A Gtmkm98 Airport Guide - Inspired by Other Guides across the Community!
Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport is United Airlines’ primary hub for the Southeast United States, also doubling as its primary hub for South and Central America.
Aside from being an operating base for Spirit Airlines and a minor airport for Frontier, United Airlines dominates the scene, with virtual United Ramp Control patrolling the ground complex. Acquired from Continental around 2011, this airport has exploded into United Airlines’ 3rd busiest hub.
To avoid beating a dead horse, I would like to move on to the ‘meat and potatoes’ section of this guide, the operations!
Before we get into this guide, I would like to leave this handy resource for an up-to-date airport diagram, procedures, and aeronautical data; plus another resource for current real-life ATIS and conditions:
SkyVector Link
FAA D-ATIS (For Simulator Use Only)
The Terminal
Houston Airport has a line of five concourses, spanning both sides of Will Clayton Parkway. Similarly to Delta Airlines’ Atlanta operation, United has a presence at three of the five terminals.
Airlines at Each Concourse
Terminal A (non-United Domestic Terminal / Canadian Flights)
| Airlines |
|---|
| Air Canada |
| Alaska Airlines |
| American Airlines |
| American Eagle |
| Delta Airlines |
| Frontier |
| jetBlue |
| Spirit |
| WestJet |
Terminal B (United Express)
United Express is the only carrier at this terminal.
Terminal C (United domestic flights)
Terminal C is the base of United’s domestic hub operation at Houston. It is the sole operator there.
Terminal D (non-United International Flights)
| Airlines |
|---|
| Aeromexico |
| Aeromexico Connect |
| Air France |
| Air New Zealand |
| All Nippon Airways |
| Avianca El Salvador |
| British Airways |
| Emirates |
| EVA Air |
| KLM |
| Lufthansa |
| Qatar Airways |
| Singapore Airlines |
| Turkish Airlines |
| Viva (Formerly VivaAerobus) |
| Volaris |
| Volaris El Salvador |
| Zipair Tokyo |
Terminal E (United international flights)
This text will be hidden
United Airlines uses this terminal for its international presence at Houston, also as the only carrier.
Runways/Traffic Routes
Houston - Intercontinental has five runways. The layout is extremely efficient but cumbersome simultaneously, requiring special traffic patterns to keep the airspace safe and efficient. All runways are also 150ft wide, which caters to most aircraft types in the modern skies.
As with most airports near sea level, this airport brings planes in below the glide slope so it locks in from above instead of below. Following the standard RNAV entries is your best bet in landing safely unless the airport is on visual approaches.
Runway 9/27
At 10000ft, this runway is the southernmost of the east-west runways, usually used for southerly arrivals and some departures in particular traffic patterns. (Both sides are GLS equipped, although this is not present at this time in IF).
On the 9 end, this runway is certified up to SA Category II ILS approaches.
On the 27 end, this runway is Category III ILS certified.
**Runway 8R/26L **
At 9402ft, this is the centermost of the east-west runways. It primarily serves aircraft from the west-northwest and southwest on the 8R end and from the east-northeast on the 26L end. It also handles some departures in specific traffic flows.
On the 8R end, this runway is equipped with SA ILS Category II.
On the 26L end, this runway is equipped with Category III ILS.
Runway 8L/26R
This is the northernmost of the east-west runways and primarily serves arrivals from the north-northeast and north-northwest. It sometimes sees departures, but its proximity from the terminal prevents it from common use.
On the 8L end, this runway is equipped with Category III ILS.
On the 26R end, this runway is also equipped with Category III ILS.
Runway 15L/33R
This runway is 12001ft long.
On the 15L end, this runway is the primary departure runway for easterly departures, but it also serves as the primary northerly runway when the airport is on east flow.
On the 33R end, this runway is the primary departure runway for westerly and northerly departures.
Runway 15R/33L
This runway is 10000ft long.
On the 15R end, the runway is the primary departure runway for westerly and southerly/southwesterly departures but functions as the primary northerly runway when the airport is on east flow.
On the 33L end, the runway is the primary easterly and southerly/southwesterly departure runway.
Traffic Routes
Due to the runway layout of this airport, the traffic flow is extremely varied. Instead of describing each flow, I will show maps of each primary flow. Departures will be red and arrivals will be blue. Arrivals are usually straight in from afar, and departures are usually immediate turns to the first fix after reaching 600ft.
NOTE: These are not the only traffic patterns; they are just the most common ones!
West Flows
(West Flow, Departures on 15s and 26L)
(West Flow, Departures on 15s Only)
(West Flow, Departures on 33s Only)
SIDs/STARs
Like most airports of this size, arrivals are brought in from the corners of the airspace.
However, departures are the complete opposite; for example, southwesterly departures on the RITAA SID follow the FLYZA and MMUGS SIDs southeast to BOTLL before making a tight turn to the southwest. These anomalies are all over the airspace, but it allows for some extremely fun departures!
SIDs
West Flow:
East Flow:
Exploded:
Houston uses a mix of ‘direct to first fix’ and ‘vector’ SIDs, which depend on flow. All departures climb on runway heading until 600ft; after 600ft, turn immediately to the first waypoint unless vectored by ATC.
| SID Name | Named After | Serves | Further Routing After SID |
|---|---|---|---|
| STYCK | Unknown | Denver, Oklahoma City, Minneapolis | DOLEY Transition: Direct ADM or FUZ VOR after DOLEY; WTSON Transition: Direct BYP VOR after WTSON, then direct TUL VOR; KOKC Arrivals, Direct ZEMMA after DOLEY, Join TSDEL arrival |
| BLTWY | The Many Beltways of Houston | DFW Airport, West DFW Metroplex | KDFW Arrivals, Join WHINY or BEREE arrival at CRIED; West DFW Metroplex Arrivals, Join REEKO arrival at CRIED |
| WYLSN | Unknown | Dallas-Love Field and East DFW Metroplex | KDAL Arrivals, join MNNDO or REDDN arrival at MAJKK; East DFW Metroplex Arrivals, Direct JROAM after GIFFA and Join LOADS or EESAT |
| INDIE | Unknown | Louisville, Cincinnati, Chicago | Direct LIT VOR after TPAKK |
| LURIC | Unknown | Memphis, Nashville, Washington DC (North Route) | HAWES Transition: Direct SUTTN, then Direct MEMFS or MEM VOR; ORRTH Transition: Direct CRAMM, then Direct HITMN or BNA VOR; KMEM Arrivals, Direct ELD after LURIC, join HOBRK arrival |
| STRYA | Unknown | Severe Weather Route for other SIDs | JBULL Transition: Direct MCB VOR after JBULL; DPATY Transition: Direct MHZ VOR after DPATY |
| MUGGS (West)/GUMBY (East) | Unknown | East Coast Airports, Atlanta, Florida Peninsula | LCH Transition: Join J2/J138/J22 or Q24 at LCH VOR; GUSTI Transition: Join Q22 or AWDAD at/after GUSTI; LLA Transition: Direct LEV or HRV VOR after LLA VOR |
| FLYZA | Unknown | South and Central America | MUSYL Transition: Join L207 at MUSYL; ANKRR Transition: Join L208 at ANKRR; KELPP Transition: Join A766 at KELPP |
| RITAA | Unknown | Mexico, Oceania, Rio Grande Valley | WWREN Transition: Direct BRO VOR after WWREN; NGP Transition (Rio Grande Valley Arrivals Only): Direct To Airport; CRP Transition: Direct LRD VOR, DEVOE, or SUTOL after CRP VOR; CRP Arrivals, Direct Airport after CRP VOR |
| BNDTO (West)/PITZZ (East) | Unknown | El Paso, Los Angeles, San Francisco | CRGER Transition: Direct ELP, EWM, or JCT VOR after CRGER; SAT Transition: For use as an offload or severe weather route only; WAILN Transition (SAT Arrivals Only): Join QERVO arrival at WAILN; MNURE Transition (AUS Arrivals Only): Join WLEEE arrival at MNURE |
Note: HOODO SID is not included because it is an offload or severe weather avoidance route, and Conventional SIDs are also not included because they are seldom used.
After departure, you will climb and maintain 16000ft. You will maintain this until cleared higher by ATC or the flight time reaches 10 minutes.
STARs
West Flow:
East Flow:
Exploded:
The arrival system into Houston-Intercontinental is much more straightforward; as with most major airports in the United States, such as Chicago-O’Hare or Dallas-Fort Worth, aircraft are brought into the airspace via the corners, and some directions have more than one route into the airspace.
STARs are also divided based on flow, so keep that in mind when selecting a procedure. They bridge into Approach Procedures at some points as well.
Below is a guide to the STARs and where they serve.
| STAR Name | Named After | Serves | Routing Onto STAR | Preferred Runway Usage | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TTORO (East)/MSCOT (West) | Mascot / Spanish Translation for ‘Bull’ | Phoenix, Las Vegas, West Texas | BRKAT Transition (ATC Assigned Only for Offload): Direct from TORNN; DIESL Transition: Direct from SJT VOR or FUSCO; ILEXY Transition (KAUS Departures Only): Direct from ILEXY SID; CHLLY Transition (ATC Assigned Only for Offload): Direct from SJT VOR | File 8R for TTORO, 26L for MSCOT | This arrival path is mostly used by regional flights, most longer domestic or international flights file VIA GUSHR/DRLLR arrival |
| GUSHR (East)/DRLLR (West) | Oil Gusher or Driller (Texas’ Oil Industry) | Denver, Seattle, DFW Metro, Minneapolis | CVE Transition: Direct from ADM VOR; DIESL Transition: (See MSCOT/TTORO Notes); ILEXY Transition: (See MSCOT/TTORO Notes); MQP Transition: Direct from PNH VOR, BGD VOR, TXO VOR, NOSEW, or BATIK; OILLL Transition (Northeast Texas Departures Only): Direct from Airport; TORNN Transition (DFW Metro Departures Only): Direct from SID | File 8L for GUSHR, 26R for DRLLR | Primary STAR for Northwest Gate |
| GESNR (East)/ZEEKK (West) | Unknown | Chicago, Louisville, St. Louis, Nashville | PLANB Transition (ATC Assigned aside from KSHV Departures): Direct From EMG VOR; CARPR Transition (ATC Assigned Only): Direct from EMG VOR; AEX Transition: Direct from Q40, J50, or J58; SWB Transition: Direct from J180/Q33 or HARES | File 8L for GESNR, 26R for ZEEKK | AEX Transition is typically only used for offload purposes, file SWB Transition only unless preferred by ATC |
| SKNRD (East)/DOOBI (West) | Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Doobie Brothers | Atlanta (North Route), East Coast Airports | See ZEEKK/GESNR Notes, Transitions are the same aside from CARPR Transition | File 8L for SKNRD, 26L for DOOBI | PLANB and SWB Transitions are typically used for offload purposes, file AEX Transition only unless preferred by ATC |
| NNCEE (East)/LINKK (West) | Unknown | Orlando, Central America, Atlanta (South Route) | GIRLY Transition (Acadiana Metro Departures Only): Direct GIRLY from KAPGT; HRV Transition: Direct from Q56; JEPEG Transition (KMSY Departures Only): Direct from Airport; KELPP Transition: Direct from A766; LFT Transition (KBTR Departures Only): Direct LFT from GALVO; LEV Transition: Direct from Q102/Y290 or Q100/Y280; MULLT Transition (ATC Assigned Only): Direct from MUSYL or KLAMS; PEGLG Transition: Direct from L208; SEAGL Transition: Direct from L207; SJI Transition: Direct from Q56 or J2 | File 8R/9 for NNCEE, 27 for LINKK | N/A |
| SOULL | Soul Music | Offload STAR for NNCEE/LINKK STAR | Same As Above, plus the following - KCEEE Transition: Direct from LEV VOR; SHLLL Transition: Direct from MUSYL, PEGLG, or KELPP | File 8R/9 for East, 27 for West | Route is only used as an offload for the NNCEE/LINKK STAR, follows standard STAR corridors for Houston-Hobby until BAYYY |
| HTOWN (East)/TEJAS (West) | ‘H-Town’, Nickname for Houston; Spanish Pronunciation for ‘Texas’ | Mexico, Rio Grande Valley, Laredo, El Paso | CRP Transition: Direct from J25, J29, J22 or BRO VOR; LMEDA Transition (KCRP Departures Only): Direct from CRP VOR; NEHOW Transition (Nueces Valley Airports Only): Direct from Airport; SAT Transition: Direct from J138/CSI, or Offload for GUSHR/DRLLR or TTORO/MSCOT STAR; WEMAR Transition (KSAT Departures Only): Direct from SNIDR SID, WEMAR Transition; YEEHA Transition: Direct from LRD VOR or IMMMA | File 8R for HTOWN, 27 for TEJAS | N/A |
Note: BAZBL STAR and Conventional STARs are not listed because they are either restricted to turboprops (BAZBL) or aircraft without RNAV certification (it is explicitly noted that any RNAV-equipped aircraft must file an RNAV STAR).
Use of IAPs
Houston primarily uses straight-in approaches, made easy by RNAV STARs that segue directly into IAF Fixes.
(NOTE: I did not include procedures on the 15s/33s because they are seldom used)
Does this picture scare you? Don’t worry, it’s not as bad as it looks. The chart below will explain this spiderweb in much greater detail.
| Approach Type | Frequency | How They Are Used |
|---|---|---|
| Visual | Common | Used via vectors from ATC, performed with vectors from any STAR. |
| RNAV (RNP) | Common | RNAV (RNP) Approaches bridge right into STARs at Houston, but usually are superseded by Visual Approaches. |
| ILS | Common | Bridge into STARs, used regularly. |
| RNAV (GPS) | Uncommon | Used only in certain circumstances, bridge into STARs. |
And with that, we are at the end of the current rendition of this airport guide. I give a special thanks to @TheExDid_HD for being the inspiration for my layout, @Thunderbolt for inspiring me to enhance my airport guides and viewers like you!
On a side note, this was arguably the most complex airport guide I have ever made, and I look forward to the future of this mega-hub!
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Thank you for stopping by!