Hurricane Milton travel impacts: Airport closures and more
Hurricane Milton is already causing travel disruptions as the storm takes aim at Florida’s west coast.
The hurricane is expected to make landfall as a Category 3 hurricane Wednesday night or early Thursday morning. Possible record storm surge is anticipated in the Tampa area. Flooding is also a risk throughout the state.
Evacuation orders have been issued in counties along Florida’s west coast, including in Charlotte, Citrus, Collier, Hernando, Hillsborough, Lee, Levy, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas and Volusia.
Several airports have announced temporary closures ahead of landfall.
Airport closures
Tampa International Airport will suspend operations beginning at 9 a.m. on Tuesday and remain closed to the public “until it can assess any damage after the storm,” airport officials said.
The St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport, just outside of Tampa, will close at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, after its last flight departs, and remain closed on Wednesday and Thursday.
“The airport is in a mandatory evacuation zone and is not a public shelter,” airport officials tweeted. “Prepare and stay safe.”
Orlando International Airport.
Jerry Driendl/Getty Images
The Sarasota Bradenton International Airport in Sarasota will close at 4 p.m. Tuesday and reopen “once safe to do so,” airport officials tweeted.
Commercial operations will stop at the Orlando Executive Airport starting at 10 p.m. Tuesday and at the Orlando International Airport starting at 8 a.m. Wednesday, airport officials said. Both will reopen as soon as it’s safe.
“While these airports will cease commercial operations, they are not closed to emergency/aid and relief flights and will remain open as necessary,” airport officials said. “Commercial operations will resume as soon as possible based on damage assessment.”
Motorists wait in line to fill gas tanks Oct. 7, 2024, in Riverview, Fla., before Hurricane Milton makes landfall along Florida’s gulf coast.
Chris O’Meara/AP
Flight cancellations
Nearly 700 flights have been canceled throughout the U.S. as of midday on Tuesday, according to FlightAware. Tampa International Airport has the most, with nearly 350 flights canceled.
The disruptions are already growing on Wednesday, too, with nearly 1,570 flights across the U.S. canceled, about half of which are into or out of Orlando International Airport, according to FlightAware.
Airlines are operating larger aircraft and adding more flights to their schedules ahead of the hurricane and airport closures.
Rail service changes
Amtrak announced it will operate a modified schedule due to Milton.
Among the changes, trains on its Silver Service route will terminate at Jacksonville on Monday through Thursday, not continuing on south to stops including Orlando, Tampa and Miami. Select trains on its Silver Service route will also originate at Jacksonville from Tuesday through Friday.
The company’s Auto Train Service, which runs between the Washington, D.C., and Orlando areas, is canceled Tuesday through Thursday.
Brightline, Florida’s high-speed rail, is also adjusting some of its scheduled trips due to Milton, including ceasing operations on Wednesday and Thursday between West Palm Beach and Orlando.
“We will resume full operations after an assessment of track conditions once the storm has passed,” the rail service said in an update on X while advising passengers with reservations to refer to their email for updates.
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