The wage scale will reach $21 per hour in January 2027, $22 per hour in October 2027, and $23 per hour during 2028 for positions covered by airport contracts.
City of Houston airport-contract workers will have a minimum wage of $20 per hour under an executive order signed on August 12.
The measure covers city contracts with airlines, concessionaires and their subcontractors at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), William P. Hobby Airport, and Ellington Airport.
However, the new wage floor does not automatically cover everyone working at those facilities. Each position must be tied to one of the contracts included in the order.
The wage scale will reach $23 per hour during 2028
The increase will begin with a floor of $20 per hour and continue in several stages:
- $20 per hour under the order signed in August 2026.
- $21 per hour starting January 1, 2027.
- $22 per hour in October 2027.
- $23 per hour in 2028.
The city’s official communication did not specify the exact day in October 2027 nor the 2028 date when the last two rates will begin.
Additionally, this will be the first general raise for covered airport workers since 2023. The city tied the new scale to staff retention and the continuity of services at its airports.
IAH, Hobby, and Ellington remain within the order
The scope includes jobs subject to contracts between the City of Houston and companies operating at its three airports. Among them are airlines, concessionaire businesses and companies that work as contractors or subcontractors.
The order does not set a universal wage for all workers in Houston’s aviation industry. Employees of federal agencies, or companies or positions not linked to the covered contracts, remain subject to their own agreements and labor rules.
SEIU Texas estimates that around 35,000 workers could fall within the new framework. That figure reflects a union estimate and not an official count published by the City of Houston.
The new floor exceeds the $15 set for World Cup providers
The new airport wage is independent of other labor commitments adopted in Houston. For example, the World Cup 2026 human rights plan in Houston established a minimum wage of $15 per hour for providers tied to the tournament.
Both measures cover different contracts and groups. Therefore, the applicable wage will depend on the employer, the workplace, and the agreement under which each position operates.
The city published the general scope and the timetable for increases in the official information about the new wage at Houston’s airports.
