The combined traffic from William P Hobby Airport (HOU) and George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) increased 1.2% to 50.9 million passengers in 2013, compared to 50.3 million in 2012.
In 2013, the overall passenger traffic reached record levels at William P Hobby Airport (HOU), while international traffic reached an all-time high at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH).
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Hobby Airport served 11.1 million passengers in 2013, up 6.4% compared to 10.4 million in 2012, marking the fourth consecutive year that a new passenger record has been set.
Passenger numbers at Hobby Airport have been increasing at a constant pace, with a rise of 34% in 10 years and an increase of 3 million since 2004, according to Houston, Texas, airports manager Houston Airport System (HAS).
George Bush Intercontinental Airport recorded all-time high international traffic of 8.9 million passengers in 2013, up 2.5% from 8.7 million in 2012.
Houston aviation director Mario Diaz said: "George Bush Intercontinental Airport plays a key role in making sure that Houston is connected on a global scale.
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By GlobalData"That level of connectivity is important to our city, both from an economic standpoint as well as culturally. The record-setting passenger totals tell us that we’re doing a good job in making sure that connection is as strong as possible."
The rise in international travel can be attributed primarily to the arrival of new international Air carriers, according to HAS.
Air China and Turkish Airlines both launched nonstop service in Houston in 2013, flying to Beijing and Istanbul respectively, while Air China recently expanded their Beijing route, moving from four flights per week to daily service.
Houston Mayor Annise Parker said: "We are entering a very exciting period in the rich history of Hobby Airport. Passengers are enjoying the results of a $350m renovation program, international air service will be in place by 2016 and the facility is seeing more passengers than ever before. It’s a very exciting time."
HAS is a department of the City of Houston which operates Bush, William P. Hobby Airport, and Ellington Airport.
Image: International traffic reached an all-time high at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) in 2013. Photo: courtesy of Hequals2henry.
