Is Tampa International Airport Open After Hurricane Milton?

Hurricane Milton, which made landfall as a Category 3 storm on Wednesday, October 9, caused multiple airport closures, leading to cancellations of incoming and outgoing flights. Find out if Tampa, which was in Milton’s path, has reopened its airport.

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October 10, 2024 1:20PM EDT
Planes are parked at Tampa International Airport before the airport is due to close at 17h00EDT (21h00GMT) ahead of Hurricane Ian on September 27, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. - The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said Ian made landfall just southwest of the town of La Coloma, Cuba, at about 4:30 am local time (0830 GMT). The hurricane was packing maximum sustained winds of 125 miles (205 kilometers) per hour, the NHC said, making it a Category 3 storm on the Saffir-Simpson scale. (Photo by Bryan R. Smith / AFP) (Photo by BRYAN R. SMITH/AFP via Getty Images)
Image Credit: AFP via Getty Images

Tampa had been in Hurricane Milton’s projected path since it first formed. When it made landfall on Wednesday, October 9, it caused significant damage, flooding, power outages, and more. In preparation, Tampa closed its airport on Tuesday, October 8, until further notice, leading to many flight cancellations. According to USA Today, some airlines allowed travelers scheduled to fly in or out of Florida to change their flights without extra charges.

“The storm was significant, but thankfully this was not the worst case scenario,” Governor Ron DeSantis said on Thursday, October 10, per USA Today. With Milton having passed through Tampa, many are wondering when Tampa International Airport will reopen.

 

Is Tampa Airport Open After Milton?

Tampa International Airport, closed since Tuesday, remains shut down. However, officials plan to announce a reopening plan on October 10 after completing an inspection, according to a report on their website.

Their X page shared at 10:18 a.m. EST on October 10: “The TPA team is hard at work assessing and cleaning up the damage left in Hurricane Milton’s wake.” They added, “Stay tuned to our social media for the latest updates.”

Was Orlando Hit by Hurricane Milton?

While the exact number of people affected in Orlando is unclear, the city was in the hurricane’s path.

Damages in Florida From Hurricane Milton

Hurricane Milton caused storm surges, floods, tornadoes, power outages, and extensive damage. One of the most notable incidents was the destruction at Tropicana Field, home of the Tampa Bay Rays, where the roof was ripped off. According to ESPN, Governor Ron DeSantis said, “Tropicana Field is a routine staging area for these things. The roof on that … I think it’s rated for 110 mph and so the forecast changes, but as it became clear that there was going to be something of that magnitude that was going to be within the distance, they redeployed them out of Tropicana. There were no state assets that were inside Tropicana Field.”