At least two million people in the Sunshine State are without power and thousands of homes have been destroyed – is travelling there a good idea?
Floridians are returning to their homes and businesses to survey the damage after millions were advised to evacuate before Hurricane Milton.
The extreme weather killed at least eight people but many expressed relief that Milton wasn’t worse. The hurricane spared densely populated Tampa a direct hit and the lethal storm surge that scientists feared never arrived.
Arriving just two weeks after the devastating Hurricane Helene, the system knocked out power to more than three million customers, flooded barrier islands, tore the roof off the Tampa Bay Rays ‘ baseball stadium and toppled a construction crane.
Despite all this tourism is vital to Florida’s economy. The southeastern state is one of the most visited in all of the US, with an estimated 140 million people making the journey in 2023.
Many people with trips planned to the Sunshine State will likely have questions about how to handle Milton’s impact and the aftermath. Here’s everything you need to know.
When are Florida airports reopening?
While most Florida airports closed over the last few days, they are gradually reopening and restarting flights.
Orlando International Airport, the state’s busiest, said departures for domestic flights and international flights would resume today (Friday) after domestic arrivals resumed last evening (Thursday). The airport had minor damage, including a few leaks and downed trees.
Tampa International Airport, closest to where the storm hit, is also reopening today (Friday) along with Melbourne Orlando.
While Florida has been hit hardest by Milton, travel disruptions spread across the country so always check on your flight’s status before heading to the airport.
I’m already in Florida on holiday – does the airline have to fly me home?
If you are travelling with a UK or EU airline, the operator is obliged to fly you home as soon as there is availability. If there is a lack of seats and you’re forced to wait, the airline must provide accommodation and meals in the mean time.
If you were on a cancelled flight and don’t want to reschedule for some reason, the airline is required to give you a full refund.
Milton prevented Simon Forster, his wife and their two children from returning to Scotland as planned on Wednesday, so they enjoyed an extra two days of their two-week vacation on a bustling International Drive in Orlando’s tourism district on Thursday. Hurricanes seem to follow them since 2022’s Hurricane Ian kept them from returning to Scotland after another Orlando vacation.
“Two extra days here, there are worse places we could be,” he said.
The help travellers are entitled to differs depending on what kind of trip you are on.
In theory, if you’re on a package holiday, then your tour operator should make arrangements on your behalf.
However, emergency management arrangements in the state are well-planned, with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) having almost 900 staff members in place in the region to assist.
“If you’re traveling out of Florida, please do not head to the airport unless that airport is open and it’s safe to drive there,” the US. Transportation Security Administration wrote on X yesterday (Thursday). “Always check with your airline(s) to verify flight status.”
Are Florida theme parks open?
Florida theme parks including Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando and SeaWorld plan to reopen today (Friday) after an assessment of the effects of Hurricane Milton.
Some Halloween special events won’t be offered and they won’t necessarily be fully functioning today, but the public is welcome back, the parks said in statements.
As Milton came ashore as a major storm Wednesday, all three Orlando-based parks shut down, putting a damper on the vacations of tens of thousands of tourists, many of whom hunkered down in hotels. Disney World, Universal and SeaWorld were all closed for at least part of Wednesday and all of Thursday.
Florida travel: Will I get a refund if my flight is cancelled?
Typically, in hurricane situations and those where there’s a potential risk of injury or loss of life, airlines and holiday companies will provide support. Some travel insurance policies may also cover extra expenses, but check with your provider.
If your flight out to Florida is cancelled, you can choose either a full refund – which includes the cost of the return flight, if booked together – or travelling at a later date. Do note, though, that flights immediately after airports reopen will be extremely busy, so you may want to consider an alternative, less busy route, with support from the airline.
If you’ve plumped for a package holiday, most providers will offer a full refund. If you choose to go on the trip for a shorter period, you may be given partial reimbursement for any days lost.
While providers will almost always provide a refund or the option to rebook, if you cancel your trip yourself, you’re significantly more unlikely to get a refund despite the situation in Florida.
If you have chosen to go it alone, and book all elements separately, you should try to claim on your travel insurance for any financial losses, including car rental or accommodation.
Nevertheless, it’s important that you check your travel insurance policy to see whether you’re covered for extreme weather events, including hurricanes.
A majority of policies do include such a clause, but the level of coverage can often vary. For instance, in some circumstances, you’ll only be entitled to financial help to cover travel disruption as opposed to any actual compensation.
How likely is it that travel to Florida will be affected by further storms?
The Atlantic Hurricane season of 2024 is set to last for another seven weeks at least. That means that there is a very good chance that Milton won’t be the last storm to impact the US before the end of the year.
Forecasters are currently keeping a close eye on a number of weather systems across the Atlantic basin, including one to the east of Florida which is threatening to become Tropical Storm Nadine later this week.
Other meteorologists say this year’s hurricane system has been more active than usual.
“The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season has now generated 127 ACE (Accumulated Cyclone Energy), officially meeting NOAA’s definition of an above-normal season,” Colorado State University meteorologist Phil Klotzbach wrote on X – formerly Twitter.
If you’re planning to travel to Florida before the year is out, it’s sensible to be aware of ACE, a metric which includes storm frequency, intensity and duration.
Extreme weather can be unpredictable, so planning ahead is a must. As always, contact your travel provider if you have concerns.
