A guide to Valley International Airport (HRL)
Quick insights
- Valley International Airport (HRL) is a mid-size regional airport in south Texas with daily flights to Dallas, Houston and Austin.
- There is one terminal at HRL with limited food and shopping options.
- The airport has two parking lots that are both within walking distance of the terminal.
The Valley International AirportOpens overlay is a mid-size, regional airport in Harlingen, Texas. The airport mainly operates flights to and from major Texas cities but is also sometimes referred to as the “gateway to South Padre Island,” given its proximity to the popular vacation destination.
Read on to learn more about how to get to and around HRL.
Navigating to and from HRL
HRL is located in the Rio Grande Valley in South Texas near South Padre Island. The airport is located at 3002 Heritage Way, which can be accessed off Iwo Jima Boulevard or Rebel Drive. The closest expressway is 69E.
The airport offers some ground transportation options to get you to and from HRL, including:
- Rental cars: There are rental car counters located in the terminal at HRL.
- Rideshare: Rideshare operators can pick up and drop off passengers in front of the main terminal. There is no designated rideshare area.
- Taxis and shuttles: Taxi and shuttle services operate out of HRL. There are shuttles at the airport that have direct routes to South Padre Island. Taxi operatorsOpens overlay can be found on the HRL website.
There are no airport shuttle or public transit options at HRL.
Parking at HRL
There are two uncovered parking lots at HRL within walking distance of the terminal:
- Close-In Lot: This short-term lot is closest to the airport and charges a nominal fee for 20-minute parking increments.
- Remote Lot: This lot is for long-term parking and located slightly beyond the short-term lot. The first 30 minutes of parking is complimentary. After 30 minutes, there is an hourly fee.
- Passenger pick up: There isn’t a designated cell phone waiting lot at HRL. Rather, those waiting to pick up passengers can park in the remote lot at no charge for the first 30 minutes.
The airport also offers monthly and yearly parking rates upon request.
HRL terminal information
HRL has one terminal with less than a dozen gates, most of which operate daily flights to Dallas, Houston and Austin. The airport also has seasonal flights to other U.S. cities including Chicago, Denver and Minneapolis as well as Cancun, Mexico.
Security at HRL
There is one security checkpoint at HRL that includes TSA PreCheck® screening. General airport guidance recommends arriving at least 90 minutes ahead of your scheduled departure time for domestic flights and at least 3 hours ahead of international flights.
During busier travel times—like spring break and holidays—travelers may want to build in more time for security screening.
<h3>Getting through airport security faster</h3>
Customs and TSA wait times can vary, but there are Trusted Traveler Programs (TTPs) designed to expedite the security screening process.
TSA PreCheck allows members to use designated lanes at airport security checkpoints. Passengers in those lanes typically do not need to remove light jackets, shoes, belts or jewelry during screening.
Some credit cards offer reimbursement for TTP application fees when the cardmember uses their eligible card to pay the fee.
Airport amenities at HRL
Travelers can find a handful of shops and casual restaurants in airport’s food court and throughout the terminal.
In summary
HRL is a regional airport in the Rio Grande Valley in south Texas near South Padre Island. The airport provides daily service to Dallas, Houston and Austin, and seasonal flights to select U.S. cities and Cancun.
The airport has one terminal and one security screening area with TSA PreCheck. Travelers can park in two parking lots close to the terminal.
