Tampa International Airport closes ahead of Tropical Storm Elsa
Tampa International Airport is suspending commercial flights at 5 p.m. today ahead of impending Tropical Storm Elsa, TPA announced this morning as Florida's upper Gulf Coast faces a hurricane watch.
"After suspending operations at 5 p.m. today, we hope to resume flights as early in the morning as possible after we inspect our airfield and roadways for any damages or debris," TPA spokesperson Emily Nipps said via email. "We plan on resuming at 10 a.m. Wednesday, though travelers may show up earlier than that to check-in or prepare for those morning flights."
The storm comes as several airlines have been stretched thin as the demand for domestic air travel has recovered faster than some carriers' ability to boost staffing after the worst of the pandemic. Airlines are already canceling flights ahead of the storm and a number of them, including the nation's four largest, have eased rebooking rules for passengers ticketed to fly to some Florida airports.
Nipps confirmed 93 inbound and outbound flights have been canceled thus far and estimates that approximately "one-third to one-half of total operations" will be affected between Tuesday and Wednesday. As of 12:20 p.m. ET on Tuesday, flight-tracking site FlightAware showed 130 canceled U.S. flights, including preemptive cancellations in Fort Myers and Sarasota, for Wednesday, when the storm is expected to move across Florida.
"The closure of TPA due to Tropical Storm Elsa will cause limited impact, primarily to travelers that are originating in or arriving to the area as a final destination. The larger impact will be due to the closure of traffic routes that transition north and south through the middle of the state," Rick Garceau, former manager of the FAA Air Traffic Control System Command Center, said via email. "There is also a possible risk to the closure of Atlantic routes that route traffic down from the busy Northeast. Traffic that normally would transition over TPA southbound will be pressed further east to the Atlantic or eastern part of the state which in this case may not be available due to the storm."
In response to flyers inquiring about flights out of TPA today, the airport encourages travelers to contact individual airlines directly for updates regarding schedule changes.
"We expect our airlines will be busy rebooking any canceled flights due to the storm, which is something they are accustomed to doing this time of year in Florida as we get daily thunderstorms that disrupt air traffic," Nipps said. "Anyone planning on flying through TPA over the next couple of days should contact the airline directly for the most up-to-date schedule."
Related: 10 ways to get through airport security faster
The Weather Channel reports that Elsa is currently moving north through the Gulf of Mexico, with "heavy rain, strong winds, storm surge and isolated tornadoes" expected in Florida through Wednesday, before heading up the southeast and mid-Atlantic coasts later this week. Impacts are expected to Cuba as well.
Read more: Flying solo: Airline unaccompanied minor policies and fees in the US
Elsa is expected to continue to strengthen, per the latest updates by the National Hurricane Center.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Delta SkyClub access when flying Delta
- Annual companion ticket for travel on Delta (upon renewal)
- Ability to earn MQDs through spending
- Various statement credits for eligible purchases
Cons
- Steep annual fee of $650
- Other Delta cobranded cards offer superior earning categories
- Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 04/01/2026.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you’ll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. and select international locations (as set forth on the Centurion Lounge Website), Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. (see the Centurion Lounge Website for more information on Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge availability), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. § To access Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of their departing flight (including layovers). To access The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight. Effective July 8, 2026, during a layover, Card Members must arrive within 5 hours of the connecting flight.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
- Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
- $240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- With your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over others with the same Medallion tier, product and fare experience purchased, and Million Miler milestone when you fly with Delta.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- $650 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees