Logistics Changes: IAH-COS

The connection time between the arrival of our flight from İstanbul to Houston on 2 January is just too tight to make the last flight out to Colorado Springs. Hence the need for an overnight hotel stay.

Earlier this year, I booked us into the Marriott at IAH ... connected to the terminal via an underground shuttle and walkway. Pricey, but I figured I'd keep checking for a better rate. So far no go.

While checking rates today, I saw a much better deal at the Marriott Courtyard. Yes, it would require a shuttle ride. Yes, we're still leery of riding with "others not in our COVID bubble." But we're also less leery since we are now fully vaccinated ... and the ride is under three miles.

So, I switched us to the Courtyard. We can cancel the rez until midnight on 1 January. That means no fuss ... no muss if we change our minds. Or, if suddenly United adds a later flight to COS and we no longer need a hotel.

FLIGHT SCHEDULE CHANGE

Schedule changes aren’t always welcome. But this time I was pleased to see the change that popped up on the UA site when I went to look at our booking. I can’t say what prompted me to check the website, but I am glad I did.

At the time I booked our flight home for 3 January, the only non-stop to COS was at 2:30p … a lot of time to kill at the hotel and airport. Well, that’s no more.

The new schedule has us departing IAH at noon. This means that we’ll likely be home by the time the original flight was to have taken off from IAH. That’s a good thing. Mui can do some provisioning so that we don’t go hungry … and the shopping will keep him from succumbing to jet lag.Læs mere