George Bush Intercontinental/Houston Airport
Continent: North America | Country: United States | Region: Texas |
George Bush Intercontinental/Houston Airport | |
Location | Houston, Texas |
IATA code | IAH |
ICAO code | KIAH |
Airport type | Commercial |
Website | http://fly2houston.com |
Overview map | Google Maps |
Communications | |
Tower | 127.30/125.35 |
Ground | 127.30/118.57 |
Clearance | 128.10 |
Approach | 120.05 EAST 124.35(WEST) 316.15(WEST) 379.1(N AND E) |
Departure | 119.7(NORTH) 123.8(WEST) 133.6(EAST) 257.2(EAST) 257.7(WEST) 281.4(NORTH) |
ATIS | 124.05(281-443-1744) |
Departure | 122.95 |
George Bush Intercontinental Airport (KIAH/IAH) is located approximately 23 miles north of downtown Houston off of U.S. Highway 59 near Beltway 8 (Sam Houston Tollway). IAH is operated and maintained by the City of Houston Department of Aviation. The Houston Airport System functions as an enterprise fund and does not burden the local tax base for airport operations, maintenance or capital improvements.
IAH is on more than 10,000 acres that includes 5 passenger terminals that are all linked by train, and annually serve more than 40 million passengers that account for the almost 800 daily departures! IAH is the 9th busiest airport in the U.S. for total passengers, 7th largest international passenger gateway in the nation, and is the 6th busiest airport in the world for total aircraft movements.
Official Spotting Locations
Lee Road
Lee Rd south of Will Clayton Pkwy at the end of runway 27. You get some nice approach shots, although 26L and 26R are frequently used as well.
Other Spotting Locations
Parking Garages
You can see some good action from the top of the parking garages.
Terminal A/B - Great for spotting domestic carriers excluding Continental, also great for takeoffs from any runway except 9/27. Terminal A garage, level 7 is a favourite amongst the IAH Spotters Club.
Terminal C - See a ton of Continental aircraft here.
Terminal D/E - This is a fun terminal between 3:20 and 5:00 (PM) to see arriving heavies, and cargo, as well as departing heavies (Continental 777-200, Air France 777-300, British Airways 777-200, KLM 747-400). It offers a great place to see arrivals on 26L; beware severe Heat Distortion between March through September.
BAX Parking Facility
Just take a right pulling out of Lee Rd. Spotting area then head back towards the terminal, and take the first right. The BAX World Cargo Facility is clearly marked. NOTE park about halfway down as to not raise too much concern. Note that many people from the IAH Spotters Group have been hassled by Homeland Security, BAX Security, and HAS Security.
Locations to Avoid
Location
Regular Traffic
All flights daily unless noted.
Terminal A
American (737, MD-80)
Air Canada (E175)
Air Canada Jazz (CRJ-700, E175)
Delta (737, CRJ-200, CRJ-700, MD-88)
Frontier (A318, A319)
US Airways (737, 757, A320, CRJ-700, E170)
United (737, A320)
Terminal B
Continental Express (ERJ)
Northwest (A319, DC-9)
Northwest Airlink (CRJ-200)
Terminal C & E
Continental (737, 757-200, 757-300, 767-200, 767-400, 777-200)
Terminal D
Aeromexico (737, MD-80)
Air France (777-200, A330-200) - AF38/31 (772) Daily except Wednesday
Aviacsa (737)
British Airways (777-200, 767-300) 3X Daily BA2025/2024, BA203/202, BA2027/2026,
Cayman Airways (737)
China Airlines (A340-300) 3X Weekly CAL16/15
Emirates Airlines (772LR) 3X Weekly EK211/212 Nonstop service to begin December 3, 2007
Lufthansa (A340-600) 1X Daily DLH440/441
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (747-400) 1X Daily KLM661/662
TACA (A320)
World Airways (Scheduled Charter) (MD-11) - Monday, Wednesday, and Friday's only
PrivatAir on behalf of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (737/BBJ) - Daily Except Wednesday