Passenger traffic through the Houston Airport System (HAS) ended May at 5.3 million visitors, an approximate 2% decrease compared with last year. Domestic traffic represented about 4.3 million passengers, down 1.3%, while international passengers declined by nearly 6% to 1 million passengers.

Year to date, air traffic dipped by 0.6% to 24.4 million. Domestic travelers made up approximately 19.3 million of these passengers, flat compared with last year, while international traffic has decreased by 3 points to 5 million.

Air Traffic – In the Numbers

After starting 2026 with year-over-year passenger growth, air traffic through Houston has leveled off in recent months. Passenger volumes were flat in March before declining in both April and May.

Though March marked a record month for hotels, reflecting strong visitation overall, passenger traffic through HAS remained flat year over year. The difference suggests that a larger share of Houston's visitors arrived by car rather than by air. This aligns with broader 2026 travel trends showing increased budget-conscious travel behavior as purchasing power continues to soften.

Domestic traffic through HAS reached 4.25 million passengers in May, down 1.3% year over year. Hobby Airport welcomed approximately 1.1 million domestic passengers, a decline of 4.2%, while Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) remained relatively flat, decreasing just 0.2% to 3.1 million passengers. Among major carriers, Southwest Airlines recorded an approximate 4% decline in domestic passengers, while American and Delta showed solid year-over-year gains.

International passenger traffic totaled 1 million in May, down nearly 6% compared to last year. Hobby Airport experienced a sharper decline, with international passenger volume falling nearly 15% to just over 66,000. Most international airlines saw lower passenger volumes in May, with Air Canada and VivaAerobús showing the largest year-over-year declines.

See full stats here.