Tampa International Airport up to full speed following Hurricane Milton

Only days after closing to the public ahead of Hurricane Milton, Tampa International Airport is open for business at near-full operational strength.

On Monday, the Airport had a full schedule of about 500 flights in and out of Tampa Bay, with regular commercial and cargo flight operations expected all week. TSA checkpoints are running smoothly and the airfield is working without issues.

Retail space and restaurants within the Airport are all open, although some businesses are still experiencing minor product shortages and may not be open fully scheduled hours. Parking garages and the Rental Car Center were not damaged and also are fully open to the public.

"Thanks to careful planning, preparation, and execution ahead of this historic hurricane, Tampa International Airport was able to rapidly rebound to serve the needs of this region and state, as well as our travelers," said TPA Executive Vice President of Operations and Customer Service John Tiliacos. "TPA plans and practices in anticipation of these storms all year, and that effort has served us well in recovering first from Helene and now Milton. This quick response is also thanks to the close partnership and collaboration with our many partners, including the National Weather Service, the FAA , TSA, and U.S. Customs & Border Protection."

TPA suspended all flight operations at 9 a.m. on Oct. 8 ahead of Milton, which made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane the evening of Oct. 9 near Siesta Key, about 50 miles south of the Airport.

Employees from the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority, which runs Tampa International Airport and the county's three General Aviation airports, inspected TPA facilities at first light to determine the extent of the storm's effects.

Milton's high winds and heavy rain damaged several areas at TPA, including numerous boarding bridges, the ninth level of the Short Term Parking Garage and a shuttle guideway. There was also water intrusion in the Main Terminal and Airsides. Water on the airfield receded quickly and the Airport reopened at 8 a.m. on Oct. 10 amid ongoing cleanup and repairs around the 3,300-acre campus. There also was significant damage to the General Aviation airports.

While flight schedules have largely resumed, passengers should continue checking with their airlines for the latest flight information. For the latest updates from TPA, please follow our social media accounts on X, Facebook, Instagramand LinkedIn.