With a Cat 3 or stronger Hurricane Milton expected to take aim at the west coast of Florida, major airlines are issuing travel alerts to customers ahead of significant disruption to air travel in the days ahead.
With Florida now facing the distinct possibility of a major hurricane bringing significant disruption to large parts of the state in the coming days, major airlines are getting ahead of the storm and issuing travel alerts to worried passengers.
As the National Weather Service warns that Milton will strengthen into a major Cat 3, or possibly higher hurricane, the possibility of major disruptions to air travel is high, with the real threat of airports having to close in the days ahead.
Milton is expected to strengthen into a hurricane by Sunday night, before bearing down on Florida on Wednesday. The current path of the storm has the storm making landfall in the Tampa Bay area before tearing through the I-4 corridor towards Orlando, and the main tourists areas.
The National Hurricane Center is warning Floridians and the large amount of visitors already in Florida, or traveling to the state in the coming days to take the potential for severe weather seriously.
Anyone due to fly should be aware that disruption to flights to and from Florida will likely see significant delays, or even cancelations as the effects of a potential hurricane rain down on the state.
In advance of the storm making landfall, airlines are already issuing travel advisories, and announcing travel waivers allowing passengers flying in or out of impacted airports to rebook without paying the fare difference. As always check with your airline.
Hurricane Milton: Airline Travel Advisories
United has issued a travel alert impacting five airports in Florida, including Orlando (MCO) and Tampa (TPA).
Airports affected:
Key West, FL, US (EYW)
Orlando, FL, US (MCO)
Fort Myers, FL, US (RSW)
Sarasota/Bradenton, FL, US (SRQ)
Tampa, FL, US (TPA)
Passengers who bought a ticket on or before October 4, 2024, and are due to travel October 7, 2024 - October 10, 2024, to, from or through any of the listed airports can reschedule the trip with no change fees and fare differences.
You can reschedule your trip and we’ll waive change fees and fare differences. But, your new flight must be a United flight departing between October 5, 2024 and October 17, 2024. Tickets must be in the same cabin and between the same cities as originally booked.
Delta Airlines has issued a travel alert for eight airports in Florida, including Tampa (TPA), and Orlando (MCO).
The airline will waive change and cancel fees and fare differences for customers traveling October 7, 2024 - October 10, 2024, to, from or through any of the listed airports:
Airports affected:
Fort Myers, FL (RSW)
Orlando, FL (MCO)
Sarasota, FL (SRQ)
Tampa Bay, FL (TPA)
Daytona Beach, FL (DAB)
Key West, FL (EYW)
Gainesville, FL (GNV)
Melbourne, FL (MLB)
When rebooked travel occurs on or before October 12, 2024 in the same cabin of service as originally booked, the fare difference will be waived. A fare difference may apply when the waiver is class to class restrictive and the original booking class is not maintained in the rebooked itinerary.
When rebooked travel occurs after October 12, 2024, a difference in fare may apply.
If travel is not able to be rescheduled within these guidelines, customers may cancel their reservation and apply any unused value of the ticket toward the purchase of a new ticket for a period of one year from the original ticket issuance. Applicable fare difference may apply for new travel dates. Final travel must be completed by end of ticket validity.
Delta Airlines has issued a travel alert for twelve airports in Florida, including Tampa (TPA), and Orlando (MCO).
The airline will waive change and cancel fees and fare differences for customers traveling October 8, 2024 - October 10, 2024, to, from or through any of the listed airports:
Airports affected:
Daytona Beach, Florida (DAB)
Fort Lauderdale, Florida (FLL)
Fort Myers, Florida (RSW)
Gainesville, Florida (GNV)
Jacksonville, Florida (JAX)
Key West, Florida (EYW)
Melbourne, Florida (MLB)
Miami, Florida (MIA)
Orlando, Florida (MCO)
Sarasota / Bradenton, Florida (SRQ)
Tampa, Florida (TPA)
West Palm Beach, Florida (PBI)
Your change fee is waived if you are traveling on an American Airlines flight, and bought your ticket by October 5, 2024.
You can change your travel dates up to and including October 17, 2024. without any fees if you do not change your origin or destination city, and you rebook in the same cabin or pay the difference. Changes must be booked by October 10, 2024
Travel must be completed within 1 year of original ticket date; difference in fare may apply
JetBlue has issued a travel alert for four airports in Florida, including Tampa (TPA), and Orlando (MCO).
The airline will waive change and cancel fees and fare differences for customers traveling Tuesday, October 8 through Thursday, October 10, 2024 to/from the following cities:
Airports affected:
Fort Myers, FL (RSW)
Orlando, FL (MCO)
Sarasota, FL (SRQ)
Tampa Bay, FL (TPA)
Customers may rebook their flights for travel through Sunday, October 13, 2024 online in the manage trips section of jetblue.com prior to the departure time of their originally scheduled flight. Customers with cancelled flights may also opt for a refund to the original form of payment. Original travel must have been booked on or before Saturday, October 5, 2024.
Southwest Airlines has issued a travel alert for four airports in Florida, including Tampa (TPA), and Orlando (MCO). Southwest say that scheduled service from October 8 through October 10 may be disrupted (flights may be delayed, diverted, and/or canceled).
The airline will waive change and cancel fees and fare differences for customers traveling Tuesday, October 8 through Thursday, October 10, 2024 to/from the following cities:
Airports affected:
Fort Myers, FL (RSW)
Orlando, FL (MCO)
Sarasota/Bradenton, FL (SRQ)
Tampa, FL (TPA)
Customers holding reservations to, from, or through the cities listed above on the corresponding dates who want to alter their travel plans may rebook or travel standby (within 14 days of their original date of travel between the original city pairs and in accordance with our accommodation procedures) without paying additional charges.
Additionally, Customers holding reservations for a flight that is canceled or Customers who opt not to travel as a result of a significant delay may request a refund for the unused portion of their ticket. Alternatively, Customers may cancel the reservation and hold the value of the unused portion of the ticket as a flight credit that can be used to buy a future flight.
Customers who purchased their flights via Southwest.com or our mobile app or by calling Southwest Airlines are eligible to reschedule their travel plans online or from their mobile device.
FrontierAirlines has issued a travel alert for six airports in Florida, including Tampa (TPA), and Orlando (MCO).
The airline will waive change and cancel fees and fare differences for customers who bought tickets on or before October 6, 2024 and are traveling October 7, 2024 - October 10, 2024, to, from or through any of the listed airports:
Airports affected:
Orlando, FL (MCO)
Tampa, FL (TPA)
Fort Myers, FL (RSW)
Pensacola, FL (PNS)
Jacksonville, FL (JAX)
Miami, FL (MIA)
Changes to your itinerary are subject to any difference in fare and options prices. If your new itinerary is lower in value than your original itinerary, there will be no residual value available to you once you have made the change.
If you cancel your itinerary, you will retain the value of your itinerary less the applicable cancel fee and certain carrier charges as a travel credit.
Spirit Airlines has issued a travel alert for three airports in Florida, including Tampa (TPA), and Orlando (MCO).
The airline will waive change and cancel fees and fare differences for customers traveling Monday, October 7 through Thursday, October 10, 2024 to/from the following cities:
Airports affected:
Fort Myers, FL (RSW)
Orlando, FL (MCO)
Tampa, FL (TPA)
Guests can make changes to their reservations affected by this event through October 17, 2024 by going to My Trips. Guests can also reach out to Spirit by texting “Hello” to 48763.
To make changes to Spirit Vacation packages contact Spirit Vacations at 877-377-0791.
Delta Airlines has issued a travel alert for seven airports in Florida, including Tampa (TPA), and Orlando (MCO).
The airline will waive change and cancel fees and fare differences for customers traveling October 7, 2024 - October 10, 2024, to, from or through any of the listed airports:
Airports affected:
Fort Myers (RSW)
Tampa (TPA)
Jacksonville (JAX)
Orlando (MCO)
West Palm Beach (PBI)
Sarasota (SRQ)
Vero Beach (VRB)
If you have a current reservation through one of the cities listed on the dates above, you can change to the next available flight, or anytime within 14 days of your original flight without additional charges. These can be requested here.
You can also cancel your flight for a full flight credit, redeemable for 24 months from the original booking date.
We will keep you updated with all the latest travel info as possible Hurricane Helene inches closer to Florida.
Ahead of the storm developing, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency for 35 of Florida's 67 counties.
The following counties are under a state of emergency:
Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Citrus, Collier, DeSoto, Flagler, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Sarasota, Seminole, St. Johns, St. Lucie, Sumter, and Volusia.
As the storm progresses we will keep you updated with the latest information.
Gotta Go Orlando offers the latest entertainment news, together with all the latest events and things to do throughout Central Florida. We feature concerts, theater, culture, nightlife, food & drink. theme parks, attractions, festivals, events, and more.
With news and information being released on a daily basis, we encourage you to sign up for our newsletter and stay in the loop with all the latest exciting news from our local community. You can also join the local conversation on X, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.
Contact Us
Got a story to tell Orlando? Contact us now. To advertise with us, click here, and to list your upcoming event with us, submit it here.
Comments