When you are on layover, can you leave the airport?

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Dee

You can always leave an airport and come back but with only 2.5hrs in Houston I wouldn't try it. That's not enough time. Just stay put.

financing_loans

Of course you can leave but I agree with the first poster... You already have your ticket and your ID, so you dont have to stand in line for them to give you a ticket. But if you walk out of the secured area, you have to be screened again. Sometimes that screening only takes 30 seconds, othertimes Ive waited for up to 30 minutes or more. I would check when you get off your plane to see if your next flight has been delayed, if so for how long. Then check with information booth and ask them how long their security is taking on average today.

Give yourself the time that it takes to screen (say 30 minutes), add 30 minutes, then add another 30 minutes for boarding. That gives you 1 hours. Now here is your problem. What are you going to do with 1 hour when you leave the airport. Most Airports, including houston arent even close to anything. You walk outside and there is nowhere to go. There is plenty to do at George Bush Intercontinental Airport. Its the largest Airport in Texas.

Trust me its huge, its like a big mall. Its the 6th busiest airport in the world. Trust me you will have plenty to do. You could get lost in that airport. You will have plenty to do without leaving the airport or the secured zones.

Okay I just found this. Your ticket will tell you what terminal you are going to arrive at. This has information about the Airport. You can also click on the terminal, A,B,C, D, E and it will give you a map where everything is at and what is in each terminal. As I said before its like a huge mall. (you will be able to go from terminal to terminal without leaving the airport or security (they have rail lines and moving walkways). With 2 1/2 hours you will have all kinds of time to shop around.

http://www.fly2houston.com/iahTerminals

Belie

Yes, you can, but 2.5 hours isn't very long and you never know when things might change. You'll be carrying your bags with you and I doubt there is much around the Houston airport for you to see and do, get back in time to check in, and reach your flight in time. The airport has shops and such. Just wander around in there or take a nap.

ronald b

2.5 hours is not a long time. i wouldn't do it. i work at the aiport. the only way i would do it is if where you were going is close to the airport.

sunnycali72

yes you could leave....but with certain time limits i would just stay put...its always smart to bring a book to read or some other activity to do on long layovers

madeinczech

I wouldn't say 2.5 hours is enough time, you'd have that time for a connecting flight. But if you had 5 hours, then yes.

abigailmarie_94

You can, but I wouldn't. Many airports (all the ones that I've been to) have strip malls and restruants inside them so there is really no need to go outside the airport. If you are wanting to leave to do some sightseeing there are a few stores that will have memrobilia from some of the man attractions in houston. I reccommend staying in the airport and checking out some stuff there.

Mike R

You can leave the airport, in theory, but if you only have 2.5 hours then you probably won't have time to do anything. You WILL have to go through security again, so you'd have to be back at the airport probably an hour before your connecting flight leaves. And since the airport probably isn't really close to anything and you'd need a car to get anywhere, then it's not worth leaving the airport.

SO in other words, there's no rule against leaving the airport but you most likely don't have time.

AJ M

4 years ago when i had to what in atlanta hartsfield i know i wood be there 12+ hours so i lift and cam back to the airport 7 hours later and if your wondering wher i was flying 2 i was flying from norfolk va to san juan pr and atlanta was my conating place

lildude211us

Yeah, you can, but you will have to check in and go through security again.

I just dont recommend it because you dont have much time and the lines can be unpredictable. Its best if you didnt leave the post security area.

BOB PHX

I've only done this twice, and with significant (3 or more hours) between flights. Once was in Chicago, and a friend picked me up, and took me to breakfast, then returned me to the airport.

The other was when I made a connection in Reno (on the now defunct RENO AIR), I took a complimentary shuttle van to one of the casinos for an hour.

the answer is within you

with only 2.5 hours, i wouldn't even think about leaving houston's airport. thats about how much time it will take to get to another terminal (if your flight is not in the same terminal) and get something to eat.

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