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Car hire at Houston Airport - Touring South-East Texas

Opened in 1969, Houston International Airport (IAH) lies just 23 miles from the heart of the city centre, making it a very convenient gateway for the growing number of people choosing to visit one of America's most vibrant tourist destinations. Officially known as George Bush Intercontinental Airport, it is a major international air transportation facility serving both the Greater Houston Metropolitan area and the sunny south-eastern regions of Texas, America's largest state after Alaska.

Originally called Houston Intercontinental Airport, it was later renamed George Bush Intercontinental Airport after George H. W. Bush, the 41st President of the USA. Covering a total area of 10,000 acres, the airport caters for more than 700 departures every day, with over 43 million passengers passing through its spacious Arrivals and Departures halls every year. Besides being the second-largest passenger hub for United Airlines, IAH also serves a number of other important carriers, including American Airlines and Delta.

Houston is a city with many trendy neighbourhoods, most notably River Oaks (considered the Beverly Hills of Houston) and the Heights, a district blessed with the charm of a small town. Most tourists make a bee-line for Downtown and the world-famous Museum District where many of the top sights exist. Affectionately known as the Bayou City, Houston is a place that never disappoints both for the first-time visitor and those frequently returning to this magnificent metropolis situated on the northern fringes of the idyllic Gulf of Mexico.

With the coast in one direction and Texas Hill Country in the other, there's a wealth of day-trip potential for travellers with a car hire from Houston Airport. Most visitors head for the Space Center Houston, a fascinating attraction located a half-hour drive away from the city centre. History buffs won't want to miss the San Jacinto Battleground Historic Site where Texas won independence from Mexico in 1856. Equally appealing is the Anahuac Wildlife Refuge (one of the best places in America to see alligators), as well as the thrill of being able to drive to other big cities in Texas, such as Dallas and Austin.

Auto Europe has been offering the best deals on car hire in Houston and other key destinations in the USA since 1954. With our state-of-the-art search engine, we can help you find the cheapest rates and widest choice of vehicles on the Internet in just a few clicks, whether it's something small and manoeuvrable for city sightseeing or a sumptuous SUV for that road-trip of a lifetime throughout the heartlands of south-east Texas.

For more information about how to rent a cheap car at Houston Airport, please reach out to our rental specialists for assistance or to discuss your travel plans in more detail. They will also be more than happy to find you best deal for your trip. For added peace of mind, please take a look at the user ratings and comments posted by some of Auto Europe's previous customers to the city on our Houston car hire reviews.

Airport Information

Ranked 15th in the world for total passenger traffic, IAH is a major international airport situated 22 miles from Downtown Houston. Covering more than 10,000 acres of prime land, it has five runways, five terminals and 130 gates. United Airlines is one of Houston Intercontinental Airport’s best customers, along with several other major airlines, including Delta and American Airlines.

Houston Airport (IAH)
Address: 2800 N Terminal Rd, Houston, TX 77032, USA
Telephone: +1 281 230 3100
Airlines operating at Houston Airport: The list of the most important airlines operating at George Bush Intercontinental Airport currently includes Spirit, United, Delta, Southwest, American Airlines, Frontier, AeroMexico, Air Canada, Viva, Volaris, jetBlue, Westjet, Avianca, KLM, British Airways (London-Heathrow), ANA, Lufthansa, Qatar, Alaska, Air France, Air New Zealand, American Eagle, EVA Air, Singapore Airlines, Turkish Airlines and Emirates, among others.

Where to pick up my car hire at Houston Airport

To pick up your car rental at Houston Airport, you'll need to head for the off-site Car Rental Center, which is accessed by frequent dedicated shuttles that take around 5 minutes to travel from each of the airport's five terminals. Just follow the signs to the Rental Car Shuttle which departs from in front of the Arrivals hall (Baggage Claim/Arrivals). In order to make the pick-up process as quick as possible, don't forget to have all the necessary documents ready for when you arrive at your car hire supplier's welcome desk.

Car hire operating hours

	Avis at Houston Airport Car Rental Center, Houston, USA 77032 +1 281 443 5800	Opening Hours: Daily 24 hours
	Budget at Houston Airport Car Rental Center, Houston, USA77032 +1 281 449 0145	Opening Hours: Daily 7am-midnight
	Enterprise at Houston Airport Car Rental Center Houston, USA 77032 +1 833 628 9676	Opening Hours: Daily 7am-midnight
	Hertz at Houston Airport Car Rental Center Houston, USA 77032 +1 281 209 6700	Opening Hours: Daily 6am-11pm

Terminals

Bush Intercontinental Airport has a total of five passenger terminals, namely A, B, C, D and E, including a new international arrivals building located between Terminals C, D and E. There's an underground passenger train that links all the terminals which also connects free of charge with the airport's main low-cost car park. Terminal A (with 20 gates) was one of the first terminals to be built in 1969 when the airport opened, while Terminal B (the other original terminal) has 30 gates in total. Terminal C (also known as the Lewis W. Cutrer Terminal) was the third to open and has 31 gates and Terminal D (aka the Mickey Leland Terminal) has several international lounges and 12 gates. Terminal E is Houston International Airport’s newest terminal and was opened in two phases, with the first comprising 14 gates and the second 16. Although Terminal A is separate to the other terminals, it is possible to walk between terminals TB, TC, TD and TE. Both automated people movers at Houston George Bush Airport are free to use and run every 2 to 3 minutes.

Airport Facilities

Houston's impressive George Bush Airport provides passengers with every kind of amenity, facility and service they could imagine, with a vast selection of restaurants, cafés, bars, stores, gift shops, bureaux de change and local souvenir shops to offer, both air- and land-side. For the comfort, convenience and entertainment of the many travellers passing through each year (some 43 million in all), there are shoeshine stations, massage bars, multiple art installations and exhibits on display. Free Wi-Fi Internet is provided throughout the entire airport and an on-site hotel (Marriott) is located between Terminals B and C (accessible by the inter-terminal train) with 573 rooms, a restaurant, bar, coffee shop, health club and conference centre.

How to get to and from Houston Airport

Houston is a city designed with travellers in mind, which means that it's quite a straightforward process for passengers who rent a car at Houston Airport and decide to drive into the city centre. The distance from the airport to Downtown Houston is 34 kilometres, and by car it takes around 45 minutes outside the morning and evening rush hours. The Hardy Toll Road is usually the quickest way to reach the airport (and vice versa), but bear in mind that an EZ Tag is required because the tolls on this stretch are collected electronically. Alternatively, you can take the Eastex Freeway (I-69/US 59) to Will Clayton Parkway, which takes a bit longer but won't cost you anything. Public transportation is available to all major areas nearby; for instance, bus number 102 makes pick-ups every half hour at the south side of Terminal C (just outside the baggage-claim area). From downtown, the easiest place to catch the bus is the Downtown Transit Center station of the METRORail.

Parking Tips

Travellers who pick up their car hire at Houston Airport and head into the city centre rarely have any problems finding somewhere suitable to park whilst they visit the top tourist attractions. On-street, metered parking is available during the day on most Downtown streets (note that you can park for up to 3 hours but will need to move your car after that). The city's parking meters accept cash, credit cards and pay-by-phone, with hourly prices depending on the location. The good news is that most meters are free of charge after 6pm Monday to Saturday and all day Sunday. Parking at IAH is easily available at the terminals, with several parking options offered on an hourly, daily or long-term parking basis. Off-site parking is provided in a number of car parks near the airport, most open 24/7.

Useful links

Houston Airport