An estimated 4.5 million passengers traveled through Houston airports for the FIFA World Cup, according to Houston Airports officials.
Those passengers visited George Bush Intercontinental Airport and William P. Hobby Airport during the FIFA World Cup 2026 travel period, from June 12 to July 6, a Thursday news release details. Nearly 1.8 million departing passengers were screened by TSA at the airports during that period.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection also processed over 439,000 international passengers from June 12 to July 3, the release said. International arrivals at the airports increased by over 2%, when compared to the same period last year.
U.S. citizens were processed by Customs and Border Protection in 10 minutes on average, and foreign arrivals were processed in 30 minutes or less, the release said.
The pre-tournament satisfaction rate was 4.2 for Bush and 4.3 for Hobby, out of 5, according to passenger Wi-Fi surveys.
No major security incidents occurred during the travel period, and the airport experienced only about one hour of heavy traffic, according to the release.
“Our preparation focused on the fundamentals of a good airport experience: safe operations, clear communication, clean facilities and moving people efficiently,” said Jim Szczesniak, director of aviation for Houston Airports. “The World Cup gave us a global stage and an opportunity to demonstrate what years of planning, investment and coordination can deliver for our passengers.”
The airports also recorded over 440,000 rideshare pickups and drop-offs and over 186,000 vehicle entries across parking facilities, per the release.
Bush Airport handled 60 charter flights, including 30 team charters for 13 national teams, the release said.
“We understood from the beginning that for many visitors, the airport would be their first and last impression of Houston,” Szczesniak said. “Our employees, volunteers, airlines, federal partners, concessionaires and regional partners worked together to make sure Houston was ready. They delivered.”