Houston Hobby endures busiest travel day

  Pooja LodhiaHOUSTON (KTRK) -- The weekend before Christmas is a busy time on the roads and in the air. Thousands of passengers went through Houston today as they head to their homes for the holidays.

Nearly 2 million travelers are expected to pass through Bush Intercontinental and Hobby Airports during the holiday week, and Saturday was Hobby's busiest day.

With a bag filled with goodies, Shirley Kitchens is going to Disneyworld to see her family for the holidays.

"Oh my gosh, I couldn't sleep last night. It was very exciting," she said. "Just being with everybody -- it'll be fun."

Nearly 30,000 people were expected to travel in and out of Hobby Airport on Saturday. Friday was the busiest day at IAH with nearly 111,000 people traveling.

There were a few hang-ups at Hobby -- including delays -- and, as expected, it's not easy booking a last minute flight.

"Everything is booked. Everything is packed right now. It's hard to get in and out of here like normal. I'm going to sit around for four or five hours," Ken Ferguson said. "It'll be alright. I'll watch some TV and go eat."

But for the most part, lines were moving quickly.

"I was surprised because they had done a phenomenal job keeping up with Christmas traffic and making sure that everybody's getting to be where they need to be on time," traveler Brittiny Moore said.

Hobby was not the only busy airport Saturday. According to AAA, Texans are on the move.

The travel group projects nearly 7.7 million Texans will leave home during the holiday period. AAA expects most of them will travel by vehicle -- 7.1 million people to be exact. Texans are expected to log an average of 749 miles round-trip during the holiday period.

Check our travel guide for the latest flight tracker, gas prices and weather forecast.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

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Some families changing Mexico holiday travel plans due to cartel violence

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- The holidays are a time for families to come together, but when your loved ones live south of the border it can give you pause. With drug-related violence still a major concern, some families are changing their plans.

At the Mexican Consulate in Houston, the lines are always long; and during the holidays, even more so, with people going home to visit their families.

"They spend Christmas there and also New Years is a very important date for Mexicans," said Fernanda Villanueva with the Mexican Consulate.

The problem is getting there safely for those who travel by car. Cartel violence is ongoing and the military has been sent in to some areas after Mexican police officers were killed this month. The consulate provides a list of travel safety recommendations to those going home. Even so, Eddie Aragon says there's still a risk and fewer people are willing to take it.

"There aren't as many vehicles as there used to be and the other thing, the place where you're going, not as many of them; not half of the vehicles that used to," Aragon said.

Carmen Aguillar is one of those who's decided to let someone else do the driving after a bad experience across the border.

"I think it's better and more sure to travel by bus," said Aguillar.

Apparently more people are. It's a busy time of year for bus companies that serve cities in Mexico. It's the way this cab driver travels home.

"I take a bus. I don't take no money, no nothing," said Alfonso Vasquez.

The Mexican Consulate recommends not taking a lot of presents if traveling as that might attract unwanted attention and invite problems. And that, says Vasquez, is "pretty sad, I hope soon it gets better."

The consulate says there will be additional federal police on duty at checkpoints to assure travelers.

(Copyright ©2012 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

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Busy holiday travel day in Houston

  HOUSTON (KTRK) -- The holiday travel rush has begun and it won't slow down until after the Christmas weekend. For those of you who may be flying over the next couple days, weather in other parts of the country could disrupt your travel plans.

Airline workers say Thursday was the first major travel day for this holiday period. At Hobby Airport a long line of cars could be seen waiting to drop people off and pick people up. And that's just a little of the business we saw.

With the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, more than 2.1 million people are expected to fly in and out of Houston area airports between now and January 2.

"I checked in like 24 hours early, thinking that we might get bumped. I was worried," said traveler Phillip Saxton.

And the thought of crowds flying out to visit families for Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and New Year's Day isn't the only thing that has some passengers we talked to concerned.

"I just think people are traveling with a lot of stuff, and trying to fit gifts in bags, or bring gifts back, so it's just extra stuff," said traveler Laura Kaplan.

Remember, any gifts you're taking with you need to be unwrapped for screening. Surprisingly, most passengers we talked to say things seem to be pretty smooth out of Bush Intercontinental and Hobby. Airline staff told us extra workers were brought in to help deal with the holiday flow.

"It was good. We just checked in same as normal. Nothing too crazy that kept us longer," said traveler Robbie Kubiak.

We checked with the airlines and the FAA and it appears the major delays travelers are experiencing right now are with flights out of Denver due to the storm, along with several late arrivals out of New Jersey.

Speaking of delays, AAA estimates about 6.9 million people will be driving on Texas roads to visit loved ones. So, expect some back-ups.

For those of you who may be concerned about parking at the airport, we did some checking for you. There is still parking available at the airports, but some of the private vendor lots are filling up quickly.

To better help you plan your trip, check out our holiday travel guide here.

Earlier Thursday

It was a very soggy start to the holiday travel rush. At least 7.5 million Texans are traveling over the next 11 days.

We checked the crowds at Hobby and Bush Airports and while it was busy with bustle of the holiday season, everything appeared to be moving smoothly.

"Toys, baby gifts," said passenger Kelly Owen.

With an oversized duffle bag full of Christmas presents, the Owen family is heading home for the holidays. They are among thousands of passengers who will board planes at Houston airports today.

"Myself, my husband, our nine-month-old Grayson, my sister-in-law Kendall," said Owen.

Tens of thousands of people will fly out of Hobby Airport. Not to mention thousands more at the big airport, as today starts the busiest travel days of the year.

"This is the first time I have flown during Christmas," said traveler Kathy Gibson. "It's an experience."

"We are traveling with a baby for the first time and it's been good," said passenger Jay Barnett.

With rainy conditions in the south and snow and ice causing problems in the north, some travelers are feeling the affects from delays. For passengers like Barnett, its the longer lines that have caused a slight setback.

"I got here and hour early and I missed my flight and now I'm on standby," said Barnett.

Airport officials say passengers should brace themselves for crowded airports and advise against wrapping gifts before going through checkpoints.

Airport officials are still advising travelers to get there early. And here's something to keep in mind if you're headed to Hobby. The roadway leading to the airport's ticketing level is under construction. Traffic is being diverted to the parking garage.

The Houston Airport System expects to see more than 2.1 million passengers going through Bush Airport during the holiday season. The busiest days there are Thursday and Friday. At Hobby Airport, nearly 280,000 passengers are expected to fly out and the busiest days there are expected to be today, Friday, Monday and Tuesday.

For all your holiday travel needs, make sure to check our holiday travel guide. You'll find the latest status on flights, road conditions, weather anywhere and more.

(Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

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The Travel Agent - Houston, Texas

When considering your next vacation spot, which destinations come to mind? The all time favorites such as Hollywood, Hawaii, New York?

Well, you won't be surprised to learn that these are the same vacation spots that most people think of when they plan their trips. And have you ever remarked that when you arrive at your vacation destination, it's too crowded to really enjoy yourself because everyone else is on vacation there too? Next time you've got a hankering for travel, trying thinking outside of the box. There are hundreds of places that people never consider when thinking "vacation." If you look just a little harder, you'll find many hidden treasures in America alone. One such place is Houston, Texas. True, not many people who've never traveled there will associate Houston with "great vacation spot," but you will soon learn that it's just as good as (if not better than!) your typical vacation "hot spots."

Houston is one of the most multicultural cities in the United States. So it is no surprise that Houston takes every opportunity to display the very diverse cultures of its inhabitants. The city plays host to many festivals throughout the year. Some festivals represent the unique cultures that you will find in the city, such as the Greek festival, and others celebrate the variety of lifestyles, as with the annual night-time Houston Pride Parade. Houston also has several festivals that are unique to this great city. The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is the city's largest and longest running festival. This wild event is not to be missed: the festival features bull riding, livestock judging, and trail rides, among many other events. If you like cowboys, you are in for a treat! And every year the best in music make their appearance on stage at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. In fact, the Houston Rodeo was the venue of one of the most famous concerts Houston has ever seen: Selena's concert in the Astrodome. Houston also offers several funky festivals such as their Art Car Parade. No matter what time of year you are intending to visit, you should have no trouble coordinating your trip to correspond with one of these great festivals.

Only five minutes out of downtown Houston you will find the bustling center of Houston's gay community: the diverse and thriving city of Montrose. Montrose abounds with trendy clothing shops, enticing restaurants, romantic B&Bs, and an energetic nightlife. And no trip to Houston is complete without an exploration of the city itself! Take care to plan your itinerary in advance of exploring Texas' largest city, as there are simply so many sights to see. From museums and operas to dazzling restaurants--offering both casual and gourmet dining--Houston truly is an overlooked jewel in the world of vacation destinations. Houston also boasts many great shopping opportunities--from designer boutiques to flea markets that offer enticements to every shopper. And don't forget to take full advantage of the exciting nightlife that the city has to offer with its many happening bars and clubs.

During your stay in Houston, you'll have no trouble locating hot nightlife: Main Street itself offers enough venues to keep you busy for a month. Or head to the Theater District for a variety of restaurants and attractions.

Houston boasts a hot gay scene including a Texas Gay Rodeo, and Pride parades and festivals throughout the year. The hub of gay life in Houston is the Montrose district, a district bursting with cafes, boutiques, and specialty stores. And, come nightfall, whether it's country line dancing or rave--or anything in between!--that floats your boat, you'll find it all in Montrose.

Houston is a great place to visit all year round. Next time you're planning a vacation, be creative and look for those out of the way vacation spots. Choosing a vacation down the road less traveled ensures that your vacation won't be ruined by other tourists cramping your style. Plus, in the absence of all those other vacationers, you won't have to feel like a tourist. Take the advice of your very own secret destination travel guide and get lost in Houston!

Before you make your reservations for Houston, visit WorldwideGayTravel.com, your headquarters for all travelers, particularly specializing in gay travel.

Travel enthusiasts might think about some of these common gay travel spots:

* Paris

* Ft. Lauderdale

* Puerto Rico

* San Francisco

* Chicago

* Hawaii

* Prague

* London

* New Orleans

Greg Scott writes for WorldwideGayTravel.com, where you can arrange for hotels, flights, rental cars and all of your travel needs for your gay Houston travel and travel for all travelers.