Houston is about to get a new nonstop escape route to the Caribbean coast of Colombia, with United Airlines set to launch direct service from George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) to Cartagena starting Dec. 17, 2026. The year-round route, scheduled four times a week, will be the first direct flight from IAH to Colombia’s northern Caribbean coast. United says it will operate the service with Boeing 737s that feature seatback screens, larger overhead bins and, eventually, free Starlink Wi‑Fi for MileagePlus members.
Schedule and flight times
United said in a press release that the new service starts Dec. 17 and will run year-round on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Outbound flights from Houston are slated to depart at 9:35 a.m., arriving in Cartagena at about 2:50 p.m., while return flights are scheduled to leave Cartagena at 2:20 p.m. and land back in Houston around 5:45 p.m., according to United.
Onboard perks and Starlink rollout
United says the Boeing 737s on the route will come with seatback entertainment screens that include Bluetooth connectivity and larger overhead bins, amenities the airline has been gradually adding across its fleet. United has also been installing Starlink satellite Wi‑Fi on regional jets and has reported fitting more than half of its regional fleet while working toward equipping its two-class regional fleet of more than 300 aircraft, according to Via Satellite.
What it means for Houston
The direct connection gives Houston travelers a simpler path to Cartagena’s colonial old town and nearby beaches, and it makes trips easier for the city’s sizable Colombian community. The Houston Chronicle reports that more than 61,000 people of Colombian descent live in the Houston area, and United says its Houston hub already serves more Latin American destinations from Texas than any other carrier, plugging Cartagena into a network that reaches more than 70 U.S. cities.
Booking and what to watch
United says tickets for the IAH–Cartagena flights are available now on United.com and in the United app, though it notes the schedule is subject to government approval and possible changes. The airline is also launching new nonstop service from Washington Dulles to Cartagena on the same Dec. 17 start date, giving travelers another nonstop option to Colombia’s northern coast, according to United.
For Houston fliers, the route is another sign that IAH’s international map keeps stretching farther, and also a cue to double-check schedules before locking in travel plans, since start dates and times can still shift. Early availability is likely to be strongest on popular travel days, and anyone who cares about having Wi‑Fi or seatback entertainment onboard should watch the aircraft type and amenity details when choosing a flight.
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