A pre-booked Houston airport transfer is simple once you know the sequence: you book with your flight number, the chauffeur tracks the flight, meets you inside arrivals with a name board, and drives you to your address at a price that was fixed when you booked. The two things that vary are which airport you use and how long it takes you to get from the aircraft door to the arrivals hall.
With Elly8.net, a business sedan from Hobby (HOU) to the Galleria and Uptown is US$180 all-in and from Bush Intercontinental (IAH) US$235; an Executive Sprinter for up to 12 with 12 bags is US$470 and US$615. The price includes the chauffeur, the vehicle, taxes, a standard gratuity, meet and greet and complimentary waiting after a tracked landing. This guide walks through each step at both airports, then compares the alternatives with the airports' own published fares.
How does a pre-booked airport transfer work in Houston?
You book with your flight number and address. The chauffeur tracks the flight, adjusts to the actual landing, and waits inside arrivals with a name board: at IAH in your terminal's arrivals area or after Customs in Terminal E, at Hobby by baggage claim. The fixed price covers the ride, taxes, gratuity and waiting after a tracked landing.
Rides in Houston are operated by licensed, commercially insured local chauffeur partners vetted through the Limousine Worldwide network; Elly8.net takes the booking, fixes the price and runs the 24/7 desk.
Step 1: booking, and why the flight number matters
Enter the airport, the flight number, the drop-off address and the number of passengers and bags. The flight number does two jobs. It lets the chauffeur follow the flight and adjust to an early or late arrival without a phone call. And in Houston it is part of the paperwork: the City's rules for chauffeured limousine services require that a trip starting at a city airport carries a written or electronic agreement listing the passengers' names, the airline, the flight number, the terminal and the scheduled arrival time. Booking it properly from the start keeps the pickup compliant and smooth.
Add anything the chauffeur should know: child seats and the children's ages, golf bags or oversized cases, a wheelchair that folds, or a preference for a curbside meeting instead of inside arrivals.
See Houston prices and reserve
Step 2: choose the vehicle by passengers and bags
Count bags as carefully as people. A sedan that seats three only takes two large cases.
| Vehicle | Passengers | Large bags | IAH to the Galleria | HOU to the Galleria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business sedan | up to 3 | 2 | US$235 | US$180 |
| Business SUV | up to 6 | 6 | US$310 | US$235 |
| First Class SUV | up to 6 | 6 | US$380 | US$290 |
| First Class sedan | up to 3 | 2 | US$415 | US$315 |
| Executive Sprinter | up to 12 | 12 | US$615 | US$470 |
Round trips cost less than two one-ways: IAH to the Galleria and back is US$450 in a business sedan and US$1,170 in an Executive Sprinter; Hobby and back runs from US$345 to US$895. Partner vehicles are four model years old or newer, seven for Rolls-Royce, Maybach and Bentley. For groups and families with lots of luggage, our guide to Houston Sprinter van rental explains when a Sprinter is worth it.
Step 3: landing at Bush Intercontinental (IAH)
IAH is about 27 miles (44 km) from the Galleria, roughly 41 minutes on a clear road. It has five terminals, A to E, linked before security by an underground train.
Domestic arrivals. You land, walk to baggage claim in your terminal and find the chauffeur in the arrivals area with a name board. If you have only a carry-on, message the desk and the chauffeur will meet you at the earliest point the terminal allows.
International arrivals. Passengers from abroad clear Customs and Immigration and generally come out in the Terminal E international arrivals hall, whatever gate they used. The chauffeur waits there. Customs can be quick or slow depending on how many flights landed together, which is why waiting is tied to the tracked landing, not to a fixed clock time.
Terminal B. The airport notes that the new B North concourse is open, but check-in and security for B North currently run through the Terminal C lobby until the new Terminal B lobby opens in a later phase. If you are flying out of B North, allow for that walk.
The IAH taxi and ride app page lists the taxi stands outside baggage claim at Terminal A (Door A-115), Terminal C (Door C-105) and Terminal E (Door E-103), and the ride app zones at Terminal A (Door A-114), Terminal C (Doors C-103 and C-104) and Terminal E (Level 2, Zone 5). Passengers arriving at Terminal B South who use a ride app are directed to Terminal A or C. A pre-booked chauffeur saves you that walk: the meeting is inside, and the chauffeur walks you to the car.
Step 4: landing at Hobby (HOU)
Hobby is the closer airport for most of central Houston: about 17 miles (28 km) from the Galleria, around 30 minutes on a clear road, and closer still to downtown, the Texas Medical Center and the Clear Lake side of the city. It is a compact airport, international passengers are processed through Customs on site, and the walk from gate to baggage claim is short.
Your chauffeur meets you by baggage claim. The Hobby taxi and ride app page puts taxis in Curb Zone 2 outside baggage claim and ride app pickups in Curb Zone 5, reached through the door nearest Baggage Claim Carousel No. 4. Evening banks of arrivals can crowd those curbs, which is when a chauffeur waiting inside makes the biggest difference.
Step 5: waiting time, delays and slow Customs
This is the part most travellers worry about, so here is exactly how it works.
- Early landing. The chauffeur sees it on the flight tracker and is there when you come out.
- Late landing. The chauffeur adjusts to the actual landing time. You do not need to call.
- Slow baggage or Customs. Complimentary waiting after a tracked landing is included in the price. Waiting beyond the included time is billed at cost.
- Missed connection or cancelled flight. Message the 24/7 desk with the new flight, and the booking moves with you.
- Can't find the chauffeur. You receive the chauffeur's details before pickup; call or message, or call the desk.
The meet and greet page explains the arrivals routine in more detail.
Step 6: the drive, and why the price does not change
Clear-road times are a floor. The Beltway, the Southwest Freeway and the North Freeway can slow sharply at evening peak, and a summer storm can flood underpasses quickly. Because the Elly8.net price is fixed per vehicle, a slow drive costs the chauffeur time, not you. Tolls and parking are the only items billed at cost.
How the alternatives compare
Every option has its place, and the airports publish useful figures.
Taxi. The City of Houston's 2026 taxicab rate schedule sets zone fares from the airports: daytime IAH zone fares run from about US$46 to US$142 depending on the zone, and night trips cost US$1 more. The IAH page adds a US$2.75 departure surcharge and a US$1.00 late-night surcharge between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. At Hobby, the airport lists approximate fares before gratuity of US$29 to downtown, US$35 to the Medical Center and NRG Park and US$59 to the Galleria, with a US$1.25 departure fee and the same late-night surcharge.
METRO bus. METRO's 500 IAH Downtown Direct leaves from Terminal E, Level 2, Door E201, and runs to downtown and the George R. Brown Convention Center for US$4.50 one way, every 30 minutes from 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., according to the airport's METRO page.
Ride apps. App prices are set at the moment you request and can rise with demand; pickup is at the zones above.
| Option | Price | Where you meet it | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elly8.net business sedan, HOU to the Galleria | US$180 fixed, all-in | inside, by baggage claim | Fixed budget, meet and greet, late arrivals |
| Elly8.net business sedan, IAH to the Galleria | US$235 fixed, all-in | inside arrivals, or Terminal E after Customs | Long-haul arrivals, business travel |
| Taxi from Hobby to the Galleria | about US$59 before tip, plus fees | Curb Zone 2 | One traveller, light bags |
| Taxi from IAH | City zone fare, about US$46 to US$142 daytime, plus fees | Doors A-115, C-105, E-103 | One or two travellers, off-peak |
| METRO 500 from IAH | US$4.50 one way | Terminal E, Door E201 | Solo budget travel to downtown or the GRB |
| Ride app | app price, varies with demand | posted ride app zones | Short notice, one or two travellers |
The honest verdict: a solo traveller landing at Hobby at midday with one bag, going downtown, will usually do well with a taxi. A solo traveller heading to the GRB from IAH before 8 p.m. can take the METRO 500 for US$4.50. A pre-booked chauffeur wins for families with child seats, groups with luggage, late arrivals, executives with a meeting soon after landing, and anyone who wants the total settled before take-off. Our comparisons of chauffeur vs taxi and chauffeur vs Uber and Lyft go into the general trade-offs.
Departures: getting to IAH or Hobby on time
For a departure, the same fixed prices apply in reverse. Book the pickup time based on your flight, the airline's check-in cut-off and the time of day; the desk will suggest a time that allows for evening traffic. At IAH, tell the desk your airline and terminal, and if you are flying from Terminal B North, allow for checking in through the Terminal C lobby. Drop-off is at the departures level of your terminal.
After the transfer
Many Houston arrivals continue with a day of meetings, a hospital visit or a trip to Galveston. If the chauffeur would otherwise wait for you, it is usually better value to book by the hour: see our guide to booking a Houston private driver. For travellers heading to the cruise port, cruise port transfers cover every terminal at Galveston. The full service is described on the airport transfers page.
How to book a Houston airport transfer
- Enter the airport, flight number and drop-off address.
- Choose the vehicle for your passengers and bags.
- Press Reserve now to pay, or use the web booker for any address not on the price list. Confirmation arrives by email, followed by the chauffeur's details.
Cancellation: free more than 72 hours before pickup; 10% at 72 hours or less; 50% at 48 hours or less; 100% at 24 hours or less or for a no-show, with refunds to the original card. Corporate travellers can book on a corporate account with monthly invoicing.
Elly8.net is a member of LimousineWorldwide.Directory, LimousineAssociation.International, HotelsWorldwide.Directory and VacationsWorldwide.Directory.
Frequently asked questions
How much is an airport transfer from IAH to the Galleria?
A fixed Elly8.net business sedan from IAH to the Galleria and Uptown is US$235 all-in, a business SUV US$310 and an Executive Sprinter US$615. The price includes the chauffeur, vehicle, taxes, a standard gratuity, meet and greet and complimentary waiting after a tracked landing. Tolls and parking are billed at cost.
Where does the chauffeur meet passengers at IAH?
Inside arrivals with a name board. For domestic flights that is the arrivals area of your terminal; for international flights, the chauffeur waits in the Terminal E international arrivals hall after Customs. If you prefer a curbside pickup, tell the desk when you book and the chauffeur will coordinate by text.
How long will the chauffeur wait if the flight is late?
The chauffeur tracks the flight and adjusts to the actual landing time, so a delay does not count against you. Complimentary waiting after a tracked landing is included in the price, which covers normal baggage and Customs times. Waiting beyond the included time is billed at cost.
Is Hobby or IAH better for the Galleria and downtown?
Hobby is closer: about 17 miles (28 km) and roughly 30 minutes on a clear road to the Galleria, against about 27 miles (44 km) and 41 minutes from IAH. Hobby transfers start at US$180. IAH has most long-haul international flights, so the airline often decides for you.
Is the METRO bus or a taxi cheaper than a car service?
For one person, yes. METRO's 500 runs from IAH Terminal E to downtown and the George R. Brown Convention Center for US$4.50, and the Hobby airport page estimates a taxi to downtown at about US$29 before tip. For families, groups, late arrivals or heavy luggage, a fixed-price car is often better value per person.
Can a group arriving on different flights share one booking?
Yes. Book one vehicle per arrival, or one Sprinter timed to the last flight, under one reference with a single contact. Give every flight number so each pickup can be tracked. The desk will suggest the most efficient plan when arrivals are spread across both airports.
