Houston airport officials expect higher passenger traffic as the 2026 FIFA World Cup begins match operations in the city, with NRG Stadium hosting its first game on Sunday and the Houston Airport System projecting 4.5 million travelers at George Bush Intercontinental Airport and William P. Hobby Airport from mid-June to early July.
The Houston Airport System released the projection in a Monday press statement, citing increased travel demand during the tournament period.
AAA corporate spokesperson Daniel Armbruster advised travelers to prepare for limited flight availability and longer processing times at airports.
“If you’re trying to plan a last-minute trip, that’s going to be really tough,” Armbruster said. “A lot of flights are full and sold out. So, it’s really important if you have a vacation coming up within the next month or two that you go ahead and lock down all of your plans.”
Armbruster recommended that passengers arrive at airports two to three hours before departure, avoid checking luggage when possible, and keep travel documents accessible. He said travelers should also expect longer wait times at security checkpoints.
“It’s so important that you plan ahead, and of course whether or not you’re traveling to a host city or you’re going to be in a host city, it’s very important to just make sure that safety comes first,” he said.
The Houston Airport System said passengers can use TSA PreCheck, Touchless ID, CLEAR, and CLEAR+ e-gates to reduce screening time.
Houston Airport System Director Jim Szczesniak said in a pre-recorded statement that airport operations will continue standard security procedures during the World Cup period.
“We’ve been working with CBP and TSA leading up to this to make sure that we can give the traveler the normal kind of experience that we’d expect,” Szczesniak said. “It’s still going to be normal summer busyness, and again, we’re not changing our standards. We want people to get through the lines as quickly as they normally do.”
