travel woes
Flights at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston will run travelers about $392 on average.
Before booking that next flight from Houston, you may want to double check those ticket prices: A new report has revealed George Bush Intercontinental Airport is one of the most expensive airports in America in 2025.
IAH climbed into the 11th spot in travel magazine LocalsInsider's rankings of "The Most and Least Affordable U.S. Airports," published March 4. The report ranked 50 of the busiest U.S. airports based on average ticket prices for domestic flights using the latest available data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS).
The average price of a domestic flight at IAH came out to $391.86, which is the 11th priciest fare nationwide. That's also higher than the national average airfare.
"In 2025, airline ticket prices have increased by 7.1 percent year-over-year, and the average airfare is $365.64, according to the most recent data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics," the report said.
William P. Hobby Airport also appeared among the top 50 priciest airports, ranking 34th. The average price for a domestic flight at HOU is $341.28, the report found.
Unfortunately for travelers booking flights in Washington, D.C., Washington Dulles International Airport is the No. 1 most expensive U.S. airport in 2025. Average airfares at IAD come out to $472.61, which is 1.4 percent more expensive than last year.
All major Texas airports
IAH wasn't the only expensive Texas airport that appeared in LocalsInsider's top 15 least affordable American airports.
Dallas/Fort Worth Internatinal Airport ranked one spot above Houston, appearing as the 10th least affordable airport nationally, with airfares soaring to $392.31 on average.
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and San Antonio International Airport weren't too far behind, landing in the No. 14 and No. 15 spots, respectively. Average ticket prices in Austin are just 12 cents cheaper than San Antonio's, at $384.64 versus $384.52 in the Alamo City.
However, Austin airport ticket prices have skyrocketed higher than nearly every other U.S. airport. Year-over-year BTS data found AUS airfare has risen nearly 8 percent. Only John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, California eclipsed Austin with a near 12 percent price increase since 2024.
Popular travel hack
With flights becoming more expensive, many travelers are turning towards an unusual method of getting to their destination.
The report unveiled "skip-lagging" – the process of booking a flight with a layover and exiting during the layover rather than continuing to travel to the final destination – is becoming more popular in three major Texas cities.
Houston, Dallas, and Austin all appeared among the report's list of top 25 U.S. cities where "skip-lagging" is gaining popularity, since flights with layovers are often more affordable than nonstop flights to the same city.
Even though travelers may save money using this "hack," the report warns that they may get in trouble for it.
"Although skip-lagging provides travelers with the opportunity to bypass higher fares, it’s important to keep in mind that airlines discourage this travel hack, and they may even impose penalties on repeat offenders," the report said.
Instead, LocalsInsider suggests travelers book midweek flights one to three months in advance that depart on Tuesdays and Wednesdays (which tend to be cheaper than weekend flights), and search for any regional airports that may offer more affordable airfare than major travel hubs. Google Flights also offers a helpful feature to help budget-savvy travelers track their flight pricing.
The top 10 most expensive American airports are:
on the road
A primitive camping spot in the Texas Panhandle has just been named one of the most scenic campgrounds in America, boasting some of the prettiest views nationwide.
North Prong Primitive Campground is the sole Texas destination to make the cut in North American travel publication Matador Network's list of "60 Campsites With the Best Views Across the United States."
The San Francisco-based publication collaborated with various parks organizations, tourism boards, and campground review platform The Dyrt to develop its list of the most scenic American camping spots.
The list contains a variety of locations – from primitive sites with no amenities to full-service campgrounds with electrical hookups and WiFi – that each "represent the variety of experiences and landscapes available in each region" of the United States. The 60 sites were sorted into regional categories along the East Coast, West Coast, "Mountain West," Midwest, South, and in Alaska, Hawai’i, and other U.S. territories.
"Camping in the United States is as much about the landscapes as it is about the experience of being outdoors," the report said. "The country’s diverse geography and sheer size give it some of the most striking natural views in the world, from towering mountain ranges to vast desert expanses, dense forests, remote coastlines, shimmering glaciers, and even tropical rainforests."
North Prong Primitive Campground stood out among Matador's top-10 list of "Prettiest Places to Camp in the South." The campground is located within Caprock Canyons State Park in Quitaque, Texas, which is over 500 miles northwest from Houston.
There are eight different secluded campsites for visitors to pitch their tents at North Prong, offering breathtaking views of the park's red rock canyons and the wide-open Texas sky. 
Get ready to hike to reach the campground.Photo courtesy of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
"Most tent sites have expansive views of canyons with flat clearings on vivid red dirt and are dotted with cottonwood trees and scrub oaks," the report says. "The colors are vivid as can be at sunrise and sunset when light magnifies off steep red canyon walls in the distance."
According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, it's a one-mile hike to reach the camping area, and visitors must bring their own drinking water and keep pets on a leash at all times. There are no trash cans on-site, so all trash must be carried out by campers, but the area does have composting toilets nearby. Ground fires are not allowed.
Matador recommends travelers book a reservation to gain access to the area, but clarifies that reservations do not provide access to one of the eight camping sites.
The report suggests traveling to the Panhandle campground during the spring when the weather isn't too hot yet, or in the fall months when there may be fewer dramatic temperature fluctuations.
"The South’s relatively mild winters make it a year-round camping destination, but summer heat and humidity can be intense, especially in the Deep South," the report said.
The top 10 best places to camp in the South are:
