Airports close and airlines issue flight waivers ahead of Hurricane Milton

Some of Florida's most popular airports are closing ahead of the storm.

By Amanda Teague Published October 8, 2024

Hurricane Milton — Hurricane Milton / GOES/NOAA

Florida is bracing for another major hurricane as the state continues to recover from the devastation left by Hurricane Helene. Hurricane Milton, a powerful Category 4 storm currently churning in the Gulf of Mexico, is expected to make landfall in Central Florida on Wednesday.

In preparation for the storm, airlines and airports are taking precautionary measures. As of Tuesday morning, nearly 700 flights have been canceled, with more than 1,500 cancellations already in place for Wednesday, according to FlightAware. Airlines are offering flight waivers, and several major airports in Florida are shutting down operations.

Airport closures include:

Lakeland Linder International Airport: Ceasing air traffic control operations at 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday.
Orlando International Airport: Closing at 8 a.m. Wednesday.
Sarasota Bradenton International Airport: Closed Wednesday and Thursday.
St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport: Closing after the last flight on Thursday evening, remaining closed through at least Thursday.
Tampa International Airport: Suspended operations as of 9 a.m. Tuesday.

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Airlines issuing flight waivers

a Delta plane flying in the sky — Jeffry Surianto / Pexels

Ahead of Hurricane Milton’s impact, airlines nationwide have issued flight alerts and waivers to assist customers with travel plans through Florida. Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, Southwest, Frontier Airlines, and Spirit Airlines have each issued waivers for flights scheduled through October 10 to or from several Florida cities, allowing passengers to rebook without penalty.

JetBlue has offered waivers for flights scheduled through October 11, while United Airlines has extended its timeframe to October 12.

In addition to waivers, American Airlines boosted capacity to help residents and visitors evacuate ahead of the storm. The airline added more than 2,000 seats to flights departing from Tampa and Sarasota Bradenton International Airports on Monday and Tuesday.

Travelers should check their airline’s policies as schedules continue to change in the face of the storm.

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