galveston cruiseport to houston flight times

[jmr1970]

We will be taking a limo/taxi from the Galveston cruise port to Houston airport (Bush) when we disembark in Galveston. Will we have enough time to make a 12 noon flight out of Houston? We will only have carry-on luggage so we don't need to check luggage & we could check-in online prior to arriving at the airport. Are we giving ourselves enough time? The next flight doesn't leave Houston until 430 pm so we are hoping to make the noon flight.

[texasnana]

Depends when you go? Fog is in houston/Galveston today and i know the last two yrs.. jan and feb was bad for fog. I would say take the 4:30 flight to just be safe. If there is an accident it can mean you miss your flight or fog or delay.

[Hypo]

IMHO, no.

 

Galveston is plagued by fog during the winter. It also has some of the slowest unloading porters of any cruise I have been on.

 

Assuming the ship arrives on time, I would expect them to call the self-departure guests around 8 to 8:30 AM. Get through customs and get your pre-arranged limo (taxis are scarce in Galveston on cruise days)

 

We use a limo company called Z-Limousine, Lincoln towncar as we fly from Hobby. Fare is $109.00 each way plus tip for driver. The limo company strongly suggests pickup from the Galveston pier at 10:00 AM at the earliest.

 

By the time you get to the curb, you will be around 9 AM. Most people say that the trip to Bush is close to two hours, which would put you at the airport around 11 AM at the earliest. You still have to check in, get through Security and get to your gate.

 

I would opt for the later flights. Have a leisurely breakfast on the ship get off around 10, get to the airport around 1 and have a nice lunch before your flight.

 

 

OR, what about flying from Hobby? it is about 45 minutes from the port, and a noon flight would be doable, if the ship arrives on time.

[brn2crz]

Risky move honestly. Besides being a little over an hour trip to the airport,

I think its pretty risky, even in a normal disembarkation..

[39august]

Very risky as debarking in Galveston can be a nightmare and take a couple of hours, even carrying off your luggage. We did that a couple of weeks ago and were not thru immigration until 9:30....and they started taking us off at 7:45! IAH Bush is at least 1.5 hours away, even on a weekend.

[joandian]

I'd recommend you take the later flight.

 

Jo

[JXR]

I got off the Magic on Nov 20! I got lucky and was in my rental car by 7:15 or so! No traffic.

 

There was also no fog at all that day! I could've made a 9:30 flight out of IAH.

 

I'm going again on the Magic in March and booked a next day flight in case of fog!

 

Joanne

[CGBCruiser]

I live down here in SE Texas and the drive from Galveston to IAH on the North side of Houston is about 1 hour 10 min. It's 70 miles each way. However, I still wouldn't book a Noon flight...that's really pushing it. Leave @ 4:30 instead!

[salcruizer]

I got off the magic this past Sunday, and missed my 1:30 flight from Bush. Also missed my 2:30 re-booked flight from Bush. Paid huge change penalty and made a 4pm flight with only a few minutes to spare. We were delayed 3+ hours just outside the harbor entrance due to fog, and once we docked, Port of Galveston just cannot handle that many people -- the Magic is too big for the infrastructure. Sure, if things go right, you can make a 1:30pm flight. But, they are unable to react at all to any sort of problem--everything breaks down, from luggage not out for a long time, to no cabs, to traffic back ups like times square. You'll do better if you have a pre-arranged limo waiting at the curb. We did the park and cruise, and needed to get back to the hotel to get our rental car, which ended up being cheaper than a limo but in the long run cost us another 30 minutes and missed flight.