Hurricane Milton is barreling toward Florida, heading in a west-to-east path from the Gulf of Mexico, like an ice cream cone trying to scoop up the state from the Gulf through Orlando to the eastern shores. Currently, Milton is a Category 4 hurricane (the highest level of hurricane is a 5) and is predicted to go directly over the Tampa Bay area sometime Wednesday evening.
“Milton has the potential to be one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for west-central Florida,” the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said on Tuesday morning. NHC is forecasting a storm surge as much as 10 to 15 feet above ground level along the western Florida Gulf Coast.
As of Monday morning, Governor Ron DeSantis had declared a state of emergency in 51 counties. Officials across the state were scrambling to clear debris left by Hurricane Helene last week so that pieces would not become projectiles in Milton’s winds, while forecasters predicted a storm surge of 8–12 feet amid as much as 5–10 inches of rain in some areas. Parts of Florida were under mandatory evacuation orders.
If you have an upcoming trip scheduled to Florida, you’ll want to stay abreast of the developments in your specific destination, as the impact from the damage from Hurricane Milton will largely depend on where you are planning on visiting. However, if you’re heading to the western coast of the state this week, it might be best to rearrange travel.
Here’s what you need to know about travel to Florida right now.
You should proceed with outsized caution if you have plans to go to Florida’s west coast this week, and consider changing your travel plans.
Florida’s west coast regions of Tampa and Sarasota and the surrounding areas are still reeling from the effects of Hurricane Helene, which made landfall just two weeks ago. These cities have already been asking visitors to stay away. The Sarasota government updated its website on Oct. 1 to say: “Lido Beach is CLOSED. Beachgoers and ‘disaster tourists’ are slowing down and impeding our storm recovery efforts. There are no restrooms, concessions, lifeguards, or other amenities. There may be seen and unseen hazards on the beach. Please stay off the beach and allow City staff to continue with recovery efforts in the area.”
And the state’s official tourism website, Visit Florida, has added a more dire warning as of Tuesday afternoon: “Devastating hurricane-force winds are expected along portions of the west coast of Florida, where a Hurricane Warning is in effect. Milton is forecast to remain a hurricane as it crosses the Florida Peninsula and life-threatening hurricane-force winds, especially in gusts, are expected to spread inland across the peninsula.”
Hurricane warnings are now in effect across a large swath of Florida’s gulf coast, including Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Sarasota, Fort Myers and Cedar Key. However, Milton’s effects won’t be limited to the western part of the state, as these warnings also encompass the east coast — from Jacksonville south to Vero Beach.
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Milton is expected to travel across a wide cross section of the state, including Tampa and Orlando, home to the Florida’s most popular theme parks. Walt Disney World will close its parks on Wed., Oct. 9, in phases. First, Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park will close at 1 p.m. Then Magic Kingdom, Epcot and Disney Springs will close at 2 p.m. Disney says the theme parks will likely remain closed on Thurs., Oct. 10. Certain accommodations will also close temporarily: Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground (including dining and recreation locations); the Copper Creek Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and the Treehouse Villas at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa will close beginning at 11 a.m. on Oct. 9. Fort Wilderness Campground and the Treehouse Villas will likely remain closed until Oct. 13, with the Copper Creek Cabins likely to reopen on Oct. 11. All other accommodations are operational.
Universal Studios Florida, Islands of Adventure and Universal CityWalk will close at 2 p.m. on Wed., Oct 9 and will be closed on Thurs., Oct. 10. Universal Volcano Bay will be closed Wed., Oct. 9 and Thurs. Oct. 10. And Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios Florida are canceled for Oct. 9 and Oct. 10. All hotels are operational.
Legoland Florida announced it will be closed on Wed., Oct. 9, and Thurs. Oct. 10, with its hotel operating at a limited capacity. Busch Gardens Tampa will be closed on Oct. 8, 9 and 10. SeaWorld Orlando will close Oct. 9 and Oct. 10, with plans to reopen on Oct. 11.
Most parks have a severe weather policy for guests who are impacted by the hurricane. You can call customer service or refer to the park’s website for further details.
Related: Here’s what happens when Disney World is hit by a hurricane
Tampa International Airport (TPA) halted operations on Tuesday morning. It’s unclear when the airport will reopen; TPA officials have said that it depends on how much damage, if any, the airport sustains, and how long it takes to fix that.
St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE) — where Allegiant Air operates commercial flights — will close on Tuesday afternoon after the last flight departs, the airport said. Allegiant has canceled all flights at PIE for Wednesday and Thursday.
Both airports lie within mandatory evacuation zones.
Orlando International Airport (MCO) will cease commercial and private flights Wednesday morning, officials said, while leaving the airport open to emergency aid flights. Officials said that the airport will reopen once the storm passes and damage has been assessed.
As of mid-afternoon Tuesday, more than 3,200 flights had already been canceled through Thursday, mostly in MCO, TPA and Southwest Florida International Airport (RSW) in Fort Myers.
Airlines that service Florida are offering a variety of travel waivers ahead of the storm. The particulars of each waiver vary, but they generally apply to flights to, from or through various airports in Florida between Oct. 8–10. With the waivers, travelers can change their flights without having to pay a difference in fares. Generally, the new travel date must be by Oct. 17.
Check with your airline for more details if you have travel coming up this week.
Now is the time to proactively change your reservation. If you reserved directly with a hotel, first check its website and see if it has posted any updates. You can also call the hotel directly or the main reservations number. Keep in mind that many properties may likely be managing the crisis, so calling the property directly should be a last option.
If you booked through a third-party online travel agency or aggregator like Expedia or Travelocity, it’s important to understand the cancellation policy. The OTA still owns your reservation prior to your travel, so contacting the hotel directly will likely result in you being referred back to the OTA or travel portal for assistance.
For impacted hotels available on Expedia and Hotels.com, the companies are waiving cancellation policies so you’ll be able to get a full refund for areas that fall in Milton’s path. Customer care teams are available to help with rebooking and cancellations 24/7 for Expedia and Hotels.com.
Vrbo has activated its extenuating circumstances policy. which will also allow travelers to get a full refund for trips not yet started and partial refunds for trips already underway in the affected areas. Vrbo will also refund the full traveler service fee for those affected.
Airbnb has put its major disruptive events policy into effect for areas of Florida experiencing government travel restrictions, such as mandatory evacuations, with a check-in or reservation date through October 10 (although this may be extended). This policy means hosts can cancel eligible stays without consequences, and guests who have an eligible booking can cancel for a full refund if their trip has not yet started or a partial refund for any nights not stayed if they’ve had to cut their trip short. Airbnb.org is also offering temporary housing to people impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
Passengers wait to board the Royal Caribbean Liberty of the Seas at Port Everglades. CARLINE JEAN/SOUTH FLORIDA SUN SENTINEL/TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE/GETTY IMAGES
As of Tuesday at 8:30 a.m, Port Tampa Bay had ceased all inbound and outbound vessel traffic. And although it’s on the east coast of Florida, Port Canaveral is also expected to be affected by the storm; the U.S. Coast Guard has set the port condition to “Yankee,” meaning they are expecting gale force winds within 24 hours. Although the port was still open at press time, they are “preparing for the closure of waterside and vessel shoreside Port operations.”
Be prepared for possible cancellations, route changes and delayed departures if you’re scheduled to depart from Florida this week.
It’s important to understand the cancellation or rebooking policy for the specific cruise company you booked, so check with your individual line for details.
As TPG’s cruise team has reported, per the terms of the cruise contract to which you consent before sailing, cruise lines do not owe you compensation if they alter your itinerary. If the line makes changes, you will be refunded for any shore excursions you booked through the cruise line that were to take place in the ports you’re skipping. (Check with your tour provider directly if you’ve booked a third-party excursion.)
TPG’s guide on what happens if a cruise gets canceled is the next place to refer to for guidance if you receive notice that your cruise is canceled.
Related: What happens if my cruise line changes my itinerary or ship?
If you purchased travel insurance before Milton became a named storm, you should be able to recoup most of your travel expenses. Unfortunately, if you purchased a policy after the storm was named, it won’t help.
“Insurance covers the unexpected,” Jenna Hummer, public relations director of Squaremouth (a company that provides comparisons of travel insurance from major U.S. providers), said. “So once something is considered ‘foreseen’ — in this case, when a tropical storm or hurricane has been named — you can no longer get coverage for that storm.”
“Trip cancellation and trip interruption will reimburse lost or unused prepaid, nonrefundable expenses due to a hurricane making it impossible to get to your destination,” Stan Sandberg, cofounder of TravelInsurance.com, said. “Many plans will also provide coverage if there is a mandatory evacuation at the destination. A few plans will even provide coverage in the event there is a NOAA hurricane warning at your destination during your trip dates.”
Trip delay coverage will reimburse you for unexpected travel costs such as food, transportation, internet service and lodging when your flight is delayed for an extended period of time.
Related: Top travel mistakes to avoid during hurricane season
“Remember that your credit card won’t cover anything not purchased on that card,” Hummer said, regarding trip insurance that’s part of a credit card’s benefits. “So, if you haven’t paid for your whole trip with that card or other people in your group used another payment method, you won’t be fully covered.”
TPG has a comprehensive guide on credit cards that include trip cancellation and interruption insurance, and what might be covered in a natural disaster.
Related: 4 times your credit card’s travel insurance can help with travel woes, and 7 times it won’t
Hurricane Milton is currently heading to Florida’s west coast and may make landfall as an incredibly forceful Category 4 storm. It’s arriving just two weeks after Hurricane Helene, which brought unprecedented rain to the Tampa and Sarasota areas that are once again in the direct path of the storm.
If you have plans to travel to the area, it may be prudent to delay or cancel your plans until a future date.
For more helpful tips on navigating travel during hurricane season, read:
