Is Orlando International Airport Open After Hurricane Milton?
The airport announced a temporary closure to prepare for the onslaught of Hurricane Milton. Find out when it is supposed to reopen.
Incoming and outgoing flights were canceled ahead of Hurricane Milton. Multiple airports throughout Florida closed operations through Thursday, October 10, including Orlando International Airport (MCO). Now that Milton has come and gone, residents and customers are wondering when the Orlando airport will reopen, if it hasn’t already.
Damages in Florida From Hurricane Milton
Multiple communities across Florida are currently demolished and/or flooded. Neighborhoods throughout Fort Myers, Siesta Key and Tampa were inundated with water, palm tree branches scattered the streets and some structures collapsed onto roads. Even the Tampa Bay Rays’ Tropicana Field suffered from the storm.
Is Orlando Airport Open After Milton?
According to its website, flights at Orlando International Airport are still shut down as of Thursday, October 10. The airport announced that it had “ceased operations” at 10 p.m. on Tuesday, October 8.
“As of 8 a.m. today, Orlando International Airport (MCO) ceased commercial operations in preparation of Hurricane Milton,” MCO wrote via its website ahead of Milton’s landfall. “While operations have ceased, the airports are not closed and will remain open to accept emergency aid and relief flights as necessary. Both airports will reopen as soon as possible based on damage assessment.”
Operational Update #7 – Hurricane Milton
Emergency crews remained onsite overnight, and damage assessment will start taking place now. Once information becomes available about a specific time that commercial operations will resume, we'll be sure to post about it. pic.twitter.com/YH9Ftlv9fc— Orlando International Airport (@MCO) October 10, 2024
MCO added on its website that “GOAA wants to remind the public that MCO is not an authorized shelter. The airport cannot accommodate local residents during severe weather events. We will continue to monitor the storm and provide additional updates as needed.”
Nearly 1,000 flights were impacted the day before Milton struck Florida. The last passenger flight that left Orlando was a flight to Detroit, per the airport’s website. MCO also clarified that hurricane preparations “continue throughout the facility, including securing the Gate Link and Terminal Link trams to and from the airsides, Terminal C and the Train Station.”
Nearby, Melbourne Orlando Airport was also closed, and the storm punched a hole through a portion of the ceiling, according to a video shared via X by USA Today.
Hurricane Milton damages Melbourne Orlando International Airport by putting a 30-foot hole in its ceiling. @Florida_Today pic.twitter.com/6zD5aAmhVb
— USA TODAY Video (@usatodayvideo) October 10, 2024
Was Orlando Hit by Hurricane Milton?
It’s not currently clear how many people or businesses were impacted by Milton. However, Orlando was in the path of Milton. The areas that faced the worst from the storm, though, were Fort Myers, Tampa and other surrounding areas.