Houston has officially bounced back from the pandemic blues, with its airports hitting a sky-high number of travelers in 2023. Per a recent data release, the combined might of George Bush Intercontinental (IAH) and William P. Hobby (HOU) welcomed a record-shattering 60.1 million passengers over the last calendar year, as reported by the Houston Chronicle.
The leap in passenger count, which saw a whopping 6 million spike compared to 2022, makes for more than just bumper-to-bumper lines at check-in counters. IAH alone managed to quickly move through 46.1 million souls, while Hobby saw 14 million jetters. The airports hadn't seen foot traffic like this since 2019 before the pandemic shut operations to a near standstill. The Houston Chronicle notes that the 2023 figure not only surpasses 2022's tally but also edges out the prior peak of 59.7 million voyagers from 2019.
Houston Airports reported an impressive surge in folks jetting to international destinations. Mexico saw a 27% upswing from 2019 traffic with 2.5 million passengers. The itch to explore Down Under grew by 24%, boasting 74,483 passengers heading to Australia and New Zealand. Flight connections to the Middle East also ascended by 7%, according to CultureMap Houston.
In a burst of local pride, Mario Diaz, the Director of Aviation for Houston Airports, didn't hesitate to celebrate the milestone. "We are thrilled to celebrate the record-setting passenger total at Houston Airports in 2023 and we thank each and every passenger for choosing our airports as part of their flight plans,” he told the Houston Chronicle. He added that Houston Airports is hell-bent on continuing to grow and "to ensure our passengers have the best possible experience from curb to gate."
Growth is seemingly in the flight plan, with projects aimed to further bolster IAH's and Hobby's capacity. IAH is eagerly awaiting the completion of its $1.4 billion Terminal Redevelopment Program kicked off in 2019, and despite causing its fair share of congestion headaches, it's set to wrap up this year. United is also laying the groundwork for a massive $2.6 billion expansion of IAH's Terminal B. There's still some red tape to clear, as the city has yet to certify its share of the funding.
