The Partnership sends updates for the most important economic indicators each month. If you would like to opt-in to receive these updates, please click here.

Estimated Reading Time: 1 minute

The Houston Airport System (HAS) handled 59.7 million passengers in the 12 months ending November ’23, up 11.0 percent from the 53.8 million handled over the comparable period in ’22. Passenger traffic this November was 0.6 percent above November ’19 levels.

Houston air travel continues to approach pre-COVID levels. The 12-month total for domestic passenger traffic broke the 45-million mark in March ’23 and hasn’t slowed, reaching 47.3 million in November. Domestic traffic remains only 0.2 million passengers (0.4 percent) below November ‘19. In the 12 months ending November ’23, international passenger traffic was 4.5 percent above November ‘19. 

Air cargo volumes peaked last September and have trended down since. Enplaned air cargo has fallen significantly while deplaned cargo has slipped marginally.

United Airlines recently announced they will offer non-stop service between Houston and Georgetown, Guyana starting April 1.  In other news, Houston City Council approved funding for a training facility at Ellington Airport. HAS will use $5.5 million from the Airport Improvement Fund to build the two-acre Texas Southern University Flight Academy. Construction is scheduled to begin in May. More information on these two announcements can be found at fly2houston.com.

Prepared by Greater Houston Partnership Research

Patrick Jankowski, CERP
Chief Economist 
Senior Vice President, Research
pjankowski@ngskmc-eis.net

Clara Richardson
Associate Analyst
crichardson@ngskmc-eis.net