George Bush Intercontinental Airport (KIAH/IAH)
Houston, United States
Houston Airline Crew Layover Guide
Reviewed by Captain AL
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The IAH crew card
| Fastest into town | METRO’s 500 IAH Downtown Direct, nonstop from IAH Terminal E, Level 2, Door E201 to the George R. Brown Convention Center downtown, USD 4.50 one way. METRO states customers can ride directly to the airport in 30 minutes |
|---|---|
| Night option | The 500 Downtown Direct runs seven days a week from 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. only. Outside those hours the local Route 102 Bush IAH covers the airport from Terminal C, Door C-105, with first trips before 5 a.m. and last trips after midnight every day, which METRO labels approximate. There is no bus from IAH between roughly 00:30 and 05:00, so a night arrival means a taxi or a ride app |
| Payments | Tap a RideMETRO Fare Card, a contactless credit or debit card, Apple Pay, or Google Pay. Cash works on the bus but only as exact change, with no change given and no free transfers. The local bus and rail fare is USD 1.25 and a Day Pass is USD 3 |
| Tap water | Safe to drink |
| Emergency | 911 (METRO transit police and City of Houston 311.) · non-emergency 713-224-2677 |
| Solo & at night | Airport personnel are on duty at the taxi curbs 24 hours a day and will help you hail a cab. Taxi pickup is outside Baggage Claim at Terminal A Door A-115, Terminal C Door C-105, and Terminal E Door E-103 |
| Crew knows | There is no bus out of IAH between roughly 00:30 and 05:00, so a night arrival is a taxi or a ride app rather than a fare you can plan. And the USD 29 taxi figure you may have seen quoted for Houston belongs to Hobby, the other airport: IAH publishes no fare at all |
| Crew deals | Verified car rental and hotel rates for airline staff: on this page, right below this guide. |
airlinecrewdiscount.net · IAH crew card · Checked Aug 2026 · Next check Nov 2026 · Screenshot this card for offline
Every number on this page comes from an official source. Where no official source gives a number, we say so instead of guessing.
Getting from IAH Airport into downtown Houston: which ride makes sense?
IAH sits well north of the city, so the ride into town is a real journey rather than a hop. One nonstop METRO bus does the daytime work from Terminal E, a slower local route covers the same corridor from Terminal C around the clock, and taxis and ride apps fill the rest. The airport confirms a taxi zone system but publishes no prices, so agree the fare with the driver before you get in.
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| Mode | Time | Cost | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bus (METRO 500 IAH Downtown Direct, nonstop) | METRO states customers can ride directly to George Bush Intercontinental Airport in 30 minutes every 30 minutes, seven days a week, from 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. |
USD 4.50 one way, USD 2.25 discounted | Boards at IAH Terminal E, Level 2, exit door E201, near the Ride App pickup and between signs 6A and 6B. Runs nonstop to and from the George R. Brown Convention Center in downtown Houston. The bus is luggage accommodating, accessible, and has free Wi-Fi. The 30 minute figure is METRO’s own statement, printed at the route’s launch when the stop was still Terminal C, so treat it as the operator’s number rather than a timetabled duration. Note also that METRO’s sentence describes the downtown to airport leg; it publishes no duration for the airport to downtown direction. |
| Bus (METRO Route 102 Bush IAH, local) | every 15 minutes Monday to Friday and every 30 minutes Saturday and Sunday, for most operating hours | USD 1.25 regular, USD 0.60 discounted | Boards at Bush IAH Terminal C, outside Door C-105, and runs to the Downtown Transit Center with frequent stops along the way, including Greenspoint Transit Center. First trips start before 5 a.m. and last trips end after midnight every day, which makes this the route that covers the hours the 500 does not. METRO labels those start and end times as approximate. Accessible vehicles and free Wi-Fi on board. |
| Taxi (from IAH) | airport personnel on duty at the taxi curbs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week | zone fares, with a USD 2.75 departure fee surcharge and a further USD 1.00 surcharge on late night trips between 8:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. Senior citizens are eligible for a 10 percent discount | Pickup is outside Baggage Claim on the Arrivals Level: Terminal A south side Door A-115, Terminal C south side Door C-105, Terminal E west side Door E-103. Follow the Ground Transportation signs. The airport states that Zone Fare Maps are posted near the passenger pickup areas, but it publishes no zone amounts online, so read the posted map or agree the fare before you load the bags. To request help hailing a cab, use a courtesy phone and dial 23-4198. All airport taxis are licensed and drivers complete a training course in safe driving, customer service, and assisting passengers with disabilities. |
| Ride apps (Uber, Lyft) from IAH | app priced; the airport publishes no fare | Pickup is outside Baggage Claim on the Arrivals Level, in areas marked with Ride App signs: Terminal A west side Door A-114, Terminal C south side Doors C-103 and C-104, and Terminal E west side Level 2 Zone 5. From Terminal B South you take the Skyway to Terminal A or C first. Drop off is on the Departures Level at all terminals. | |
| If you land at Hobby instead (HOU, the other Houston airport) | the 500 leaves the Hobby Transit Center every 30 minutes; local routes every 12 to 30 minutes | taxi USD 29 to downtown excluding gratuity, plus a USD 1.25 departure fee and a USD 1.00 surcharge between 8:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.; METRO 500 Downtown Direct USD 4.50; four local routes USD 1.25 | These are HOU numbers and none of them apply at IAH. HOU is the airport that publishes an approximate taxi fare to downtown; IAH publishes no fare at all. The operator heads that block “Approximate fares / Not including gratuity, from HOU”, so it is not a fixed or guaranteed price. At HOU the 500 Downtown Direct leaves from the Hobby Transit Center, north of the baggage claim exits, and the four local routes are 40 Telephone/Heights, 50 Broadway, 73 Bellfort, and 88 Sagemont. Taxis pick up at Curb Zone 2 and ride apps at Curb Zone 5, outside Baggage Claim. On frequency the operator disagrees with itself: the Route 500 detail page prints every 30 minutes seven days a week for the route, while METRO’s Hobby page prints every 15 to 30 minutes and hedges that all frequencies are approximate. The conservative 30 is published here, the same way it is at IAH. |
Best Areas for Crew Stays in Houston, from the downtown bus stops to the hotel belt on the airport corridor
Downtown Houston: Where both airport buses land you, built around the convention district, the theater blocks, and Discovery Green.
Museum District: A cluster of museums and green space just south of the center, reachable on the rail line that runs through downtown.
Montrose: Bars, independent shops, and restaurants west of downtown, the evening neighborhood rather than the sightseeing one.
The Heights: Old bungalows, antique shops, and a long walkable strip northwest of the center, better suited to a wide window.
Greenspoint and the IAH hotel belt: The hotel cluster on the Route 102 corridor south of the airport, built around early report times rather than sightseeing.
What to Do on a Layover in Houston, from a short sit airside to a full day in the city
Under 5 hours: Stay airside. IAH sits a long way north of the city, the Wi-Fi is free, and a downtown round trip plus screening on the way back does not sit comfortably in a short window.
5 to 9 hours: One clean move works if it falls inside the 500 Downtown Direct’s hours: the nonstop bus from Terminal E to the convention centre area, downtown on foot, and back on the same route. Fix the return departure in your head before you leave the stop, because the last one leaves downtown well before the evening is over.
9 hours plus: A fuller city run is realistic: downtown plus one neighborhood beyond it, and a proper meal. If the day runs past the 500’s 8 p.m. finish, the local Route 102 to Terminal C is the way back, and it takes longer than the nonstop.
Crew Tips for Houston, IAH, and the second airport at Hobby
Paying for transit: A RideMETRO Fare Card is reusable and costs USD 2, or you can carry a virtual card free in the RideMETRO app. You can also tap a credit or debit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover), Apple Pay, or Google Pay. Cash works on local and Park and Ride buses but you need exact change: no change is given and cash rides include no free transfers. The local bus, rail, and curb2curb fare is USD 1.25 regular and USD 0.60 discounted, a Day Pass is USD 3 and runs through 2 a.m. the next day, and transfers are free for up to three hours between services of equal or lesser cost. Note that the Day Pass does not cover Park and Ride, which is the fare family the 500 Downtown Direct sits in.
Houston has two airports, so check which one your numbers belong to: IAH (Bush) and HOU (Hobby) are different airports with different ground transport and different prices, and the two sets of numbers are not interchangeable. The taxi departure fee is USD 2.75 at IAH and USD 1.25 at HOU. Hobby publishes an approximate taxi fare of USD 29 to downtown, excluding gratuity; Bush publishes no fare at all. The 500 Downtown Direct serves both, but it leaves IAH from Terminal E Door E201 and HOU from the Hobby Transit Center. Confirm your airport before you quote yourself a price.
What a taxi from IAH actually costs: The airport runs a zone fare system rather than a pure meter, and it states that Zone Fare Maps are posted near the passenger pickup areas. It does not publish the zone amounts online, so the map at the curb is the only place you will see your number before you get in. On top of the zone fare comes a USD 2.75 departure fee and, between 8:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., a further USD 1.00. Senior citizens get 10 percent off. Read the posted map or ask the starter before you load the bags.
Connectivity: Every terminal at IAH, including the parking garages, has free airport Wi-Fi. Select Free Airport WIFI from the network list, let the splash page open, agree to the terms, and submit. There is a Wi-Fi help desk on 1-844-831-0999. The 500 Downtown Direct also carries free Wi-Fi on board, so the ride into town is covered too.
Showers and somewhere to lie down: IAH publishes no left luggage or locker service, so plan to carry what you bring. For a rest instead of a city run, Minute Suites is post-security at Terminal C, Gate C14, for a nap, a shower, or work. The Centurion Lounge by American Express at Terminal D, mezzanine level, also has showers, with complimentary access for Platinum and Centurion members. Interfaith chapels are open 24/7 in Terminal C near Gates C29 to C33 and in Terminal D near Gate D15, and there is an ablution and prayer room in Terminal D near Gate D15.
Safety on the bus and rail: METRO runs its own police department, and officers patrol buses and rail vehicles and are present at transit centers and stops. For anything not threatening, call or text METRO Police on 713-224-COPS (713-224-2677). For a threatening situation, call 911. METRO also lists Crime Stoppers on 713-222-8477 and a crisis hotline on 713-468-5463.
Emergency Numbers for Houston, IAH Airport, and the United States
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| Emergency (police, fire, medical) | 911 |
| METRO Police, non-emergency, on buses and at transit stops (call or text) | 713-224-2677 |
| Houston 311, city services and water quality, non-emergency | 713-837-0311 |
| United States country code (calling from abroad) | +1 |
Save these before you fly; numbers work from any phone.
How do I get from Houston Bush Airport (IAH) to downtown Houston?
Take METRO’s 500 IAH Downtown Direct, the nonstop bus that boards at Terminal E, Level 2, exit door E201, near the Ride App pickup. It runs to and from the George R. Brown Convention Center downtown for USD 4.50 one way, every 30 minutes, seven days a week from 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. METRO states customers can ride directly to the airport in 30 minutes. The bus is luggage accommodating, accessible, and has free Wi-Fi.
How much is the bus from IAH to downtown Houston?
The nonstop 500 IAH Downtown Direct is USD 4.50 one way, or USD 2.25 at the discounted fare. The slower local Route 102 Bush IAH, which runs from Terminal C to the Downtown Transit Center with frequent stops, is USD 1.25 regular and USD 0.60 discounted. Pay with a RideMETRO Fare Card, a contactless credit or debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, or exact cash on board, remembering that cash gets no change and no free transfers.
Does the airport bus run at night from IAH?
The nonstop 500 Downtown Direct does not: it runs only from 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. The local Route 102 Bush IAH covers the wider day from Terminal C, Door C-105, with first trips before 5 a.m. and last trips after midnight every day, though METRO labels those start and end times as approximate. Taxi curbs at Terminals A, C, and E are staffed by airport personnel 24 hours a day.
How much is a taxi from IAH to downtown Houston?
The airport does not publish an amount. IAH uses a zone fare system and states that Zone Fare Maps are posted near the passenger pickup areas, so the curb is where you see your number. A USD 2.75 departure fee applies, plus USD 1.00 on trips between 8:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., and senior citizens get 10 percent off. Do not carry over the USD 29 fare you may have seen for Houston: that one is Hobby Airport (HOU), a different airport, and the operator prints it as an approximate fare rather than a fixed one.
Is tap water safe to drink in Houston?
Yes. The City of Houston’s 2025 Water Quality Report states that safe, high-quality drinking water is the city’s highest priority and that customers receive water meeting or exceeding all state and federal regulatory standards. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality consistently rates the city’s drinking water systems a Superior Water Supply System, the highest rating awarded to a public water utility in Texas.
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