Hurricane Milton: What to Do If Your Flight Is Canceled
Major U.S. airlines are allowing flights scheduled for the next few days to be rebooked at no extra cost
by Fergus Cole
October 8, 2024
Forecasted Hurricane Milton track / Model courtesy of National Hurricane Center/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
With Florida bracing for a potentially catastrophic Hurricane Milton this week, airlines across the country are preparing for major flight disruptions by offering waivers to passengers over the next few days.
Just days after Hurricane Helene brought widespread damage and loss of life to Florida and the Southeastern U.S., Milton is expected to make landfall on the western coast this Wednesday. Currently classified as a Category 4 hurricane, many Florida cities lie in its path, including the major hubs of Tampa and Orlando.
Many airports and airlines have made preparations for the incoming hurricane, with airport closures already causing widespread flight cancellations. In turn, this has led to many airlines to issue travel waivers for customers booked on flights to the region over the coming days.
Can You Get a Refund If Your Flight Is Canceled Because of the Weather?
Airlines are not obligated to refund passengers for weather-related cancellations. However, airlines are proactive in issuing weather-related waivers, allowing passengers to seamlessly change their flights to other dates once the weather event has improved. In the case of Hurricane Milton, airports and airlines are taking extraordinary steps to keep passengers safe and while minimizing disruptions.
Which Airports Have Closed Ahead of Hurricane Milton?
Tampa International Airport (TPA), which is expected to be one of the worst-hit airports in the state, suspended all flights at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, confirming it will only resume operations once it is “safe to do so.” According to the flight tracking site FlightAware, almost 160, or 62 percent, of outbound flights have been canceled. Almost 190, or 83 percent, of inbound flights have been canceled.
Meanwhile, Orlando International Airport (MCO) is set to close its doors to passengers at 8 a.m. on Wednesday and will only reopen when it is safe to do so. However, there have already been significant flight disruptions at MCO, with nearly 20 percent of inbound flights canceled at press time.
Other Florida airports that have closed or are planning to close include:
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- Sarasota-Bradenton Airport (SRQ): Closed at 4 p.m. on Monday and will reopen when safe.
- Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) will close on Wednesday and Thursday.
- St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE) will close on Wednesday and Thursday.
Which Florida Airports Are Still Open?
Other major hubs in Florida—Miami International Airport (MIA), Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL), Palm Beach International Airport (PBI), and Jacksonville International Airport (JAX)—have said they will remain open for now but are closely monitoring weather reports and are in contact with airlines, with any updates about closures and disruption to be announced to the public as soon as possible.
What Are Airlines Saying About Hurricane Milton Cancellations?
To mitigate the disruption caused to passengers, all major U.S. airlines operating flights in and out of Florida have issued travel waivers of varying degrees:
American Airlines
The airline has issued a travel waiver for a dozen Florida airports including Miami, Orlando, Tampa, and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, from October 8th through to October 10th, allowing flights to be rebooked free of charge until October 17th.
United Airlines
The airline has issued a travel waiver for nine Florida airports for flights booked through October 12th, with free rebookings available up to October 19th.
United has also added 18 extra flights and boosted capacity on other flights with larger aircraft to help passengers get out of harm’s way. According to the airline, the following extra flights will be operating out of the affected areas:
- Flight 3030: MCO-ORD
- Flight 3032: MCO-ORD
- Flight 3034: IAH-MCO
- Flight 3035: MCO-IAH
- Flight 3036: MCO-DEN
- Flight 3037: IAD-SRQ
- Flight 3038: SRQ-IAD
- Flight 3040: ORD-RSW
- Flight 3041: RSW-ORD
- Flight 3042: MCO-ORD
- Flight 3043: ORD-MCO
- Flight 3044: MCO-EWR
Delta Air Lines
The airline has issued a travel waiver for nine Florida airports from October 7th through to October 10th, allowing flights to be rebooked until October 15th.
JetBlue
The airline has issued a travel waiver for eight Florida airports, plus Cancun (CUN) in Mexico, from October 7th to October 10th, allowing flights to be rebooked until October 17th.
Southwest Airlines
The airline has issued flight waivers for Southwest Florida International Airport in Ft. Myers (RSW), Orlando, Sarasota/Bradenton, and Tampa from October 8th through to October 10th, as well as for Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood, Jacksonville, Miami, and Palm Beach from October 9th to October 10th, and Cancun from October 8th to October 9th, with flights allowed to be rebooked within 14 days of the original departure date.
Some international airlines, including Air Canada and WestJet, have also issued their own travel waivers for those traveling to Florida this week.
If you have a flight booked to Florida this week, then you should closely monitor weather reports as well as your airline’s website to keep up to date with any disruption before heading to the airport.
