Hurricane Milton Travel Impacts: Airport Closures and More

International Desk

Hurricane Milton is already disrupting travel as it targets Florida's west coast. The storm is expected to make landfall as a Category 3 hurricane on Wednesday night or early Thursday morning, with potential record storm surges and widespread flooding anticipated, particularly in the Tampa area.

Evacuation orders have been issued for counties along the west coast, including Charlotte, Citrus, Collier, Hernando, Hillsborough, Lee, Levy, Manatee, Pasco, Pinellas, and Volusia.

Airport Closures

Several airports are announcing temporary closures in preparation for the storm:

- "Tampa International Airport" will suspend operations starting at 9 a.m. on Tuesday and will remain closed until damage assessments can be conducted.

- "St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport" will close at 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday after its last flight departs and will remain closed on Wednesday and Thursday. Officials noted that the airport is in a mandatory evacuation zone and is not a public shelter.

- "Sarasota Bradenton International Airport" will close at 4 p.m. Tuesday and will reopen "once safe to do so."

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- "Orlando Executive Airport" will halt commercial operations at 10 p.m. Tuesday, while "Orlando International Airport" will cease operations at 8 a.m. Wednesday. Both will reopen as soon as conditions allow.

- "Orlando Sanford International Airport" will also suspend operations starting at 8 p.m. Wednesday, with passengers advised to stay updated.

In contrast, "Miami International Airport" and "Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport" will remain open and operational while closely monitoring the storm.

Flight Cancellations

Over 700 flights have been canceled across the U.S. as of early Tuesday afternoon, according to FlightAware, with nearly 350 cancellations at Tampa International Airport alone. The situation worsened on Wednesday, with nearly 1,600 flights canceled nationwide, many affecting Orlando International Airport.

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In response to the hurricane, airlines are deploying larger aircraft and adding flights to accommodate travelers before airport closures.

The Department of Transportation is keeping an eye on affected flights to ensure that airlines do not charge excessively increased fares, according to Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

Rail Service Changes

Amtrak is adjusting its schedule due to Hurricane Milton. Key changes include:

- "Silver Service trains" will terminate at Jacksonville from Monday through Thursday, instead of continuing to Orlando, Tampa, and Miami. Some trains will originate at Jacksonville during this period.

- The "Auto Train Service" between Washington, D.C., and Orlando is canceled from Tuesday through Thursday.

- "Brightline", Florida's high-speed rail service, will suspend operations between West Palm Beach and Orlando on Wednesday and Thursday, resuming once track conditions are assessed.

Other Travel Updates

Florida's Department of Transportation began securing drawbridges on Tuesday afternoon in coordination with the U.S. Coast Guard. Additionally, lane closures and active construction work on interstates within the storm's path have been suspended, and tolls have been waived across central and west Florida.

The Florida Division of Emergency Services has partnered with Uber to provide free rides to and from shelters, with free shuttles operating in counties under evacuation orders.

Contributions to this report by ABC News' Clara McMichael and Ayesha Ali.