The 2024 holiday travel period in the U.S. proved to be the busiest on record and Houston saw a significant portion of the action.

According to a statement from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), 39 million travelers in the U.S. were screened by TSA agents from December 19, 2024, through January 2, 2025—an all-time high. 

When it comes to 2024 as a whole, TSA screened a record of 904 million passengers.

As for Space City, Houston Airports also celebrated a record-breaking season. Passenger travel increased while roadway congestion decreased at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) during the holiday travel period. According to a press release from the Houston Airport System, IAH welcomed 1.7 million passengers from December 20 through December 30, marking a 300,000 passenger increase from the same period in 2023.

Smoother Traffic Flow at IAH

Even with more passengers traveling in 2024, severe traffic periods at IAH decreased by 99%. According to the release, drivers only experienced 2 minutes in severe traffic during the holidays, while last Christmas, drivers waited 5.4 hours in severe traffic when arriving to IAH.

The smoother traffic flow comes after several infrastructure updates were made at the airport.

For example, before the holidays the new International Arrivals Curb featuring seven lanes  opened, making a major difference in reducing congestion. In addition, the closed entry roadway lane was reopened before the Thanksgiving travel period.

“Our goal was to deliver a seamless journey during one of the busiest travel seasons of the year,” Director of Aviation for Houston Airports, Jim Szczesniak said. “The results show that our investments in infrastructure, technology and customer service are paying off. We are proud of our team and the traveling public for working together to make this holiday season a success.”

Houston Airports also had more landside agents and customer service representatives directing traffic and assisting passengers. Houston police and additional law enforcement helped manage traffic and maintain safety.

The organization said another key enhancement was the implementation of a cashless parking system at Houston Airport System garages and ecopark.

Looking ahead this year, improvements to IAH will continue with the opening of phase one of new International Central Processor.

Written by Norma Salcedo

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