Flying from Houston: what you need to know
Houston is United Airlines territory. Bush Intercontinental (IAH) is United's second-largest hub after Denver, and that means an extensive network across Latin America that few U.S. airports can match. If you're flying to Central America, Colombia, Ecuador, or the Caribbean, IAH is often the cheapest option.
United's Latin American coverage from Houston is staggering: nonstops to Mexico City, Cancún, Cabo, Guatemala City, San Salvador, San Pedro Sula, Bogotá, Quito, Lima, and São Paulo. These routes see aggressive pricing because Copa, Avianca, Spirit, and Volaris all compete on overlapping corridors.
Don't overlook Hobby Airport (HOU). Southwest's large operation here handles domestic and Mexico flights at lower price points. Houston to Cancún on Southwest from Hobby often beats United's IAH pricing by $50-80.
Transatlantic service from Houston has grown. United runs nonstops to London, Frankfurt, and Amsterdam. Lufthansa and British Airways complement with their own direct service. The Frankfurt route is solid — United's 787 service keeps fares competitive at $500-700 roundtrip.
Houston's oil industry creates a unique business travel corridor to Lagos, Nigeria — United's nonstop is one of the only direct U.S.-West Africa links. Occasionally, leisure fares on this route drop to surprisingly affordable levels.
Seasonality: Houston locals tend to travel in summer (fleeing the heat) and spring break. The cheapest international windows are late August through October and January through mid-February. Energy industry slowdowns can produce unexpected fare drops.