Houston Hobby Airport has clinched the title for the second cheapest airport stay in North America, so says a recent study. Cost-conscious travelers can breathe a sigh of relief as Casino.ca places William P. Hobby Airport just behind San Jose International Airport when it comes to wallet-friendly rankings, with factors like the cost of a hotel room, overnight parking, and the price of a pint factoring into these penny-wise accolades.
A stay at Hobby won't have you breaking the bank as the study reveals an average total spend of $136.62 – a modest sum compared to the eye-watering $574 average tab at San Diego International Airport; this according to a compilation of data for the 50 busiest North American airports that examined a night's lodging and incidental expenses, Hobby emerged a close second in frugality to San Jose’s lean $105 rate. Houston’s jewel even boasts the cheapest airport parking of the lot, at a mere $12.
As beer enthusiasts might note, according to a report by the Houston Chronicle, Hobby Airport doesn’t disappoint with an average of $7.95 for a pint, "Velvet Tacos" offers up tacos ranging from $10 to $20 – not factored into the study but worthy of a mention for those hungry for a deal as well as a meal.
Not to be outdone by its sibling airport, the George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston was also deemed cost-effective for a one-night sojourn though it failed to crack the top ten, an average pint costing $6.60 and the least expensive overnight parking going for about $22, the lodging on-site won't have travelers fretting too much, coming in under $160 – as the study pointed out. Meanwhile, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport wallowed in the top 20 most expensive for a brief stay, and Love Field likewise with a close following at 24th, leaving Austin-Bergstrom International Airport to straddle the middle ground at 31st place.
The study's rankings have illuminated an often overlooked aspect of travel expenses, those incidental costs at the onset and end of our journeys, how some locales manage to offer a sanctuary for the budget-bound, and Hobby Airport, emerging as a surprising hero for those with an eye for value, once again underscores the widely variable nature of cost when it comes to bedding down before that early flight or parking that rental before the homeward leg.
