Houston Hobby Airport Guide (HOU)

William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) is Houston's close-in airport: 7800 Airport Blvd, Houston, TX 77061, about 7 miles south of Downtown Houston and owned by the City of Houston. Everything happens under one roof — a single terminal with two concourses (Central and West) and 30 gates total — so it is compact and easy to walk even on busy days. If you are deciding between Houston's airports, the short answer from this hobby airport guide is that HOU is the smaller, faster-to-navigate option.

Hobby is the operating base for Southwest Airlines, and Southwest launched international service from HOU — Mexico, Central America, and South America — in October 2015. American Airlines and Delta Air Lines also serve the airport. In practice, that makes HOU the default choice for most Southwest flyers in the Houston metro and a convenient gateway for trips south of the border.

The rest of this Houston Hobby Airport guide covers what travelers actually ask us about: terminals and check-in, getting to and from Hobby Airport, how hobby airport pickup works with Texas Shuttle, HOU parking, and the popular run from Hobby to the Galveston cruise port.

Terminals, Check-In and Gates at HOU

HOU keeps things simple. One terminal, two concourses — Central and West — under a single roof, with 30 gates between them. There are no trains or buses between concourses here; once you are through security, both sides of the terminal are an easy walk.

The levels matter more than the concourses:

  • Upper level — departures. Airline check-in and bag drop both happen on the upper level. Starting a trip? Head straight there.
  • Lower level — arrivals. Passenger pickup happens curbside on the ground level. Landing at HOU? This is where your ride meets you.
  • Central vs. West. Your airline determines your concourse, so check your confirmation before heading to a door or curb — it saves a lap around the terminal.

Because the terminal is compact, walking inside HOU is rarely the reason to leave early. Traffic on the way in usually is, so plan your drive accordingly.

Getting To and From Hobby Airport

You have four practical ways of getting to and from Hobby Airport. As a planning guideline, allow 25-40 minutes from Downtown Houston or the Texas Medical Center to HOU in normal traffic, and build in extra time during I-610 and I-45 rush hours. That is a starting point for planning, not a guarantee.

OptionWhat to know
Texas Shuttle private shuttlePrivate door-to-door service, 24/7, between Hobby and any Houston-area address. Real trips over the last 90 days ran $37 to $108 door-to-door for standard sedans and SUVs. You are dropped at the curb and picked up at the curb — no lot, no dragging luggage.
Driving yourself + terminal garagesHOU parking is straightforward: two covered, self-parking garages — the Red Garage and the Blue Garage — sit next to the terminal, each with 4 levels. A good fit for short trips where convenience matters most.
Ecopark economy lotAn uncovered economy surface lot near the terminal with a complimentary shuttle. The trade-off is budget price versus open-air parking and a shuttle connection on both ends of your trip.
Cell phone lotA free lot at 7600 Airport Blvd for anyone waiting on an arriving passenger. Park free, wait for the "we're at the curb" message, then loop around to the lower-level pickup lanes.

Pickup and Drop-Off at HOU: How It Works

Texas Shuttle runs private door-to-door shuttle service between Hobby and any Houston-area address — Downtown, the Texas Medical Center, Uptown/Galleria, the Energy Corridor, Pearland, and the suburbs — 24 hours a day. Here is how the airport side of the trip works:

  • Departures: upper-level curb. Your driver drops you curbside at your airline's concourse door on the upper level. Tell us your airline when you book so the driver plans the right curb — Central or West — and you step out at the correct door for check-in and bag drop.
  • Arrivals: lower-level curb. Hobby airport pickup happens on the ground-level arrivals curb. After you land and collect your bags, you walk out and meet your driver — no garage hunt, no shuttle bus, no circling the loop.
  • Flight tracking. Give us your flight number and we track it. If your flight lands early or runs late, your pickup adjusts to the actual arrival time rather than the scheduled one.

Booking takes a couple of minutes on our Hobby shuttle page. If you are weighing both of Houston's airports, our Houston airport travel guide covers IAH and HOU side by side.

Hobby to Galveston Cruise Port

The most popular longer run from Hobby is the trip to the Galveston cruise port, about 42 miles away. Real Texas Shuttle trips on this route over the last 90 days ran $102 to $230 door-to-door. You land at HOU, your driver meets you at the lower-level curb, and you ride straight to your cruise terminal.

For cruise mornings, the case for a private shuttle is simple: it leaves when you do, carries your luggage and your whole group, and puts you at the terminal curb ready to board. There is no rental car to return and no lot-to-terminal connection to worry about on a schedule you cannot move. If you want a feel for how these trips go, read our customer reviews.

Frequently Asked Questions

How far is Hobby Airport from Downtown Houston?

About 7 miles south of Downtown. In normal traffic, plan on 25-40 minutes from Downtown Houston or the Texas Medical Center, and build in more time during I-610 and I-45 rush hours.

How much is a shuttle to Hobby Airport?

Over the last 90 days, Texas Shuttle trips between Hobby and Houston-metro addresses ran $37 to $108 door-to-door for standard sedans and SUVs; your exact fare depends on your starting address and vehicle. The Hobby-to-Galveston cruise port run runs $102 to $230 door-to-door.

Where does pickup happen at HOU?

Passenger pickup is on the lower level, curbside at arrivals. Departure drop-offs are on the upper level, at your airline's concourse door.

Which airlines fly out of Hobby?

Southwest Airlines is the operating base and flies domestic routes plus international service to Mexico, Central America, and South America. American Airlines and Delta Air Lines also serve HOU.

Does Texas Shuttle pick up outside Houston proper?

Yes. We serve any Houston-area address, including Pearland and the surrounding suburbs, plus longer routes such as College Station to Hobby and Beaumont to Hobby.

When does a door-to-door shuttle beat driving?

A private shuttle wins in a few predictable situations: early-morning departures when traffic is light but nobody wants to drive at 4 a.m.; rush-hour runs on I-610 or I-45 when you would rather ride than fight the loop; cruise mornings, when the whole group, the luggage, and the Galveston schedule are easier to hand to a driver; and any trip where garage parking or an economy lot connection is not worth the hassle on a short visit. If your pickup is at 3 a.m. or your flight just got moved, that is exactly the kind of trip our 24/7 service is built for. Not sure which option fits yours? Call Texas Shuttle at (817) 403-6196, tell us your flight or sailing time, and we will help you plan the right pickup.

Houston Hobby Airport Guide (HOU)

William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) is Houston's close-in airport: 7800 Airport Blvd, Houston, TX 77061, about 7 miles south of Downtown Houston and owned by the City of Houston. Everything happens under one roof — a single terminal with two concourses (Central and West) and 30 gates total — so it is compact and easy to walk even on busy days. If you are deciding between Houston's airports, the short answer from this hobby airport guide is that HOU is the smaller, faster-to-navigate option.

Hobby is the operating base for Southwest Airlines, and Southwest launched international service from HOU — Mexico, Central America, and South America — in October 2015. American Airlines and Delta Air Lines also serve the airport. In practice, that makes HOU the default choice for most Southwest flyers in the Houston metro and a convenient gateway for trips south of the border.

The rest of this Houston Hobby Airport guide covers what travelers actually ask us about: terminals and check-in, getting to and from Hobby Airport, how hobby airport pickup works with Texas Shuttle, HOU parking, and the popular run from Hobby to the Galveston cruise port.

Terminals, Check-In and Gates at HOU

HOU keeps things simple. One terminal, two concourses — Central and West — under a single roof, with 30 gates between them. There are no trains or buses between concourses here; once you are through security, both sides of the terminal are an easy walk.

The levels matter more than the concourses:

  • Upper level — departures. Airline check-in and bag drop both happen on the upper level. Starting a trip? Head straight there.
  • Lower level — arrivals. Passenger pickup happens curbside on the ground level. Landing at HOU? This is where your ride meets you.
  • Central vs. West. Your airline determines your concourse, so check your confirmation before heading to a door or curb — it saves a lap around the terminal.

Because the terminal is compact, walking inside HOU is rarely the reason to leave early. Traffic on the way in usually is, so plan your drive accordingly.

Getting To and From Hobby Airport

You have four practical ways of getting to and from Hobby Airport. As a planning guideline, allow 25-40 minutes from Downtown Houston or the Texas Medical Center to HOU in normal traffic, and build in extra time during I-610 and I-45 rush hours. That is a starting point for planning, not a guarantee.

OptionWhat to know
Texas Shuttle private shuttlePrivate door-to-door service, 24/7, between Hobby and any Houston-area address. Real trips over the last 90 days ran $37 to $108 door-to-door for standard sedans and SUVs. You are dropped at the curb and picked up at the curb — no lot, no dragging luggage.
Driving yourself + terminal garagesHOU parking is straightforward: two covered, self-parking garages — the Red Garage and the Blue Garage — sit next to the terminal, each with 4 levels. A good fit for short trips where convenience matters most.
Ecopark economy lotAn uncovered economy surface lot near the terminal with a complimentary shuttle. The trade-off is budget price versus open-air parking and a shuttle connection on both ends of your trip.
Cell phone lotA free lot at 7600 Airport Blvd for anyone waiting on an arriving passenger. Park free, wait for the "we're at the curb" message, then loop around to the lower-level pickup lanes.

Pickup and Drop-Off at HOU: How It Works

Texas Shuttle runs private door-to-door shuttle service between Hobby and any Houston-area address — Downtown, the Texas Medical Center, Uptown/Galleria, the Energy Corridor, Pearland, and the suburbs — 24 hours a day. Here is how the airport side of the trip works:

  • Departures: upper-level curb. Your driver drops you curbside at your airline's concourse door on the upper level. Tell us your airline when you book so the driver plans the right curb — Central or West — and you step out at the correct door for check-in and bag drop.
  • Arrivals: lower-level curb. Hobby airport pickup happens on the ground-level arrivals curb. After you land and collect your bags, you walk out and meet your driver — no garage hunt, no shuttle bus, no circling the loop.
  • Flight tracking. Give us your flight number and we track it. If your flight lands early or runs late, your pickup adjusts to the actual arrival time rather than the scheduled one.

Booking takes a couple of minutes on our Hobby shuttle page. If you are weighing both of Houston's airports, our Houston airport travel guide covers IAH and HOU side by side.

Hobby to Galveston Cruise Port

The most popular longer run from Hobby is the trip to the Galveston cruise port, about 42 miles away. Real Texas Shuttle trips on this route over the last 90 days ran $102 to $230 door-to-door. You land at HOU, your driver meets you at the lower-level curb, and you ride straight to your cruise terminal.

For cruise mornings, the case for a private shuttle is simple: it leaves when you do, carries your luggage and your whole group, and puts you at the terminal curb ready to board. There is no rental car to return and no lot-to-terminal connection to worry about on a schedule you cannot move. If you want a feel for how these trips go, read our customer reviews.

Frequently Asked Questions

How far is Hobby Airport from Downtown Houston?

About 7 miles south of Downtown. In normal traffic, plan on 25-40 minutes from Downtown Houston or the Texas Medical Center, and build in more time during I-610 and I-45 rush hours.

How much is a shuttle to Hobby Airport?

Over the last 90 days, Texas Shuttle trips between Hobby and Houston-metro addresses ran $37 to $108 door-to-door for standard sedans and SUVs; your exact fare depends on your starting address and vehicle. The Hobby-to-Galveston cruise port run runs $102 to $230 door-to-door.

Where does pickup happen at HOU?

Passenger pickup is on the lower level, curbside at arrivals. Departure drop-offs are on the upper level, at your airline's concourse door.

Which airlines fly out of Hobby?

Southwest Airlines is the operating base and flies domestic routes plus international service to Mexico, Central America, and South America. American Airlines and Delta Air Lines also serve HOU.

Does Texas Shuttle pick up outside Houston proper?

Yes. We serve any Houston-area address, including Pearland and the surrounding suburbs, plus longer routes such as College Station to Hobby and Beaumont to Hobby.

When does a door-to-door shuttle beat driving?

A private shuttle wins in a few predictable situations: early-morning departures when traffic is light but nobody wants to drive at 4 a.m.; rush-hour runs on I-610 or I-45 when you would rather ride than fight the loop; cruise mornings, when the whole group, the luggage, and the Galveston schedule are easier to hand to a driver; and any trip where garage parking or an economy lot connection is not worth the hassle on a short visit. If your pickup is at 3 a.m. or your flight just got moved, that is exactly the kind of trip our 24/7 service is built for. Not sure which option fits yours? Call Texas Shuttle at (817) 403-6196, tell us your flight or sailing time, and we will help you plan the right pickup.