Revving up

Luxe bus service Vonlane gets back on road from Houston to San Antonio and Fort Worth

Vonlane is getting back on the road from Fort Worth to Austin in May.

Courtesy photo

In time for summer weddings, graduations, and all the other in-person gatherings Texans missed out on in 2020, Dallas-based luxury bus operator Vonlane is resuming routes among some of its most popular cities. Houston passengers can ride the "private jet on wheels" to Fort Worth and back starting April 1, the company announced earlier this month.

Another Houston route resuming is Houston to San Antonio, on May 2.

Service to both cities had been temporarily suspended due to COVID-19 outbreaks and then Winter Storm Uri, the company says. Vonlane hasn't run the Fort Worth-Houston and Houston-San Antonio routes since the middle of December 2020. And passengers haven't been able to travel between Fort Worth and Austin since July 2020.

Routes to Oklahoma City still have not been restored.

A quick check of the schedule online shows it's possible to book one-way and roundtrip travel from the Fort Worth Hilton to the Austin Hyatt Regency, and vice versa, beginning May 2. Departure times from both cities are 11 am and 3 pm, and the journey lasts three hours.

Fares are $99 each way.

Houston routes to and from Fort Worth are $105 each way, departing from the Hyatt Regency Houston, 1200 Louisiana St. (Schedule can vary on weekends.)

Vonlane buses are operating with a number of COVID-19 protocols, including blocked seats for social distancing through March 31. After March 31, face masks and temperature checks will still be required, and they'll continue to use an EPA-approved disinfectant for deep cleaning between trips, a spokesman says.

Vonlane launched its high-end bus service in 2014 to cater to business travelers. Each bus, which holds fewer than two dozen passengers, features amenities like Wi-Fi, satellite TV and radio, snack and drink service, sleep masks, and leather seats.

Reservations can be booked online, and may be canceled and fully refunded up to 24 hours before departure.

Last year, Vonlane also introduced charter service and parcel shipping service. Packages can be shipped on board scheduled routes for a flat fee of $75 per item. More details are here.

vacation transportation luxury

only the best in HOU

Houston's IAH soars as 4th best airport for holiday travel in 2024

George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston

George Bush Intercontinental Airport/Facebook

Houstonians are in safe hands at George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

Houston's punctual and award-winning George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) has just been rated the fourth best airport in the country for the upcoming holiday travel season, so says a new report by travel experts Locals Insider.

The study examined the percentage of on-time departure flights at 50 of the biggest airports in America to discover the 10 best and worst airports for traveling during the holidays. Departure statistics and reasons for delays were analyzed from November 17, 2023 to January 3, 2024.

According to the report's findings, IAH had an on-time departure rate of 85.8 percent during the 2023 holiday period. That means out of the 13,921 total scheduled flights departing from the airport, only 1,976 flights were delayed. That's a pretty good track record.

IAH has been working hard to deliver the best travel experiences for its passengers, including opening its new Terminal D, investing in much-needed bathroom upgrades, showing off its award-winning art and entertainment program, and providing top notch dining experiences.

Though IAH appeared on Locals Insider's top 10 best list, Houston's William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) descended onto the travel guide's 10 worst U.S. airports for holiday travel this year.

Appearing at No. 8, HOU isn't the worst offender on the list, but its holiday season delay and cancellation rate in 2023 was 22 percent.

"Although Houston’s William P Hobby experiences fewer departing flights compared to other airports on our top 10 list, it’s still prone to disruptions," the report's author wrote. "Overall, more than one in five (22 percent) of departing flights are either delayed or canceled during the holidays."

The study's data found 1,178 holiday flights at HOU were cancelled in 2023, and only 19 were delayed.

Ranking as the No. 1 best airport for holiday travel is Washington Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C., which had an 88.6 percent on-time departure rate.

For Houstonians that will be traveling this holiday season, Locals Insider recommended five best-practice tips for a smooth travel experience: Book an early morning flight as those are less prone to delays (additionally, book a direct flight), apply for TSA PreCheck to avoid long screening processes, and budget more time to arrive early to the airport.

The report also suggests packing light and shipping gifts to their intended destination ahead of time.

"Even the TSA recommends shipping your wrapped gifts rather than packing them in your luggage or carry-on," the report said.

The top 10 best U.S. airports for holiday travel in 2024 are:

No. 1 – Washington Dulles International
No. 2 – Minneapolis-St. Paul International
No. 3 – Salt Lake City International
No. 4 – George Bush Intercontinental
No. 5 – Ronald Reagan Washington National
No. 6 – Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International
No. 7 – Newark Liberty International
No. 8 – Detroit Metro Wayne County
No. 9 – Chicago O'Hare International
No. 10 – Charlotte Douglas International

The Bureau of Transportation Statistics defines the Thanksgiving travel period from November 17-28, and the winter holiday travel period from December 14 through January 3, 2024. The study included data from both holiday travel periods, sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and Airline Service Quality Performance System (ASQP).