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Cheap flights to
Houston

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Flights to Houston overview

Going searches for the best fares and sends members deals bookable 1-12 months in advance. Going members save approximately 40% compared to normal flight prices to Houston.

Cheapest Going deal

$78

Average price roundtrip

$332.25

Average Going deal price roundtrip

$197.78

Best month to fly

Going found the most deals with travel dates in October.

October

Worst month to fly

Going found the least deals with travel dates in March.

March

Top tips for finding a cheap flight to Houston

Book in the Goldilocks Window

People always ask us for the magic number of days ahead of a trip to book their flights, and the truth is that a magic date doesn’t exist. However, there is a date range. We call it the Goldilocks Window because it’s not too close to your trip but not too far away. We’ve found the best prices about 1–3 months before a domestic trip and 2–8 months before an international trip.

If you’re traveling during a busy season or over a holiday, start looking a little earlier. To travel over the December holidays, start looking in July, for example. Whatever you do, don’t make the mistake of waiting until the last minute. Fares jump at the 21-, 14-, and 7-day marks before departure dates, so book before those points if possible.

Use the Greek Islands Trick

Sometimes, no matter how diligently you’re checking flights, they don’t seem to get any cheaper. Enter: our Greek Islands Trick. While we named it after a tip to find cheaper ways to visit Greek islands during peak travel periods, it works all over the place.

If you want to visit Houston in September but flight prices are out of your budget and not moving, don’t despair. Look for flights to nearby cities, like Dallas, Austin, New Orleans, or Baton Rouge. If you find a great deal, look into renting a car and driving from one of those cities. The idea is just to get as close to Houston as you can for the cheapest price, then find a bus, car, or another cheap flight between that destination and Houston. Yes, it involves a bit more work and planning, but it can save you a bundle.

Search alternative departure airports

This is like the Greek Islands Trick but in reverse. Look for departure cities outside of your home airport. If you live in Philadelphia and flights to Houston are too expensive, check out flights from Boston or New York City and make your way to one of those airports.

The alternative departure airport approach works especially well if you live closest to a smaller airport. The larger hubs often have more and cheaper flights, and while it may be a hassle to get yourself to that other airport, it could wind up saving you hundreds of dollars, especially if you’re traveling with multiple people.

Fly when it’s cheaper

Summer and fall are busy times to visit Houston, which means flight prices are also more expensive than other times of the year. It’s simple supply and demand. The more flexible you can be with your travel dates, the better your chances of finding cheaper flights.

Shoulder seasons, like March–May or November, are great times to plan a trip. You get the combination of lower prices than the high season and better weather than the low season. If cold weather doesn’t bother you, you can save even more by traveling in the January–February off season.

Also, if traveling outside of the peak season isn’t an option for you, be sure to look at fares on what are generally the cheapest days to fly: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. Avoid Fridays and Sundays, the most expensive days to fly, if you can.

Set alerts for specific trips

We’re no strangers to the struggle of tracking airfare. Keeping track of specific routes as airfare fluctuates can be difficult and frustrating. The good news is that flight alerts exist.

Simply set up an alert for any specific itinerary you’re looking at, and you’ll get an email when the fare drops by a significant amount. Do this before the Goldilocks Window we talked about if possible, so you can be sure to see the best deals. If you have flexible dates, set a few alerts for different days of the week or time periods. Similarly, if you could fly out of multiple cities, set alerts for all of them.

Houston’s George Bush airport (IAH) serves more than 40 million passengers per year, and Hobby (HOU) serves 13 million. IAH services flights from 178 destinations, while HOU has service to 86. If you plan on visiting Houston, your travel options are plentiful to say the least.

Frequently asked questions about flying to Houston

When is high season in Houston?

Despite the hot weather, June–September is the high season in Houston. This is likely because kids are out of school and families typically travel during the summer. Houston has lots of outdoor festivals in the summer, from music festivals to neighborhood parties and food fests. Plus, Houston is close to a beach, and lots of hotels have pools. October–December can also be busy with regional tourists due to cooler weather and opera, theater, ballet, and other city events that start their seasons in the fall.

When is the best time to visit Houston?

February through April or October through December are some of the best months to visit Houston. You’ll avoid oppressive heat but likely still have sunny weather. Spring brings lots of flowering trees, and in December the city is decked out for the holidays. Fall is hurricane season, so be aware that your trip plans could change if a hurricane is on the horizon.

January and February are great times to visit to find good deals. Because of the humidity, Houston can feel colder than it really is during these months––damp cold is no joke––so pack a jacket even if the temperature looks warm.

How many airports are there in Houston?

There are three airports in Houston: George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), William P. Hobby Airport (HOU), and Ellington Airport/Houston Spaceport (EFD). Most visitors will fly into IAH, which is one of the busiest airports in the country and hosted more than 40 million passengers in 2022. Both IAH and HOU are international airports. George Bush Intercontinental Airport services 27 airlines, including many international carriers. William P. Hobby Airport services 86 destinations, mostly in the US, Latin America, and the Caribbean.

Which airport is the closest to Houston?

Hobby Airport is about 11 miles from Downtown Houston, while George Bush Intercontinental Airport is 23 miles away. Hobby is closer and more convenient. Metro Bus 40 provides service to Downtown Houston, which takes about an hour. A taxi from the airport to downtown will cost $15–$20.

How long is the flight to Houston?

The flight time to Houston depends on where in the world you’re flying from. If you’re visiting from around the South, flights range from 30 minutes to 2.5 hours. From the East Coast and Midwest, flights are typically 3–4 hours. From Denver and Phoenix, flights are about 2.5 hours, and from California or elsewhere on the West Coast, they can range from 3–4.5 hours.

If you’re flying to Houston from Mexico City, flights are 2.5 hours, and about 5.5 hours from Oaxaca. From around the Caribbean, flights are about 4–5 hours, and elsewhere in Latin America can be up to 10 hours. From Europe, direct flights to Houston are about 11 hours. Visitors from Tokyo can reach Houston with a 12-hour direct flight, while visitors from Dubai will spend 16.5 hours on a nonstop flight. With two major international airports, Houston is easily reached from around the world in one stop or less.

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Number of deals

Total to Houston in the last month

226

Total Mistake Fares

Airline slip-ups we've caught to Houston

1
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Most members save an average of $550 on international economy flights and $200 on domestic.

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* Prices are per person and include all taxes & fees in USD. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing, however, prices are not guaranteed, as airline pricing can change by the minute. Average Going fares are based on average prices of deals found by Going.

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