announcing three new nonstop routes from George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) to Guatemala City, Guatemala, San Salvador, El Salvador and San Pedro Sula, Honduras beginning this December.The ultra-low-fare carrier joins an already competitive field. United, Avianca, Spirit and Volaris El Salvador also serve Houston with nonstop flights across Central America. Together, they offer passengers a growing menu of choices—affordable options for families traveling to see loved ones, reliable service for business travelers and new opportunities for tourists eager to explore the region.Why Central America?For Houston travelers, Central America is close, affordable and rich with experiences. El Salvador is fast emerging as a destination for eco-tourism and world-class surfing along La Libertad’s Pacific coast. Guatemala offers vibrant Mayan culture, colonial cities like Antigua and breathtaking landscapes framed by volcanoes. Honduras boasts the coral reefs of Roatán and the cultural energy of San Pedro Sula. Each destination offers something distinct—yet all are only about a 3-hour flight from Houston. This means travelers can leave Houston in the morning and eat pupusas in San Salvador or explore the ruins of Tikal by lunch.Why Houston?For Central Americans, Houston represents family, opportunity and cultural connection. The city is home to one of the largest Salvadoran communities in the U.S. and vibrant Guatemalan and Honduran populations. Houston’s Central American restaurants, community centers and consulates make the city feel like a second home. Pair that with Houston’s reputation as one of the most diverse cities in America—with award-winning restaurants, world-class sports, NASA and the arts—and it’s clear why Houston is a magnet for visitors from the region.A growing networkWith Frontier’s announcement, Houston strengthened its position as one of the most connected cities in Central America. Houston offers Central American visitors a seamless gateway to the rest of the U.S. and beyond.As Frontier Airlines CEO Barry Biffle said, “We want to ensure consumers in those markets continue to have affordable flight options.”For Houston Airports, that means more connections, choices and opportunities for passengers to experience the cultures, businesses and economies that connect the Americas.

At George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), the only constant is motion. Flights land and depart in an unbroken rhythm. Weather shifts without warning. Passengers surge through terminals, and hundreds of decisions—large and small—must be made in real time. In 2024, Bush Airport welcomed a record 48 million passengers. 2026 is poised to be even busier. The city of Houston is scheduled to host the FIFA World Cup for the first time. A surge of soccer fans is expected to swell the airport next summer, which is why this summer’s official activation of the new Integrated Coordination Center (ICC) is significant.The rows of workstations glow with real-time feeds — weather radars, gate assignments and a live map of every plane moving in the Houston airspace. The ICC feels more like mission control than an airport office, and in many ways, it is.For the first time in Houston Airport System history, all the critical players who keep Bush Airport moving — from TSA and Houston Police Department to maintenance dispatch and terminal operations — are working side-by-side, eyes on the same information, speaking in the same room.“By bringing everyone under one roof, we’ve torn down the silos,” says Stephen Mamo, senior division manager of the ICC and Emergency Operations Center at Bush Airport for Houston Airports. “We’re streamlining communication, making collaborative decisions and improving our ability to respond — in real time — to whatever the day brings.”Mamo shared that the ICC has been five years in the making. Houston Airports studied best practices from across the country, drawing inspiration from top-tier hubs and adding features explicitly designed for Houston’s needs. The result is a state-of-the-art operational center that can pivot from everyday monitoring to full-scale emergency management in seconds.When a hurricane approaches the Gulf, the ICC becomes a 24/7 war room. When a major diversion strands multiple aircraft, gate control can work directly with airline partners to find solutions without waiting for an email or a call to bounce between offices. And when soccer fans land at Bush Airport in 2026, the ICC will coordinate security, traffic and passenger movement for record-breaking crowds.For passengers, the changes are invisible — and that’s the point. Whether it’s keeping restrooms operational, securing the airfield perimeter or rerouting travelers when weather disrupts a flight, the ICC’s job is to make the journey from plane to curb feel seamless.“It’s about accurate, timely information,” Mamo says. “It’s about safety, clarity and making sure that, even on the most challenging days, people feel confident traveling through Houston.”