Houston Bush Airport (IAH)
George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) has Terminals A, B, C and D/E, and its Subway is a two-mile underground people mover that connects them before security. International passengers go through Customs and Immigration in the Terminal E arrivals hall. The 500 IAH Downtown Direct goes into the city, and the Rental Car Center is five minutes away by shuttle.
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Updated October 2026
The terminals at Houston Bush Airport
George Bush Intercontinental Airport has Terminals A, B, C and D/E. The terminal letter is not cosmetic: an international flight usually arrives in the Terminal E international arrivals hall, so it is worth checking which terminal your flight uses before you travel.
Getting to and from Houston Bush Airport
The IAH Subway is the airport's own people mover: a two-mile underground circuit that connects Terminals A, B, C and D/E with the Houston Airport Marriott, and it runs before security. A complete loop takes about 19 minutes.
The 500 IAH Downtown Direct goes into the city, the Rental Car Center is about five minutes from the terminals by shuttle, and hotel shuttles can be requested from the direct-dial phones and the visitor kiosks in baggage claim. Taxis and ride apps are at the curbside, where airport personnel are on duty 24/7 at Terminals A, C and E.
What happens when you arrive at IAH
Keep your passport and any form you filled in on the plane with you the whole way, from the aircraft door to the exit.
International passengers proceed through Customs and Immigration in the Terminal E international arrivals hall. The airport publishes the current security wait times, which is worth a look before you leave for it.
Houston Bush Airport with children
The Subway runs before security and connects the terminals, so a family that lands at one terminal and leaves from another can stay underground and out of the traffic.
Leave the passports and the children's documents in your carry-on bag, not in checked luggage, so you have them at passport control, and keep water and a snack within reach for the wait.
Plan your stop at Houston Bush Airport
Check with the airline and the airport's own site before you travel: the terminals, the airlines and the arrival procedures change. And check with the embassy or consulate about the documents your family needs for the entry rules of every country on your route.
Sources
- Official home page of George Bush Intercontinental Airport (Houston Airports): the security wait times, the parking, the ground transportation options, and the news about the IAH Subway, the underground people mover that connects Terminals A, B, C and D/E with the Houston Airport Marriott before security, on a two-mile circuit, and the Terminal E international arrivals hall, where international passengers proceed through Customs and Immigration. — fly2houston.com (checked 21 October 2026)
- Official ground transportation page of the same airport: the 500 IAH Downtown Direct, the Rental Car Center about five minutes from the terminals by shuttle, the hotel shuttle telephones and visitor kiosks in baggage claim, and the taxis and ride apps with airport personnel on duty at the Terminal A, C and E curbsides 24/7. — fly2houston.com (checked 21 October 2026)
Frequently asked questions
How many terminals does Houston Bush Airport have?
Terminals A, B, C and D/E. The terminal letter matters, because an international flight usually arrives in the Terminal E international arrivals hall.
What is the Subway at Houston Bush Airport?
The airport's own people mover: a two-mile underground circuit connecting Terminals A, B, C and D/E with the Houston Airport Marriott, running before security. A complete loop takes about 19 minutes.
Where do international passengers arrive at IAH?
In the Terminal E international arrivals hall, where they proceed through Customs and Immigration.
How do I get from IAH to the city?
The 500 IAH Downtown Direct goes into the city, and the Subway connects the terminals and the rental car center, which is about five minutes from the terminals by shuttle.
What do I do first when I land at IAH?
Keep your passport and any form you filled in on the plane with you the whole way, from the aircraft door to the exit, and leave the children's documents in your carry-on bag.