HOUSTON — Getting away to spring break getaways just got easier — and more affordable — thanks to an expanded parking reservation system and a special discount.
With more than 2 million passengers expected to travel in and out of George Bush Intercontinental Airport during the traditional spring break season — from March 9 through March 24 — and nearly 461,000 passengers expected to travel in and out of William P. Hobby Airport during that same period, easy and affordable parking is a must, and both airports offer new services that are both convenient and affordable.
Guaranteeing a parking spot at either airport now is as simple as making a reservation on the fly2houston website. The service allows travelers to pick from one of the four available terminal garages at Bush Airport or the two terminal garages at Hobby Airport, set check-in and check-out dates, and pay in advance by credit card. To make a reservation at Bush Airport, check at this link. To make a reservation at Hobby Airport, check at this link.
Parking in the terminal garages at Hobby Airport is even more affordable during the month of March, thanks to a special discount. Through the end of March, coupons available on the parking information page at this link offer a 25 percent discount off the $24 daily rate for vehicles parked from 2 to 4 days, and a 50 percent discount on the daily rate for vehicles parked five days or more.
Learn more about parking options, including valet and ecopark, at the fly2houston website. For parking information at Bush Airport, check this link. For parking information at Hobby Airport, check this link.
As well as parking, there are a number of tips and services that will make getting away for spring break a breeze:
Be prepared and informed: By using the award-winning fly2houston.com website, travelers will be armed with all the information they need to take charge of their trip. It provides a wealth of information tailored to meet the specific travel needs of passengers. Available in English, Spanish and now Chinese, whether departing, arriving or connecting, the complete passenger journey — from getting to the airport to getting to the gate for a flight — is the focus, providing information on parking cost and spaces available at both airports, as well as near-real-time wait times for security and immigration/customs checkpoints, ground transportation options, dining and shopping options, flight information and more.
Remember the WiFi is free: Both Bush and Hobby offer fast, free WiFi within the terminals, meaning the wealth of information available on the award-winning fly2houston.com website is available even at the airport. The website is mobile-friendly, and the free Wi-Fi puts all that information at your fingertips — literally, with your smart phones and mobile devices.
Know where you are going: Passengers can navigate the airport terminals on fly2houston.com with an interactive map system that is mobile-device friendly and available in both English and Spanish. This intuitive tool will guide you step-by-step to where you want to go throughout the airport, with a real-time estimate of walking times to your gate or destination, including live security wait times. Use with any device; no app to download. This feature now shows user location as a blue dot for Apple devices in Safari. You can find that feature for Bush Airport at this link, and for Hobby Airport at this link.
Let your fingers do the walking before you do: Both Bush and Hobby now have interactive information kiosks that provide a wealth of helpful information — now available in both English and Spanish. Passengers can get directions to their boarding gates by entering their flight information or scanning their boarding pass in the updated search function. The kiosks take that information and display a 3D map that will show the quickest and most efficient route to the departing gate. And, to keep those directions handy, travelers can choose to have a map of their route sent directly to their smartphone in a text message. As well, travelers can find pertinent information, like weather updates, airport shopping and dining options, and a variety of services available. The kiosks in the baggage claim area include information on nearby hotels — with a phone available to let you call select hotels directly to make reservations — as well as ground transportation.
Come early and relax a little: Houston Airports have plenty of amenities to help enhance the passenger experience before their flight. Harmony in the Air is a live performing arts program featuring some of the Houston’s best local talent. Schedules for performances at Bush Airport can be found at this link and at Hobby Airport at this link. Take time to enjoy the new concessions available at Houston Airports featuring local favorites like Pink’s Pizza to well-known brands like Dylan’s Candy Bar. Pamper yourself at Hobby Airport at XpresSpa and head to your destination refreshed. Both Houston airports offers a wide of retail shops that are sure to please from Mac Cosmetics to Pandora, Best Buy, Paul & Shark and many more. For dining and shopping options at Bush Airport check this link, and at Hobby Airport check this link.
Get charged free of charge: Using your smart device and the free WiFi at Houston’s airports is made a whole lot easier by the increased number of outlets available to charge smart phones and mobile devices. With the addition of seating in many gate areas that feature available outlets and the addition of new stand-alone charging stations, there are approximately 10,000 outlets available combined between the two airports.
Take care of the kids: Traveling with children can be a challenge, but there are ways to make bringing young ones to the airport easier. You can find more tips for traveling with kids at Bush Airport at this link, and at Hobby Airport at this link. Find information on family restrooms, mothers rooms, kid-friendly dining options and more at fly2houston.com.
Check your check-point times in advance: Use fly2houston.com to plan for your trip through security. Updates on the time it takes to clear the seven Transportation Security Administration (TSA) security checkpoints at the five terminals at Bush Airport can be found at this link, and updates for the time it takes to clear the TSA security checkpoint at Hobby Airport can be found at this link.
Be prepared for TSA check points: It’s important to remember that TSA has implemented new, stronger screening procedures for carry-on items that require travelers to place all electronics larger than a cell phone in bins for X-ray screening in standard lanes, similar to how laptops have been screened for years. This simple step helps TSA officers obtain a clearer X-ray image. Also, passengers should have boarding pass and ID ready for display, remove shoes and everything from pockets before going through the metal detector or whole-body imaging technology at the checkpoint. Follow the 3-1-1 rule regarding liquids in your carry-on bag. Visit the TSA’s website — tsa.gov — for a list of prohibited items and helpful travel tips, and if you’re a member of TSA Pre✓, follow the signs at checkpoints to participate in expedited screening.
Cell phone lots are always open: When break time is over, and it’s time to pick up a returning traveler, make waiting at the airports easier by using the available cell phone lots at both airports. Both Bush Airport and Hobby Airport have an “active loading” policy, which means that while dropping off or picking up passengers, parking is not permitted on the ramps or near the terminal in those designated loading and unloading areas. But, the convenient and close-by cell phone lots are always open and allow you to park short term free while you wait to pick someone up. There are two cell phone lots at Bush Airport — one just off northbound John F. Kennedy Boulevard and a new expanded location on westbound Will Clayton Boulevard — and at Hobby Airport a cell phone lot is available on eastbound Airport Boulevard, just before the entrance to the airport. Information on the Bush Airport lots can be found at this link, and at Hobby Airport at this link.
For more information, the first stop on your spring break trip should always be fly2houston.com.
Animation videos available
Bush Airport
Arriving: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVViuud0DCs
Departing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDhHsy6dk_U
Connecting: https://youtu.be/H5pQdvH9F_A
Pick-up/Drop-off: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyjjtBOwHis
Hobby Airport
Arriving: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiVOe5FOGXQ
Departing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtspQBJrca0
Connecting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7y-dlR2faGg
Pick-up/Drop-off: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LuwqfdlWCE