An image heating apparatus for heating an image formed on a recording material, includes a heating member; a flexible member movable in contact with the heating member; an elastic roller for forming a nip with the heating member with the flexible member interposed therebetween; wherein a pressure in the nip increases to a maximum peak toward downstream substantially without decreasing with respect to a moving direction of the recording material, wherein the heating member is disposed upstream of the maximum peak portion with respect to the moving direction of the recording material.