Houston Airports Compared: IAH vs HOU Delays and Cancellations
Houston travelers choose between 2 airports: Houston Intercontinental (IAH) and Hobby (HOU). Across January 2023 to December 2025, delay rates for flights departing them ranged from 20.1% at HOU to 23.3% at IAH, a spread of 3.2 points. Cancellations in 2024 to 2025 ranged from 1.20% to 1.66%. The table uses BTS data for flights departing each airport.
Delay window: January 2023 to December 2025. Cancellation window: 2024 to 2025. Last updated: 2026-10-01. Delayed means a flight arrived 15 or more minutes after its scheduled arrival, the BTS and DOT on-time standard. Cancelled and diverted flights are excluded from delay rates. Historical BTS figures are separate from DelayGuard's per-flight model probability and from live FAA, weather and ground-delay status.
Houston airports head to head| Airport | Delayed 15+ min | Flights | Cancelled | Before 8 AM | After 8 PM | Best hour | Worst hour | Worst month | Largest carrier in this window |
|---|
| Houston Intercontinental (IAH) | 23.3% | 339,044 | 1.66% | 11.5% | 29.0% | 5 AM (9.2%) | 7 PM (32.9%) | July (33.9%) | United Airlines (60.5%) |
| Hobby (HOU) | 20.1% | 165,438 | 1.20% | 6.7% | 29.9% | 5 AM (5.6%) | 10 PM (35.7%) | June (29.6%) | Southwest Airlines (92.3%) |
Pick this airport if
- Pick HOU if you want the lowest overall delay rate (20.1% of departures arrived 15+ minutes late).
- Pick HOU if avoiding cancellations matters most (1.20% of scheduled departures cancelled, 2024 to 2025).
- Pick HOU for a flight before 8 AM (6.7% late, the lowest of the set).
- Pick IAH if you must fly after 8 PM (29.0% late, the lowest of the set).
What shapes each airport
- IAH: United Airlines flies 60.5% of departures, so the airport's record tracks its schedule.
- HOU: Southwest Airlines flies 92.3% of departures, so the airport's record tracks its schedule.
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Questions
- Which Houston airport has the fewest delays?
- Hobby (HOU) has the lowest delay rate at 20.1% across 165,438 departures, January 2023 to December 2025. The others: IAH 23.3%.
- Which Houston airport cancels the fewest flights?
- Hobby (HOU) at 1.20% of 112,313 scheduled departures, 2024 to 2025.
- Is the cheapest Houston airport worth a higher delay risk?
- The delay-rate gap across these airports is 3.2 points. This page compares reliability only, not fares. Check a specific flight in the predictor before you decide.