Regional Airport Inventory

The airport inventory covers 26 system airports serving general aviation in the Houston-Galveston region. These airports are all open to public use and typically have a paved runway, are owned by one person, entity or partnership, and have basic facilities for airport fueling, repair and storage.

System Airports

The Regional Aviation System Plan defines a system airport as a regionally significant public-use airport that help meet the aviation needs of the region. “Regionally significant” airport facilities are defined as:

  • Publicly-owned airport
  • Privately-owned airport open to public-use with attractions for itinerant operations
  • 3,000 ft. paved runway (serves 95% of single-engine aircraft weighing less than 12,500 lbs.)
  • At least 10 based aircraft

System airports provide needed aviation facilities and services and help to make the region a destination for aircraft nationwide. The Regional Aviation System Plan includes airports with varying locations, facilities and services to provide a range of options for the aviation community.

Aircraft Type Based Aircraft Percent of Total
Single-engine propeller 2,181 72%
Multi-engine propeller 403 13%
Jet 249 8%
Helicopter 112 4%
Glider 11 .4%
Ultralight 9 .3%
Military 67 2%
Total 3,032  

Regional Airport System Map

Regional Airport System Map

Regional Airport Classifications

Eight of the airports are owned by private individuals or companies, while 18 are owned by public entities such as cities or counties. The airports have 3,032 based aircraft that generate more than 1.9 million annual operations. The Regional Aviation System Plan includes 2 commercial service, 10 reliever and 14 general aviation airports as described below:

Commercial Service

Supports scheduled passenger service by transport aircraft. Primary commercial service airports have more than 10,000 passengers per year.

Reliever

Relieves congestion at a commercial service airport by providing an alternative for general aviation. Reliever airports typically have at least 100 based aircraft.

General Aviation

Airports with no scheduled air carrier service or scheduled air carrier service for less than 2,500 passengers per year.

As shown in the table below, the reliever airports are the heart of the regional aviation system. These 10 airports relieve Bush Intercontinental and Hobby of nearly one million annual aircraft operations.

Instrument approaches aid pilots in landing at airports in low visibility. Twenty three airports have at least one instrument approach. In addition, seven airports have air traffic control towers.

Commercial Service Airports

Airport City Owner Longest Runway Runway Condition Instrument Approach Control Tower Based Aircraft Aircraft Operations Economic Impact*
George Bush Intercontinental Airport Houston Public 12,001 ft Good Yes Yes 72 591,700 $10,900
William P. Hobby Airport Houston Public 7,602 ft Good Yes Yes 273 219,000 $2,500

Reliever Airports

Airport City Owner Longest Runway Runway Condition Instrument Approach Control Tower Based Aircraft Aircraft Operations Economic Impact*
Texas Gulf Coast Regional Airport Angleton/Lake Jackson Public 7,000 ft Good Yes   99 60,000 $30
David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport Houston Private 7,000 ft Fair Yes Yes 478 247,800 $84
Ellington Airport Houston Public 9,001 ft Good Yes Yes 270 153,200 $345
Houston Southwest Airport Arcola Private 5,000 ft Good Yes   140 46,400 $13
La Porte Municipal Airport La Porte Public 3,500 ft Good Yes   167 79,400 $17
Lone Star Executive Airport Conroe Public 6,000 ft Good Yes Yes 231 83,900 $152
Pearland Regional Airport Pearland Private 4,313 ft Good Yes   216 87,400 $33
Scholes International Airport Galveston Public 6,001 ft Good Yes Yes 141 35,500 $113
Sugar Land Regional Airport Sugar Land Public 8,000 ft Good Yes Yes 127 75,600 $95
West Houston Airport Houston Private 3,953 ft Good Yes   316 103,000 $17

General Aviation Airport

Airport City Owner Longest Runway Runway Condition Instrument Approach Control Tower Based Aircraft Aircraft Operations Economic Impact*
Bay City Municipal Airport Bay City Public 5,107 ft Good Yes   43 8,800 $6.6
Baytown Airport Baytown Private 4,334 ft Good Yes   58 9,600  
Chambers County Airport Anahuac Public 3,005 ft Good Yes   11 3,000 $6
Cleveland Municipal Airport Cleveland Public 4,998 ft Good Yes   43 14,200 $0.9
Eagle Lake Airport Eagle Lake Public 3,801 ft Good Yes   28 13,200  
Houston Executive Airport Brookshire Private 6,610 ft Good Yes   37 9,000  
Huntsville Municipal Airport Huntsville Public 5,005 ft Good Yes   38 21,400 $8.4
Liberty Municipal Airport Liberty Public 3,801 ft Good Yes   13 5,700 $0.2
Palacios Municipal Airport Palacios Public 5,001 ft Fair Yes   16 3,000 $0.2
Robert R. Wells, Jr. Airport Columbus Public 3,800 ft Fair     12 2,800 $0.08
Weiser Airpark Houston Private 3,455 ft Good Yes   78 38,000  
Wharton Regional Airport Wharton Public 5,004 ft Good Yes   58 11,800  
North Houston Business Airport Porter Private 3,596 ft Fair     56 10,000 $2.2
Winnie-Stowell Airport Winnie Public 3,600 ft Fiar     11 3,000 $0.5

*In $millions.