IAH TSA wait times at George Bush Intercontinental

This page is currently backed by 8 live IAH checkpoint readings, so the terminal and checkpoint spread matters more than a single airport-wide average.

IAH is built around five terminals - A, B, C, D and E - arranged in a horseshoe, and it is one of United Airlines' largest hubs. United runs domestic flights from Terminals B, C and E and its international flights from Terminal E, while Terminal A handles most other domestic carriers and Terminal D is the primary international gateway.

Security screening is decentralized rather than in one central hall: each terminal has its own TSA checkpoint, and Terminals A and C each have two (a north and a south checkpoint). Confirm your terminal and gate before choosing where to enter, because clearing the wrong checkpoint can mean a long walk or a train ride to reach your gate.

Terminal B has been in a multi-year United-led redevelopment, and during the work its check-in has been relocated - United Express regional passengers ticketed out of Terminal B generally check in at Terminal C and reach the regional gates via the airside Skyway. Verify your check-in location with United before you arrive.

Checkpoint layout: Terminal A has North (gates A1-A15) and South (A17-A30) checkpoints; Terminal C has North (C1-C15) and South (C29-C45) checkpoints; Terminals D and E each have a single main checkpoint. Some checkpoints, notably in Terminals A and D, keep reduced hours, so an early-morning or late-night flight may be routed to a different open checkpoint.

Two different trains connect the terminals and the distinction matters: the Skyway is the elevated, post-security (airside) train linking Terminals A, B, C and D/E, so connecting passengers stay inside security. The Subway is the underground, pre-security (landside) train serving the same terminals plus the Airport Marriott, running roughly 3:15 a.m. to 12:15 a.m. - use it only if you must re-enter security.

The international operation is the main pinch point: all arriving international passengers clear U.S. customs and immigration in the shared D/E federal inspection hall, and Terminal D's foreign-carrier bank combined with United's Terminal E departures can crowd those checkpoints midday and in the evening. Build in extra time if you are connecting through the D/E complex.

United Airlines anchors IAH as a primary hub, operating from Terminals B (United Express regional), C (mainline domestic) and E (domestic and international). United's international flights depart from Terminal E, which connects directly to the Terminal D arrivals facilities.

Terminal A is home to the non-United domestic carriers - including American, Delta, Alaska, Frontier, JetBlue, Spirit and Volaris - while Terminal D, the Mickey Leland International Terminal, hosts foreign-flag international airlines such as Lufthansa, British Airways, Air France, KLM, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines and Turkish Airlines.

If you are connecting through United's hub, you usually do not need to re-clear security to change terminals: the free Skyway elevated train (the airside people mover formerly branded TerminaLink) runs post-security about every two minutes and links Terminals A, B, C and D/E in roughly four minutes end to end. Only exit to the landside Subway if you must re-check in or reach a different check-in lobby.

Aim for off-peak windows to shorten your wait. Checkpoints are busiest during United's morning departure bank around 6-9 a.m. and again 4-7 p.m., and Sunday is the heaviest day; lines are lightest before 6 a.m., from about 10 a.m. to noon, and after 8 p.m.

Use TSA PreCheck or CLEAR to skip the standard lines: PreCheck lanes operate in Terminals A, C (north), D and E, while CLEAR is available in Terminal A (north), Terminal C and Terminal E. Confirm your airline's terminal first, since not every checkpoint offers both and some run reduced hours.

Plan to arrive about two hours before a domestic flight and three hours before an international departure from Terminal D or E, adding a buffer on Sundays and around holidays when peak waits can climb well past 30 minutes.