11:00AM Flight departure from Houston Hobby...is it doable from Galveston?

[Sherman793]

Normally we are walk offs with luggage. Never been out of Galveston for a trip so really looking forward to it. Doing the research looks like about 30 minutes from the port to the airport. Feels like allowing 7:30AM walk off...generous 90 minutes to get thru customs and to the airport we should be there around 9AM. Anyone had any experience with this lately that can gauge if that sounds about right?

 

Our next flight option is 2PM and I sure hate to pick that one if I don't have to. 🙂

[1025cruise]

IMHO, cutting it too close.

[Sherman793]

9 minutes ago, 1025cruise said:

IMHO, cutting it too close.

Have you done this lately? What is the biggest concern. Atlanta these days is a hot mess with short staff at TSA so they have really slowed people down going thru the airport here. Is that a concern at Hobby too?

 

[Galveston Cruiser]

Timing can depend on the time of the year.  Galveston can be subject to fog.

However, we have done multiple self assist and been home by 8 AM; we live 20 blocks to the port.

It is your call, but I would opt for the 2PM flight as issues can arise.

We have self recognition, but that was non operative last weekend so everyone was delayed having to clear immigration in person.

[crazy4themouse]

There is no way Hobby is 30 minutes from the cruise terminal -- More like an hour on a good day. I live South of Houston, a whole lot closer to the terminal than Hobby, and it takes me an hour to get to work on the island -- over that to get back home. And again, that's on a good day, which are few and far between on the Gulf Fwy these days. =/  The construction is *so* bad, and there are so many accidents... There are no shoulders for most of the freeway due to the construction, so even a flat tire causes a ridiculous backup. A couple of weeks ago there was some accident that closed two lanes down, and it took me an hour and 45 minutes to get home from work, and I only live 30 miles away.

 

Add in fog and any other possibility, and it's just a big risk. There have been times when we hadn't even docked by 11am, but we usually sail during fog-prone times of the year. It's up to you -- How hard/expensive would it be to switch to the 2pm flight if you couldn't make the early one?

 

 

Edited June 8, 2022 by crazy4themouse
boneheaded typos

[1025cruise]

On a good day, Hobby is 45 minutes to an hour from the port. I would be stressing too much making that flight. Heck, I wouldn't even book an 11:00 flight out of Ft Lauderdale.

[CruiseBro16]

Last few times I've cruised out of Galveston, debarkation was a nightmare as well as the parking shuttles. I'd take that 2 PM flight and not stress yourself out all morning. 

[1kaper]

So we sailed from Galveston and had a 12 pm flight out of IAH.  I had no other options for flights and had booked long before I even considered timing.  So we were stuck. And we were international. 
We did arrive early, cleared customs early and did self disembark.  We hadn't even gotten to the meeting point at the time they told us and they announce you could leave, we walked right off. No issues at all.   We were off and into a Lyft before 8 am, sailed through no traffic to the airport and arrive in more than plenty of time. 

That said -
It was a stress the whole time worrying we'd get a drive, worrying about traffic, what happened if we missed our flight. 
There also weren't many rideshare options available.  I had a drive lined up, but he didn't respond to texts the night before pickup.  I would have thought that a lot of people would be waiting to pick up cruise passengers but the majority are going to nearby hotels and the drivers don't make much money.  Not sure how the taxis work. 

People posted in our online group that they ended up hitting traffic right behind us.  We must have just missed it.  

It worked out for us. Everything went right.  Yet when we sail out of Galveston next year we are planning to fly out the day after we disembark.  

The difference between 11 and 2 isn't huge and the amount of things that could go wrong is huge.  There is no way I'd risk 11 if 2 was an option. 

[Texas Tillie]

54 minutes ago, 1kaper said:

So we sailed from Galveston and had a 12 pm flight out of IAH.  I had no other options for flights and had booked long before I even considered timing.  So we were stuck. And we were international. 
We did arrive early, cleared customs early and did self disembark.  We hadn't even gotten to the meeting point at the time they told us and they announce you could leave, we walked right off. No issues at all.   We were off and into a Lyft before 8 am, sailed through no traffic to the airport and arrive in more than plenty of time. 

That said -
It was a stress the whole time worrying we'd get a drive, worrying about traffic, what happened if we missed our flight. 
There also weren't many rideshare options available.  I had a drive lined up, but he didn't respond to texts the night before pickup.  I would have thought that a lot of people would be waiting to pick up cruise passengers but the majority are going to nearby hotels and the drivers don't make much money.  Not sure how the taxis work. 

People posted in our online group that they ended up hitting traffic right behind us.  We must have just missed it.  

It worked out for us. Everything went right.  Yet when we sail out of Galveston next year we are planning to fly out the day after we disembark.  

The difference between 11 and 2 isn't huge and the amount of things that could go wrong is huge.  There is no way I'd risk 11 if 2 was an option. 

 

You went to IAH whereas the OP is going to Hobby, much closer to Galveston. However, your main theme is correct, it may work out, it may not.

[1kaper]

4 minutes ago, Texas Tillie said:

 

You went to IAH whereas the OP is going to Hobby, much closer to Galveston. However, your main theme is correct, it may work out, it may not.

 

 

Yes, I realize that.  And I had an extra hour.  My point was I have been in a similar situation and wouldn't risk it even though everything went well for me. 

[Sherman793]

Thanks all booking the 2PM just not worth the stress!