Arrive Early: Texas Airport Named Top in the US for Pre-Flight Time

George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) sprawls over 10,000 acres on the north side of Houston. It features 5 terminals with over 22 million enplanements (passengers boarding planes) that happen there each year.

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IAH is not the busiest or largest airport in America, but according to a recent study by Upgraded Points, this Houston airport leads the nation in a rather unfavorable category.

You'd Better Get To This Airport Early

George Bush Intercontinental has been named the U.S. airport where you need to arrive the earliest before your flight.  50 major airports were analyzed for this study.

The general rule for flyers is to arrive at the airport at least 2 hours before takeoff. That should give you enough time to park, check in, pass through security, and get to your gate...and maybe have a little extra time to grab a bite, some coffee, or a souvenir.

However, a study by Upgraded Points suggests that anyone catching a flight at IAH should arrive 3 hours and 20 minutes ahead of their scheduled takeoff.

Why Should You Arrive So Early at George Bush Intercontinental Airport?

For this study, the researchers at Upgraded Points considered 15 factors. These included the size of the airport, the number of terminals, parking options, usual TSA wait times, and the number of yearly enplanements. Even the number of airport shopping options was somehow factored.

Plug that data into their methodology, and IAH comes out on top, or bottom, depending on how you look at it.

I've flown out of this airport many times, and I usually arrive around 2 hours before takeoff. I've never had an issue getting to my gate on time, but maybe you've had a different experience.

READ MORE: 2 of Texas's Biggest Cities Are Sinking

How Do Other Texas Airports Rank In This Research?

Dallas (DFW) is the only other major Texas airport that has a suggested arrival time greater than 2 hours (2 hrs, 37 mins).

Austin (AUS) checks in at 1 hour, 57 minutes; Houston Hobby (HOU) at 1 hour, 44 minutes, Dallas Love Field (DAL) at 1 hour, 35 minutes, and San Antonio (SAT) at 1 hour, 11 minutes.

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