Group Pickup & Drop-Off at Midland International Air and Space Port (MAF), Lubbock Preston Smith (LBB), Lea County Regional (HOB) & Roswell International Air Center (ROW)
Flying in or out of Southeastern New Mexico and the Permian Basin with a group requires a clear ground transportation plan. Whether your energy group is catching a commercial flight out of Lea County Regional Airport (HOB) right on the west side of Hobbs, your corporate team is landing on a mainline jet at Midland International Air and Space Port (MAF) or Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport (LBB) across the Texas state line, or your group is arriving via Roswell International Air Center (ROW), coordinating dozens of passengers and heavy luggage across long desert highways is no job for a caravan of rental cars or hard-to-find rideshares. Booking a private Hobbs airport charter bus rental keeps your entire roster together on one schedule from the baggage claim curb straight to your hotel, oilfield site, or campus!
When you fill out one quick form on Hobbs
Key Takeaways
- Lea County Regional Airport (HOB): Located 4 miles west of downtown Hobbs on US-62/180 (Marland Blvd); charter buses load and unload directly at the main terminal curb at 6601 W. Carlsbad Hwy with free surface parking right outside.
- Midland International Air and Space Port (MAF): Located about 115 minutes southeast of Hobbs via TX-18 / TX-176 / TX-349 or US-385; charter buses drop off and pick up along the single-level terminal loop on La Force Blvd and stage outside the loop until bags are claimed.
- Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport (LBB): Located roughly 1 hour and 50 minutes northeast of Hobbs via US-62/82 East; commercial buses use the outer commercial lane along the single-level terminal drive at 5401 N. Martin Luther King Blvd.
- Roswell International Air Center (ROW): Located about 1 hour and 45 minutes northwest of Hobbs via US-62/180 and US-285; oversized buses enjoy easy flat-lot access right outside the terminal at 1 Jerry Smith Circle.
- Curbside Waiting Rules: TSA security rules prohibit unattended or idling commercial buses at terminal curbs across all four airports, so always gather your entire group and all checked luggage before signaling your driver to pull up.
Tips for Hobbs Airport Travel with Groups
Keep these helpful tips in mind when organizing group airport transfers between Hobbs and HOB, MAF, LBB, or ROW:
Before travel day, check each airport’s official website for the latest flight schedules, terminal updates, and ground transportation advisories:
- Account for Central vs. Mountain Time Zone changes: Hobbs and Roswell operate on Mountain Time (MT), while Midland (MAF) and Lubbock (LBB) just across the Texas border operate on Central Time (CT)—one hour ahead! Always double-check that your pickup schedule reflects local airport time so your group never misses a departure window or waits around after landing.
- Gather all bags before calling your driver to the curb: Airport security enforces strict active-loading rules along terminal loops at MAF and LBB. Have your whole group claim their suitcases and assemble near the baggage claim exit doors before texting your driver to pull in from the staging area.
- Match your bus size to your luggage and equipment: Oilfield rotation groups, college athletic teams from the University of the Southwest or New Mexico Junior College, and corporate groups traveling with heavy pelican cases or oversized duffels should book a 56-passenger charter bus with cavernous under-floor luggage bays. Traveling with carry-ons only? A 25-passenger minibus or sprinter van with a driver offers nimble, cost-effective transfers.
- Share your airline and flight number after booking: Weather delays in West Texas and Eastern New Mexico can shift arrival times quickly. Providing your flight details during your post-booking confirmation check ensures your operator tracks your flight status in real time and adjusts your pickup window automatically.
- Book long-distance and multi-bus packages in one search: Because MAF, LBB, and ROW sit 90 to 110 miles from Hobbs, rideshares are rarely willing to make the cross-border trek. Through our network, you can easily lock in a Hobbs long-distance charter bus—or even a multi-bus fleet for large conventions and group changes—all starting with one quick online form!
- Lea County Regional Airport (HOB) visitor information
- Midland International Air and Space Port (MAF) terminal & parking info
- Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport (LBB) ground transportation
- Roswell International Air Center (ROW) passenger guide
Know Before You Go: Charter Bus Guidelines at Hobbs-Area Airports
Every commercial motorcoach, minibus, party bus, and sprinter van operating at New Mexico and West Texas airports must follow federal TSA curb rules and local airport authority guidelines. Review this quick-reference chart so your group knows exactly where to go:
| Airport | Distance from Hobbs | Departures Drop-Off | Arrivals Pickup | Commercial Staging / Parking | Curb Waiting Allowed? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HOB (Lea County Regional) | 4 miles west (10 mins) | Main Terminal Curb off US-62/180 | Main Terminal Curb outside Baggage Claim | On-site surface lot east of main terminal (Free parking) | No (Active loading only at immediate curb) |
| MAF (Midland International) | 92 miles SE (1 hr 30 mins) | Terminal Drive outer commercial lane | Outer commercial island across from Baggage Claim (East end) | MAF Cell Phone Waiting Lot / Commercial staging on Sloan Field Blvd | No (Strict TSA active-loading enforcement) |
| LBB (Lubbock Preston Smith) | 110 miles NE (1 hr 50 mins) | Single-level Terminal Loop outer curb | Outer commercial island outside East/South Baggage Claim doors | LBB Cell Phone Lot / Oversized surface area off N. MLK Blvd | No (Drivers must stage until bags are in hand) |
| ROW (Roswell International) | 90 miles NW (1 hr 45 mins) | Terminal Front Circle | Terminal Front Circle outside Arrivals exit | Expansive open surface lot adjacent to terminal circle | No (Stage in adjacent surface lot while waiting) |
Charter Bus Guide to Midland International Air and Space Port (MAF)
Hit the road with confidence when your group flies through Midland International Air and Space Port (MAF), located at 9506 La Force Blvd, Midland, TX 79706. Situated about 92 miles southeast of Hobbs between Midland and Odessa, MAF is the busiest major commercial hub for Permian Basin energy companies, sports teams, and large groups traveling to and from Lea County.
Major Roadways to MAF
Your driver will typically connect Hobbs to MAF by taking NM-18 South to TX-176 East through Andrews and down TX-349 South into Midland, or by following US-62/180 East to US-385 South through Seminole and Odessa. Approaching the airport, buses use I-20 or State Highway 191 (Andrews Highway) and exit onto FM 1788 or Wright Drive to enter the terminal complex via La Force Boulevard. Because heavy oilfield truck traffic on TX-176, US-385, and I-20 can slow down travel times, we recommend padding your departure schedule with an extra 20 to 30 minutes.
Charter Bus Drop-Off for Departures
Charter buses drop departing groups off along the single-level terminal loop on La Force Boulevard, pulling onto the outer commercial curb directly across from the main ticketing entrance. Because MAF prohibits curbside idling, have your passengers ready to step off and collect their suitcases from the undercarriage bays right away.
Charter Bus Pickup for Arrivals
When your flight lands at MAF, head downstairs from the second-level concourse gates to the ground-level Baggage Claim area on the east end of the terminal building. Once everyone has retrieved their checked bags from the carousels, exit through the double glass doors by Baggage Claim and cross the inner passenger lane to the outer commercial loading island. Full-size 56-passenger charter buses cannot enter the covered parking garage due to strict vertical height clearances, so all motorcoach and minibus boarding takes place along this open-air outer curb. Your driver will pull up to the commercial island as soon as you confirm your whole group is assembled outside.
Staging & Waiting Rules (How to Call Your Bus)
Midland airport police do not allow charter buses to park or wait unattended along the La Force Boulevard terminal curb while flights are taxiing. Instead, your driver will wait nearby in the designated holding area along Sloan Field Boulevard / La Force Boulevard and pull into the pickup lane in under three minutes once you text that your bags are in hand.
Recommended Meeting Point
Have your group gather inside the ground-floor Baggage Claim lobby near the rental car counters and the historic Permian Basin display cases, where it is climate-controlled and easy to do a quick headcount. Wait until every last suitcase is off the belt before stepping outside to the West Texas heat or wind. Once your entire roster is together, message your driver and walk as one group across the pedestrian crosswalk to the outer bus curb.
Charter Bus Guide to Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport (LBB)
Browse tons of comfortable motorcoaches and minibuses on Hobbs
Pickup & Drop-Off at LBB
Reaching LBB from Hobbs is a straightforward drive northeast along US-62/82 through Lovington, Brownfield, and Wolfforth before taking Loop 289 North and I-27 North to Exit 9 ( Regis Street / N. Martin Luther King Blvd). LBB features a convenient single-level terminal building where ticketing sit on the north end and baggage claim sits on the south/east end, meaning your group never has to haul heavy suitcases between upper and lower roadway decks. For both departures and arrivals, charter buses bypass the covered short-term garage and use the outer commercial vehicle lane along the main terminal loop drive. Your driver will wait in the LBB Cell Phone Lot or designated oversized staging area off N. Martin Luther King Boulevard until your group has collected its luggage and stepped out of the Baggage Claim doors.
Common Itineraries from LBB
Groups flying into LBB frequently book a Hobbs corporate charter bus or team shuttle for the 1-hour-and-50-minute ride down US-62/82 straight to Zia Park Casino, Hotel & Racetrack, the Lea County Event Center, or energy offices across Hobbs. College sports teams also use LBB transfers to travel comfortably with all their gear to campus matchups at the University of the Southwest and New Mexico Junior College (NMJC) along Lovington Highway. If your group has extra time before a flight out of Lubbock, you can even build a custom multi-stop package to grab a team meal near Texas Tech University or the Depot District before heading to the terminal gate!
Charter Bus Guide to Lea County Regional Airport (HOB) & Roswell International Air Center (ROW)
Whether your group is flying right into town on a regional jet or arriving via a charter flight in Chaves County, local New Mexico airports make group boarding quick and stress-free. Here is how charter bus pickups and drop-offs work at HOB and ROW:
Lea County Regional Airport (HOB)
Located just four miles west of downtown Hobbs at 6601 W. Carlsbad Hwy (US-62/180), Hobbs, NM 88240, Lea County Regional Airport (HOB) offers daily United Express commercial service to Houston (IAH) and Denver (DEN) as well as private FBO aviation through Champion Aviation. Because HOB features a compact, single-story terminal with open surface parking and zero garage height restrictions, your 18-passenger minibus or full-size coach can stage in the free main lot and pull right up to the front terminal curb the moment your group walks out with their bags!
Roswell International Air Center (ROW)
Situated about 108 miles northwest of Hobbs at 1 Jerry Smith Circle, Roswell, NM 88203 (reached via US-62/180 West to NM-246 or US-380 West to US-285 South), Roswell International Air Center (ROW) connects Southeastern New Mexico travelers with American Eagle flights to Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) and hosts large commercial and military charter aircraft. Charter buses have plenty of room to maneuver around the spacious loop at Jerry Smith Circle, loading and unloading passengers right at the main terminal entrance before waiting in the adjacent flat oversized-vehicle surface lot. Groups flying into ROW can easily book a government and military charter bus or school event bus rental for direct transfers to Hobbs, Lovington, Artesia, or Carlsbad.
