Downtown Houston skyline over Buffalo Bayou. Flights from Seattle to Houston

Route guide

Cheap Flights from Seattle to Houston

Compare Seattle to Houston fares from Sea-Tac to IAH, with which SEA checkpoints sit closest to the S and A gates and where to find rides at IAH.

SEA to IAH · 1,872 mi · 4h 34m est.

SEA to IAH
1,872 miles
4h 34m nonstop (estimated)
4 airlines in our fare results

Photo: David Daniel Turner, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Seattle to Houston flight insights

Average flight time

~4h 34m (estimated)

SEA → IAH

Cheapest cached price

$290

Checking live fares…

Prices shown may not be current. Last checked: Oct 21, 2026.

Planning a trip from Seattle to Houston? The average flight time on this route is ~4h 34m (estimated). The lowest fare we recorded on this route recently was $290 (last checked Oct 21, 2026); today's live fare for your dates can differ.

Seattle to Houston covers a straight-line distance of about 1,872 miles. Based on that distance, a nonstop flight would take approximately ~4h 34m (estimated). Actual flight time varies by airline, aircraft and routing.

Seattle to Houston at a glance

SEA to IAH is about 1,872 miles in a straight line. The curved line is an illustration; the route your airline flies may differ.

Route Quick Facts

Quick facts for flights from Seattle to Houston on Eazair
Origin	Seattle (SEA)
Destination	Houston (IAH)
Average Flight Time	~4h 34m (estimated)
Current Lowest Fare	$290
Fares Last Checked	Oct 21, 2026
Distance	1,872 miles (SEA to IAH)
Time in Houston	2 hours ahead of Seattle
Airlines in our fare results	4

Local time in Houston is 2 hours ahead of Seattle. Seattle is on Pacific Time, Houston on Central Time.

Flight deals from Seattle to Houston

Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA) is the departure airport for this search, and Houston's George Bush Intercontinental (IAH) is the arrival end. Hobby (HOU) is a separate Houston airport and is not included, and neither is Paine Field (PAE) in Everett. Delta, United and American have appeared in EazAir's fare checks for this route. SEA's underground train guide of 2 Sep 2025 says Delta and United use the S and A gates, which helps when choosing a checkpoint.

SEA says Checkpoints 1, 2 and 3 are the closest to the A and S gates, with TSA PreCheck at Checkpoint 3 from 4 a.m. to 8 p.m. Checkpoint 4 is listed as open 24 hours, and its free Spot Saver reservations run from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. for groups of up to 10. The airport advises arriving two hours before a domestic flight and notes that over a third of daily passengers arrive before 9 a.m. Link light rail riders get off at SeaTac/Airport station.

Bush Intercontinental has free trains on both sides of security: the Skyway inside, every 2 minutes, and the Subway outside, every 3 minutes from 3:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. Rideshare pickup is at Door A-114 in Terminal A, Doors C-103 and C-104 in Terminal C, and Level 2, Zone 5 in Terminal E, with none at Terminal B. Taxis wait at Doors A-115, C-105 and E-103. METRO Route 500 leaves Terminal E for downtown Houston about every 30 minutes.

For SEA to IAH, EazAir has stored 2 fare checks, run from 14 Oct to 17 Oct 2026. Each looked for the lowest one-way economy fare for one adult, departing 30 days after the check date, and both checks returned the same result. Delta says every passenger can bring one carry-on and one personal item free on Delta Main Basic. Search your own dates, and check the final price, bags and fare rules on the partner site before you pay.

Airports for Seattle to Houston flights

Departure · Seattle

Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA)

Pacific Time

Arrival · Houston

George Bush Intercontinental (IAH)

Central Time

Other airports near Houston: William P. Hobby (HOU)

About Houston

Areas to know in Houston

Montrose
Rice Village
Midtown

Weather in Houston

A humid subtropical climate with hot, humid summers; winters are mild, making late fall through early spring the more comfortable stretch to visit.

Seattle to Houston: airport and fare guide

Checked on 17 Oct 2026 against the airport, airline and transit pages listed under Sources. Airports and airlines change these details, so confirm them with your airline before you fly.

EazAir searches Houston with the IAH code, and Houston has more than one airport, so check the airport code on every result.

Houston Hobby (HOU) is a separate airport about 11 miles southeast of downtown.

Paine Field (PAE) in Everett, north of Seattle, is a separate airport with its own passenger terminal. Check that your ticket says SEA if you plan to use Sea-Tac.

Leaving from Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA)

Airline	SEA gates
Delta	S and A gates
United	S and A gates
Other airlines	Check your boarding pass or airline app.

Take the Link light rail 1 Line to SeaTac/Airport station. Sound Transit says the pedestrian bridge from the station is open 24 hours, and SEA runs a free Train-to-Plane shuttle from 5 a.m. to midnight.
SEA says app-based rideshares drop off at the terminal on the airport drives. If you are dropped on the baggage claim level, take the elevator or escalator up to ticketing.
SEA says Checkpoints 1, 2 and 3 are closest to the A and S gates, and lists Checkpoint 4 as open 24 hours. SEA says checkpoint hours may change.
SEA lists TSA PreCheck at Checkpoint 3 from 4 a.m. to 8 p.m. CLEAR is at Checkpoint 1, which SEA lists as open from 4 a.m. to 8 p.m.
SEA Spot Saver is a free security time reservation, offered at Checkpoint 4 from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. SEA says you can book up to five days before your flight, for groups of up to 10.
SEA advises arriving two hours before a domestic departure and says over a third of daily passengers arrive before 9 a.m. SEA is working to restore live wait times on the flySEA app and website, so check the signs in the terminal.

Arriving at Houston George Bush Intercontinental (IAH)

The Terminal B ticketing lobby is closed until late 2026, according to the airport's alerts page. Gates B3 to B31 stay open: Terminal B passengers check in, drop bags and clear security at Terminal C, then take the Skyway.
The Skyway train runs inside security, free, every 2 minutes, between Terminals A, B, C and D/E.
The Subway train runs before security, free, every 3 minutes, from 3:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m.

Getting from IAH	Where to board	Where it goes
METRO Route 500 IAH Downtown Direct	Terminal E, Level 2, outside Door E201. Runs seven days a week, about every 30 minutes.	Downtown Houston, including the George R. Brown Convention Center.
Rideshare	Terminal A, Door A-114; Terminal C, Doors C-103 and C-104; Terminal E, Level 2, Zone 5. IAH lists no Terminal B pickup.	Wherever you booked.
Taxis	Terminal A, Door A-115; Terminal C, Door C-105; Terminal E, Door E-103. Zone fare maps are posted near the pickup areas.	Houston area.

What the lowest fares include

Fare	Carry-on	Checked bag	Seat	Changes
Delta Main Basic	Delta says every passenger can bring one carry-on and one personal item free.	Delta charges for checked bags on domestic flights unless you qualify for a waiver, such as Medallion status or an eligible Delta SkyMiles American Express card.	Assigned after check-in. You may be able to buy a seat ahead of time for a fee.	Refunds are not allowed after the 24-hour risk-free cancellation window. Delta says a change or cancellation may be possible for a fee, with any value left as an eCredit.
American Basic Economy	Included, plus a personal item.	Not included, except for some AAdvantage status members and eligible cardmembers.	A free seat is assigned at check-in, or you can pay to choose one.	Generally not allowed. American describes a 24-hour window and some credit options on its Basic Economy page.
United Basic Economy	Not included on domestic flights. One personal item only, unless you are a MileagePlus Premier member, travel with one, or hold a qualifying MileagePlus card.	Not included; check United's bag fee calculator.	Assigned by United before boarding.	Changes may not be allowed. Refund if cancelled within 24 hours of booking, under United's 24-hour policy; after that, partial travel credit.

Based on the airlines' own pages, checked on 17 Oct 2026. Fees are left out because they change often. Check the final price, bags and fare rules on the partner site before you pay.

How EazAir measured fares on this route

EazAir's first 2 fare checks from Seattle to Houston ran from 14 Oct to 17 Oct 2026. For the return direction, Houston to Seattle, EazAir's first 2 checks ran from 14 Sep to 16 Sep 2026. Each check asked partner travel sites for the lowest one-way economy fare for one adult, departing 30 days after the check. Results can include connecting flights. Both checks returned the same result. With only 2 checks, this cannot show a pattern. Search your own dates for current prices.

Sources

SEA: Security screening and checkpoints (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
SEA: SEA Spot Saver (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
SEA: Estimated checkpoint wait times (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
SEA: All aboard the SEA Underground (September 2, 2025, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
SEA: Public transit, Link light rail (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
SEA: App-based rideshare (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Sound Transit: SeaTac/Airport Station (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Houston Airports: IAH alerts (Terminal B lobby) (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Houston Airports: IAH interterminal trains (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Houston Airports: METRO Downtown Direct (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Houston Airports: IAH taxis and ride apps (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Houston Airports: Hobby Airport (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
METRO: Airport bus nonstop (Route 500) (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Southwest: Atlanta to Houston (Hobby) (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Delta: Delta Main Basic (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Delta: Fares and discounts (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Delta: Carry-on baggage (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Delta: Bags (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
American Airlines: Basic Economy (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
United: Basic Economy FAQ (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
EazAir fare checks for SEA to IAH, 14 Oct 2026 to 17 Oct 2026; IAH to SEA, 14 Sep 2026 to 16 Sep 2026

Frequently asked questions

Which Sea-Tac checkpoint should I use for the S and A gates?

SEA says Checkpoints 1, 2 and 3 are closest to the A and S gates, and every checkpoint gives access to all gates. Checkpoint 4 is listed as open 24 hours.

Can I reserve a security time at Sea-Tac?

Yes. SEA Spot Saver is a free reservation offered at Checkpoint 4 from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m., and SEA says you can book up to five days before your flight.

Where is rideshare pickup at IAH?

IAH lists Door A-114 in Terminal A, Doors C-103 and C-104 in Terminal C, and Level 2, Zone 5 in Terminal E. There is no rideshare pickup at Terminal B.

Is there a bus from IAH to downtown Houston?

METRO Route 500 IAH Downtown Direct boards at Terminal E, Level 2, outside Door E201, and runs seven days a week, about every 30 minutes, to downtown including the George R. Brown Convention Center.

Is a carry-on included in the lowest fares from Seattle to Houston?

On Delta Main Basic and American Basic Economy, yes, along with a personal item. United Basic Economy does not include a carry-on on domestic flights, except for MileagePlus Premier members, people travelling with one and qualifying cardholders.

How far apart are SEA and IAH?

SEA and IAH are about 1872 miles apart in a straight line. Flight times vary by airline, direction and routing, so check the scheduled time shown with each result.

Airline bag fees

Baggage allowances differ significantly between fare classes (Basic/Light vs. Standard/Flex) and can change over time. Always verify the exact allowance for your specific fare with the airline before you fly.

Checked bag fees from each airline's own website
Airline	Carry-on, basic economy	1st checked bag	2nd checked bag	Source
American Airlines	Included	$45	$55	aa.com, Sep 24, 2026
United Airlines	Not included	$40	$50	united.com, Sep 24, 2026
Delta Air Lines	Included	$45	$55	delta.com, Sep 24, 2026
JetBlue	Included	$45	$59	jetblue.com, Sep 24, 2026
Alaska Airlines	Included	$45	$55	alaskaair.com, Sep 24, 2026
Frontier Airlines	Not included	Varies	Varies	flyfrontier.com, Sep 24, 2026
Sun Country Airlines	Not included	Varies	Varies	suncountry.com, Sep 24, 2026

Domestic US fees per bag, each way, when paid online in advance. "Varies" means the airline prices bags by route and date.

Travel tips

Arrive early for domestic flights

TSA generally recommends arriving at least 2 hours before a domestic departure, more at larger hub airports during peak travel periods.

Pack a mixed carry-on

Keep a change of clothes, chargers, and any essentials in your carry-on rather than only your checked bag, in case of a delay or a bag that doesn't arrive with you.

Ease jet lag on longer routes

On longer cross-country flights, adjusting your sleep schedule a day or two before departure and staying hydrated in flight can reduce jet lag on arrival.

Screenshot your confirmation

Save a screenshot or PDF of your booking confirmation and boarding pass before you travel, in case you lose signal or battery at the airport.

Check in online when it opens

Most airlines open online check-in 24 hours before departure. Checking in early can help with seat selection and, on some airlines, boarding group assignment.