travel woes

Houston's IAH Airport ranks among priciest American airports in 2025

Flights at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston will run travelers about $392 on average.

Before booking that next flight from Houston, you may want to double check those ticket prices: A new report has revealed George Bush Intercontinental Airport is one of the most expensive airports in America in 2025.

IAH climbed into the 11th spot in travel magazine LocalsInsider's rankings of "The Most and Least Affordable U.S. Airports," published March 4. The report ranked 50 of the busiest U.S. airports based on average ticket prices for domestic flights using the latest available data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS).

The average price of a domestic flight at IAH came out to $391.86, which is the 11th priciest fare nationwide. That's also higher than the national average airfare.

"In 2025, airline ticket prices have increased by 7.1 percent year-over-year, and the average airfare is $365.64, according to the most recent data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics," the report said.

William P. Hobby Airport also appeared among the top 50 priciest airports, ranking 34th. The average price for a domestic flight at HOU is $341.28, the report found.

Unfortunately for travelers booking flights in Washington, D.C., Washington Dulles International Airport is the No. 1 most expensive U.S. airport in 2025. Average airfares at IAD come out to $472.61, which is 1.4 percent more expensive than last year.

All major Texas airports
IAH wasn't the only expensive Texas airport that appeared in LocalsInsider's top 15 least affordable American airports.

Dallas/Fort Worth Internatinal Airport ranked one spot above Houston, appearing as the 10th least affordable airport nationally, with airfares soaring to $392.31 on average.

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and San Antonio International Airport weren't too far behind, landing in the No. 14 and No. 15 spots, respectively. Average ticket prices in Austin are just 12 cents cheaper than San Antonio's, at $384.64 versus $384.52 in the Alamo City.

However, Austin airport ticket prices have skyrocketed higher than nearly every other U.S. airport. Year-over-year BTS data found AUS airfare has risen nearly 8 percent. Only John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, California eclipsed Austin with a near 12 percent price increase since 2024.

Popular travel hack
With flights becoming more expensive, many travelers are turning towards an unusual method of getting to their destination.

The report unveiled "skip-lagging" – the process of booking a flight with a layover and exiting during the layover rather than continuing to travel to the final destination – is becoming more popular in three major Texas cities.

Houston, Dallas, and Austin all appeared among the report's list of top 25 U.S. cities where "skip-lagging" is gaining popularity, since flights with layovers are often more affordable than nonstop flights to the same city.

Even though travelers may save money using this "hack," the report warns that they may get in trouble for it.

"Although skip-lagging provides travelers with the opportunity to bypass higher fares, it’s important to keep in mind that airlines discourage this travel hack, and they may even impose penalties on repeat offenders," the report said.

Instead, LocalsInsider suggests travelers book midweek flights one to three months in advance that depart on Tuesdays and Wednesdays (which tend to be cheaper than weekend flights), and search for any regional airports that may offer more affordable airfare than major travel hubs. Google Flights also offers a helpful feature to help budget-savvy travelers track their flight pricing.

The top 10 most expensive American airports are:

No. 1 – Washington Dulles International Airport
No. 2 – John Wayne Airport–Orange County Airport
No. 3 – San Francisco International Airport
No. 4 – Salt Lake City International Airport
No. 5 – Detroit Metro Wayne County Airport
No. 6 – Newark Liberty International Airport
No. 7 – Charlotte Douglas International Airport
No. 8 – John F. Kennedy International Airport
No. 9 – Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
No. 10 – Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport

flights travel spring break houston

8 miles high

United and Chef's Table recruit top Houston chef for premium inflight meal

Courtesy of Thorough Fare

Chef Justin Yu will represent Houston on United flights.

United Airlines has a new initiative to lure travelers to fly its premium Polaris business class seating. Beginning August 1, travelers departing from 10 cities around the world — United hubs along with London, Tokyo, and São Paulo — may opt for meals created by some of the best chefs in the world through a new partnership with Chef’s Table, the acclaimed Netflix documentary series.

For flights departing from Houston, United and Chef’s Table recruited Justin Yu, the James Beard Award-winning chef behind Theodore Rex, a fine dining restaurant in downtown that holds a Bib Gourmand designation in the Michelin Guide. In addition, Yu and Bobby Heugel own Houston hospitality group Thorough Fare, which operates bars and restaurants including Anvil, Better Luck Tomorrow, Squable, and a new, still-unnamed restaurant in Montrose that’s slated to open this summer. A frequent traveler, Yu tells CultureMap that he jumped at the opportunity to work with United and Chef’s Table to create a premium meal that showcases Houston’s food scene.

“There’s always something slightly unexpected about Houston and its food,” Yu explains. “The choice of asking me to be the chef very much represents that. As a native Houstonian, I am very rooted in the city, but always with something slightly unexpected with our food.”

While the specific dishes won’t be revealed until closer to launch, Yu shared the creative direction that inspired his menu, which will include an appetizer, a salad, and an entree. Specifically, diners can expect to see Asian ingredients that reflect Houston’s diversity, just as they would on Theodore Rex’s menu.

“I wanted that slightly Texan touch. To me, the Houston part of it is the most important. There’s such a level of diversity. Introducing light touches of that to the meal was something I considered,” he says.

Part of the consideration was creating flavors that would hold up well when served at 30,000 feet. The meal also needs to match the level of luxury that Polaris offers.

“That use of ingredients that’s maybe something you don’t expect in an in-flight meal is something I thought about quite a bit. How do you introduce a deeper level of umami to the flavors, the possibility for a few local ingredients that are unique to the region.”

Being included in the project puts Yu in some pretty prestigious company. The roster includes Michelin star holders such as Nancy Silverton (Osteria Mozza in Los Angeles), Jenner Tomaska (Esmé in Chicago), David Barzelay (two-star Lazy Bear in San Francisco), and Tomos Parry, whose London restaurant Mountain Yu cites as the one he’s most personally excited to visit.

“Getting to know the other chefs has been really fantastic. I feel very blessed to be part of this project,” he says.

Travelers who fly in the Polaris class enjoy a number of amenities, including all-aisle-access seating, lie-flat beds, and premium bedding by Saks Fifth Avenue. Since last year, United has been updating the seats with larger entertainment screens, sliding privacy doors, and tech upgrades like Bluetooth, wireless charging, and USB-C power outlets.

"United's network spans many of the culinary capitals of the world, allowing us to authentically bring together acclaimed chefs from around the globe," said Andrew Nocella, chief commercial officer, United Airlines, in a statement. "Our collaboration with Chef's Table shows how we're leveraging our unique position as the world's largest airline* to deliver restaurant-quality moments in the sky. Our United Polaris international business class travelers are going to love the new dishes coming later this year."

chefs united airlines

travel woes

Houston's IAH Airport ranks among priciest American airports in 2025

8 miles high

United and Chef's Table recruit top Houston chef for premium inflight meal

Award-winning Houston brewery will soon shutter in EaDo

World Cup's 14-mile Green Corridor will leave a lasting impact on Houston

Houston billionaire bids record-breaking $1 million for rodeo's champion lamb