From a United pilot (former Continental) my two cents. Yes drive your car down! Well worth the very long drive, even a round trip drive.

Having spent almost 25 years training at the old Continental training center (directly in front of the XJET training center) and living in the Sheraton (one of the nicer hotels in the area) for what seemed liked years doing ALPA work, (our union office was directly behind the Sheraton). In my opinion the entire area within walking distance of the hotels you’ll stay at absolutely sucks! Your options are severally limited. I’m being too kind in my description.

For a few days not too big a deal, for months it absolutely sucks! your totally isolated with very limited food and entertainment options. Even if the hotel will drive you to Greenspoint (10 min drive) or more affectionately knows as Gunspoint. Very dangerous drug area with of lots crime, I wouldn’t be caught there in the middle of the day.

If you have a car you can drive 15 mins to Humble. A very nice safe area with unlimited, food, supermarkets and entertainment options. To far and expensive to use Uber/Lyft on a regular basis.

My last 15 years at Continental for initial aircraft and recurrent training, I always rented a car for the entire time. So glad United moved our training center to Denver, if I never see that area of Houston again it will be too soon.

Anyway my two cents. Best of luck and hope to see you at United one day soon.

As an aside note. Be careful around all the hotels in that area near the training center. At Continental from 87 when I was hired till the late 90’s or early 2000’s we stayed at the Holiday Inn on JFK Blvd down the road from the Sheraton. What a dump. The reason we stopped staying there. Two pilots were held up at gun point. They ended up running and shots were fired.

The only thing that saved their lives was they held up there flight bags next to their heads. There were bullet holes in their manuals. Those old huge binders filled with thousands of pages in those manuals saved them. Wouldn’t have have been so lucky today with electronic flight bags. The whole area on JFK Blvd is a total dump.

 

Thank you great intell!