William P Hobby Airport (HOU) is just seven miles (11km) from downtown Houston and is affectionately known as Hobby Airport. It’s a great airport to use for passengers wanting to avoid the hustle and bustle of George Bush Intercontinental Airport, which also serves the Houston area. However, this smaller airport, named after a former Texas governor, is growing quickly and currently serves more than 8 million passengers each year.
As George Bush Intercontinental Airport handles all the international flights coming into Houston, most of the flights to William P Hobby Airport are domestic. Many well-known US carriers operate flights to Hobby Airport and some of the most popular routes connect it with Atlanta, LA, New York and Austin.
Hobby Airport’s small size confers certain advantages. Often the security process seems quicker and the service offered more personal. Hobby Airport has a number of shopping opportunities and a few dining options, but there isn’t a great deal of choice at the airport. Some passengers may find this refreshing, as they are not bombarded by advertising and exhortations to buy constantly.
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Train: There is no train station at William P Hobby Airport. However, passengers can take a bus or taxi into downtown Houston and catch a train from the Downtown Transit Center between Jefferson and Pierce Roads.
Taxi: Taxis can be found at zone 3 as you exit the arrivals part of the terminal. Taxis traveling to destinations in Houston are subject to a flat-fare based on a zone system. Cabs are also allowed to add extra charges such as an extra $1.25 departure fee to the total meter rate, and late night surcharges of $1 per trip between 8pm and 6am. There are 11 taxi zones in Houston: Zone 1 fares are $27, include Ellington Airport and Southeast Houston; downtown Houston is in Zone 2 and taxi fares are $22; the Bush Intercontinental Airport is located in Zone 8 and fares are $60; while passengers catching taxis to the NASA Space Center in Zone 9 will have to pay $31.
Bus: The Houston Metropolitan Transit Authority runs bus route 88 between the airport and downtown Houston. Buses leave from Zone 13 outside the baggage-claim area. Buses leave the airport every 30-40 minutes between 5:09am and 12:42am during the week and between 5:50am and 11:21pm on Saturdays. Bus fares start at $1.25.
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The four-floor garage connected to the terminal houses the main parking bays at the airport. There are also two ecopark lots, which allow for an extra 4,000 parking bays. The ecopark lots are located on either side of the garage within easy walking distance of the terminal. Rates for the parking garage are $2 for the first hour, $3 for up to two hours, $5 for two to three hours, $7 for three to five hours and $17 per day. Ecopark 1 fees, excluding airport fees and tax, start at $2.77 for the first three hours and $6.47 for the first 24 hours. Fees for ecopark two, excluding tax and airport fees, are $2.77 for the first three hours and $4.62 per day. A free passenger pick-up waiting lot is located off Airport Boulevard, for drivers waiting to collect incoming passengers. Airport fees are generally calculated at 7 percent and tax ranges 8.25-14.25 percent.
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Money and communications: ATMs, currency exchange facilities, mailboxes and public phones are located throughout the terminal.
Luggage: For a few dollars luggage carts can be rented at various points throughout the terminal. The lost-and-found center can be contacted by telephone or just head for the information desks and ask the service representatives for help.
Conference and business: A conference room is available on the third floor of the terminal building in concourse C. It’s equipped with fax and photocopying facilities as well as audio-visual equipment and can be booked at the airport’s information desk.
Other facilities: A shoeshine stand, convenience stores, designated smoking areas, pet-relief areas, interfaith chapel, massage chairs and phone charging machines are all available at the airport.
Wi-Fi: The only free Wi-Fi available at William P Hobby Airport is access to a webpage allowing passengers to view flight information. If you wish to browse other pages then you’ll need to sign up with Boingo and buy a package via its website. It costs $7.95 for a 24-hour package, but other options are also available.
Shopping: As a small airport, William P Hobby only has a few shops to choose from. There’s the Rodeo Houston store and Discover Houston Space City where you’ll find some great souvenirs (including cowboy hats). For newspapers and magazines visit the Hudson News shop. Life is Good sells clothing and apparel.
Food and drink: There’s a great selection of popular food and drink options at William P Hobby Airport. These include quick snacks from Subway, Barry’s Pizza, Euro Cafe, Wendy’s and Pappasito’s Cantina. However, there does seem to be a lack of good-quality coffee shops at the airport, so passengers after their daily caffeine boost should try Euro Cafe or Peet’s.
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