BlaakLane.com books Houston IAH car service at a fixed fare shown before you confirm. Enter your flight into George Bush Intercontinental, the address and the vehicle; the chauffeur tracks the landing, allows 60 minutes free on international arrivals and 30 minutes on domestic ones, and collects you at the IAH area designated for pre-arranged vehicles.
Booking a car service at Bush Intercontinental
Set George Bush Intercontinental (IAH) as the pickup, add your flight and then the address: a tower downtown, a hotel in the Galleria, an energy company campus west of the city, a hospital in the Texas Medical Center or a ship in Galveston. Choose a vehicle class and the fixed fare is displayed. Houston is a spread-out city where one trip can cross 40 miles of freeway, and that distance is priced before you confirm.
Our 24/7 dispatch desk in Toronto assigns the trip to a vetted Houston affiliate from the LimousineWorldwide.Directory network, contracted to the BlaakLane.com written standard, and the confirmation names the operator, the chauffeur and the car. Houston Airports operates IAH; see Fly2Houston.
IAH terminals A to E
Bush Intercontinental has five terminals connected airside by the Skyway train and landside by the underground Subway train.
| Terminal | Main users | Customs |
|---|---|---|
| Terminal A | Several US airlines | No |
| Terminal B | United Express | No |
| Terminal C | United domestic | No |
| Terminal D | Foreign airlines | Yes, being rebuilt as part of the new international terminal |
| Terminal E | United international and others | Yes |
The IAH Terminal Redevelopment Program is combining the international facilities of Terminals D and E into a single, larger international terminal. Walkways and exits change as each phase opens, so the chauffeur confirms the meeting point by text on landing.
Where the chauffeur meets you at IAH
Standard service is curbside pickup at the zone IAH designates for pre-arranged vehicles on the arrivals level of your terminal. Expect a message from the chauffeur after landing that names your exit door. For international arrivals, that is outside the customs exit of Terminal D or E; for domestic flights, outside your terminal's baggage claim.
A chauffeur holding a name board at baggage claim or outside customs is available as meet and greet. Add-ons are only available in selected locations.
How long does customs take at IAH?
IAH is United's main gateway to Latin America and a major long-haul airport for Europe, the Middle East and Asia. Most passengers clear US Customs and Border Protection in 25 to 60 minutes, and longer when several evening flights overlap. Frequent visitors should look at Global Entry or the CBP Mobile Passport Control app. The first 60 minutes after actual landing are included; waiting after that is charged in 15-minute blocks.
Drive times from IAH across Houston
IAH is 23 miles north of downtown Houston. The main routes are I-69/US-59, the Hardy Toll Road and Beltway 8, the Sam Houston Tollway.
- Downtown Houston: 30 to 50 minutes.
- The Galleria and Uptown: 40 to 60 minutes via Beltway 8 and I-610.
- Texas Medical Center: 40 to 65 minutes.
- The Energy Corridor on I-10 West: 40 to 65 minutes via the Sam Houston Tollway.
- Greenway Plaza and River Oaks: 40 to 60 minutes.
- The Woodlands: 20 to 35 minutes via I-69 or the Hardy Toll Road.
- Kingwood: 15 to 25 minutes.
- NRG Stadium: 40 to 60 minutes.
- William P. Hobby Airport: 40 to 60 minutes.
- Port of Galveston cruise terminals: 1 h 15 to 1 h 50 via I-45.
- Austin: 2 h 30 to 3 h 30.
Houston's toll roads use electronic tolling, and the chauffeur uses them when they save time. The route is part of your fixed fare.
Are there rail options from IAH?
No rail line serves IAH. METRO's Route 102 bus runs to downtown, but it takes more than an hour with stops; see METRO. For almost every traveller, a car is the practical way to and from Bush Intercontinental, which is one reason airport transfers here are booked well ahead during large conferences.
Choosing a vehicle at IAH
Energy executives, medical visitors, cruise families and offshore crews all use IAH, and their needs differ. Details are on the fleet.
- Standard Sedan (2 passengers, 2 bags): an engineer to the Energy Corridor.
- Luxury Executive Sedan (2/2): an executive visiting a downtown headquarters.
- Executive First Class Sedan (Maybach) (2/2): a board member or principal to River Oaks.
- Standard Black SUV (6/6): a family heading to a Galveston cruise.
- Executive Black SUV (6/6): a leadership team heading to the Galleria.
- Luxury Stretch Limo (8 passengers): a quinceañera, wedding or celebration.
- Sprinter Van (12 passengers, 12 small bags): a marine crew or conference team.
- Party Bus (14 passengers): a group arriving for a Rodeo weekend or concert.
- Sprinter Luxury Jet Van (7 passengers, carry-on only): a deal team with a day of meetings.
Should you need a Rolls-Royce, a Bentley, an armoured SUV or a coach, we source it on request from vetted partners and confirm it in writing.
What an IAH fare pays for
At IAH the fixed price pays for the car, the chauffeur, flight monitoring and free waiting time. The airport's commercial fees, parking and gratuity are billed at actual cost and added to the booking. Planning ranges are on rates. Cancellation: more than 72 hours before pickup is free; at 72 hours or less 10%; at 48 hours or less 50%; at 24 hours or less or for a no-show 100%.
Energy, shipping and crew changes
Houston is the base for much of the global energy industry and one of the busiest ports in the United States, so crew changes and offshore rotations are part of daily traffic at IAH. Crew transfers between the airport and the Port of Houston, Galveston or heliports are planned by a coordinator and confirmed in writing; see shipping crew change and airline crew transportation. Corporate travellers can use corporate accounts for monthly invoicing.
Heading to IAH for a flight
Allow 50 to 70 minutes from downtown or the Galleria on a weekday afternoon, and more when rain hits, as Houston storms can flood underpasses quickly. Aim to arrive two hours before a domestic flight and three before international. Tell us the terminal: the departures kerbs for Terminals D and E are separate from A, B and C.
Other Houston airports, ports and pages
Houston Hobby is closer to downtown and the Medical Center, and private flights often use the Hobby FBOs. Cruise passengers usually sail from the Port of Galveston. For city trips and hourly hire, see Houston chauffeur service, and for Dallas or Austin, intercity transfers.
Houston events that affect the airport
Houston's calendar is busiest in late winter and spring. The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, usually from late February to March at NRG Park, draws huge crowds and fills hotels across the city. CERAWeek, usually in March, and the Offshore Technology Conference, usually in May at NRG Park, bring energy executives from around the world through IAH, and demand for executive sedans and SUVs peaks during both. The George R. Brown Convention Center downtown hosts large trade shows through the year. For these weeks, book as early as possible.
Driving realities in Houston
Houston is flat and freeway-based, with feeder roads, known locally as frontage roads, running alongside most highways and U-turn lanes at many junctions. Heavy rain is the biggest risk: storms can flood underpasses and freeway dips within minutes, and chauffeurs will take longer routes to avoid standing water. Atlantic hurricane season runs from 1 June to 30 November. If a storm closes IAH, contact us to change your booking as early as possible; the standard cancellation terms apply.
Airport hotels and early departures at IAH
Many travellers on early international departures stay the night before at the Houston Airport Marriott, which sits inside the terminal complex, or at hotels along JFK Boulevard and the North Belt. From these, the drive to the departures kerb is 5 to 15 minutes, so a pickup 20 minutes before you want to be at check-in is usually enough. For a crew or project team staying near the airport, a Sprinter Van collects everyone in one run.
