Houston flight departure times are improving

Both George Bush Intercontinental and William P. Hobby airports had about average on-time departures in 2023 compared with other major U.S. airports, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

The big picture: On average in 2023, 77% of flights at Bush and 78% at Hobby were on time.

• The national average was 79%.

The intrigue: About 85% of flights out of Bush and 81% of flights out of Hobby departed on time in December 2023, compared with the national average of roughly 83%.

• That's an upswing compared with December 2022, when Southwest Airlines' epic meltdown dragged the industrywide average down to about 70% for the month.

Between the lines: A variety of factors, from weather to issues at a particular airline, can affect each airport's on-time performance, Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick and Kavya Beheraj write.

The latest: This year marked the busiest spring break travel period on record for the Houston Airport System, with a total of 2.3 million passengers at both airports from March 7 to March 18.

• The airport system touted itself as "preserving the trust" of passengers in spite of its continued construction .

What they're saying: "From ensuring efficient traffic flow to enhancing security measures and providing top-notch customer service, we are committed to upholding the highest standards to meet and exceed passenger expectations," said Jim Szczesniak, director of aviation for Houston Airports.

What we're watching: Whether IAH can keep the efficient times as United Airlines begins renovating Terminal B.

Get more local stories in your inbox with Axios Houston.