✈ Trip from San Francisco to Houston (2024)

FAQs

Is 1.5 hours enough for connecting an international flight? ›

Two to three hours is the minimum recommended time for an international layover, but more might be needed. Sally French is a travel rewards expert who joined NerdWallet in 2020.

What is a good connection time? Travel advisers say there's a lot to take into account when booking connecting flights, but a general rule of thumb is 60-90 minutes between domestic flights and at least two to three hours for international itineraries.

An hour and a half is PLENTY of time to connect from a Domestic to International at IAH. From SHV you will arrive at either terminal A or B. You will board the terminal link train to terminal D - takes about 5 mins. No need to go through TSA again.

If you're connecting between two domestic flights at IAH, you should aim to have at least a 45-minute to 1-hour layover. If you're connecting to or from an international flight, you should plan for a longer layover, ideally 2 to 3 hours.

In most cases, US airlines will put you on the next available flight for free. (Even some ultra-low-cost carriers, like Spirit and Allegiant, will rebook you on the next flight for free if the missed connection is due to a flight delay.)

Besides this, when you purchase a connecting flight ticket with your preferred airlines, then in such conditions, a general thumb rule says that; for domestic flights, the time is around 60-90 minutes, and suppose you have an international connecting flight ticket, then it will take approximately 2-3 hours, and it ...

Do you have to go through TSA again for connecting flights? No, you do not. As long as you don't exit the security area, you are okay. Upon arrival from an international destination, you will need to recollect your luggage, go through customs and immigration, and then re-check your bags after you have been cleared.

Recommended minimum connection times

Every airport and airline has different minimum connection time requirements. Here's what the official rules are when booking: American: Reported to be 25 minutes. Delta: 30-minute minimum connection time.

All connecting international passengers must go through TSA Security Recheck before proceeding to their onward flight (after processing through Immigration & Customs and collecting and rechecking baggage).

There are 5 terminals at IAH (A, B, C, D, and E) that are all connected by Skyway and subway trains. Except for Terminal A, all the other terminals are connected via walkways inside the secure area.

Is 40 minutes enough time for a layover in Houston? ›

Even if you have to change terminals, 40 minutes is doable. The inter-terminal tram is within the sterile area so you do not have to re-clear security. You won't have time to browse duty free but you should make your connection without a problem.

George Bush Intercontinental Airport is easy to navigate. The terminals are all connected by an underground train, making it easy to get from one terminal to another.

Arrive. For those arriving on international flights, Immigration and Customs process usually takes 15–30 minutes, but can take over an hour at peak times.

How long does a layover need to be to leave the airport? It's fair to say that you'll need at least four to five hours, and ideally several more, to leave the airport, enjoy some quick exploring, and make it back to the airport in time to clear security to make your connecting flight.

For international layover flights booked on one airline, two hours is often recommended to make your connection. For international flights on different airlines, the connection time will need to be even greater as you may have to change terminals between the two flights.

Most (but again, not all) airports connect international terminals airside. When you're connecting from an international flight to a domestic one, you'll always have to exit and reenter security as you'll need to go through customs and immigration (unless you have gone through preclearance aboard, which is rare).

For international connecting flights, check-in baggage will be made available to the passenger at the final destination. Passengers do not require to report at the connecting airport, boarding pass will be issued at the origin airport till final destination.

When you're traveling outside of the United States, we suggest arriving at least 3 hours prior to your departure. You must be checked in at least 1 hour before your scheduled departure. Additionally, we recommend being at the gate and ready to board 45 minutes before your scheduled departure time.