A message board at the Tampa International Airport shows all American Airlines departing flight canceled Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024, in Tampa, Fla., due to the possible arrival of Hurricane Milton.
Chris O’Meara | AP
Airlines canceled hundreds of flights, theme parks prepared to close and cruise lines shifted routes as Floridians braced for Hurricane Milton’s landfall.
The Category 4 storm has top sustained winds near 145 mph and is expected to strike Florida’s west coast on Wednesday, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. More than 50 Florida counties are under a state of emergency.
Tampa International Airport suspended operations at 9 a.m. ET on Tuesday and said it would “repoen when safe to do so.”
Orlando International Airport will close at 8 a.m. on Wednesday. Southwest Airlines, which has about a fifth of the market share in Orlando, has struck 402 flights from its total Wednesday schedule, according to FlightAware data.
More than 750 Orlando flights, over 85% of the Wednesday schedule, were canceled, according to FlightAware. Most of the flights in and out of Tampa and Southwest Florida International Airport, which serves Fort Myers, were also canceled for Wednesday.
Carriers waived change fees and fare differences for affected customers. American Airlines and United Airlines added extra flights out of Florida ahead of Milton’s expected landfall.
Southwest Airlines employees cover the ticket counters with plastic wrap just before Tampa International Airport was closing due to the possible arrival of Hurricane Milton Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024, in Tampa, Fla.
Chris O’Meara | AP
Disney said Tuesday that it will close its Orlando-area theme parks on Wednesday starting at 1 p.m. ET and they will likely remain closed on Thursday.
“We will consider opening Disney Springs on Thursday in the late afternoon, with limited offerings,” the company said.
Universal Orlando Resort said Tuesday that Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure and Universal CityWalk will close at 2 p.m. ET Wednesday and remain closed on Thursday.
Busch Gardens Tampa will be closed Tuesday through Thursday, while SeaWorld Orlando will close Wednesday and Thursday, United Parks said.
Carnival warned customers that ports in Jacksonville, Tampa and Miami were likely to close and that it would change some routes and destinations to avoid the storm.
Disclosure: Comcast owns NBCUniversal, the parent company of Universal Studios and CNBC.
