Bush Airport begins busy Thanksgiving travel period

Houston Airport System officials estimated Friday will be the busiest day of the Thanksgiving travel period at Bush Airport with about 130 thousand people going through that airport Friday alone.

Airport officials say traffic is going to stay heavy with more than 600 thousand people going through Bush between Friday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving.

Expect a busier airport for the next 10 days, as countless families hit the skies to reunite over turkey dinner.

In fact, between Friday now and Monday the 26th, airport officials say nearly 2 million passengers will go through Bush and Hobby airports.

“Most of the flights are at 85-90 percent capacity, so it’s gonna take a little while for people to get in and out of the planes—to get things settled in, to get people’s bags put in—so I tell everybody this time of the year, understand how busy it’s gonna be, how crowded it’s gonna be,” said Bill Begley, public information officer for Houston Airport System. “Give yourself a little extra time.”

Airport officials recommend arriving at the airport at least two hours before your flight’s departure time. While you’re there, take advantage of its resources, like the interactive kiosks.

“Hit the search function, and it’ll produce a 3D map that shows you step by step where you’re going to to get on your gate,” said Begley. “It’ll show you shopping and dining along the way, and if you want to, you can enter your cell phone number, and it will text you with a map.”

If you’re picking up a passenger and you arrive before they get their bags, you can wait in the Cell Phone Lot.

“You’re not allowed to park on the ramps or in the pickup areas,” said Begley. “That’s a no parking area—both city ordinance and FAA regulations.”

You can also use Houston’s airport website, fly2houston.com, to check on available parking spaces and TSA wait times.