Hurricane Milton is disrupting thousands of flights. How to change travel plans

Hurricane Milton will disrupt thousands of travel plans as the Category 4 storm heads toward Florida’s west coast.

Airlines, like local carriers American Airlines and Southwest Airlines, have developed plans to mitigate travelers trying to leave the area or needing assistance. The Tampa Bay area is home to over 3.3 million people, preparing for widespread destruction. As of Tuesday, 11 Florida counties were under mandatory evacuation orders.

Some 1,200 flights in and out airports in Orlando and Tampa on Wednesday have already been canceled. Hundreds more flights for the coming days have been canceled, including about 838 Southwest Airlines flights between Oct. 8 and 11, according to airline data company Cirium.

Milton is expected to touch Florida’s Gulf Coast late Wednesday or early Thursday. As of 10 a.m. central time Wednesday, nearly all flights to and from Tampa International Airport, Orlando International Airport and Fort Meyers’ Southwest Florida International Airport were canceled, according to FlightAware.

More than 120 flights in and out of North Texas’ two commercial passenger airports, DFW International and Dallas Love Field, have been canceled, with most of those nixed flights going to or coming from Florida, per FlightAware.

Here is some information for passengers trying to mitigate the hurricane.

American Airlines

For fliers on American traveling to, through or from Daytona Beach, Fla; Fort Lauderdale, Fla; Fort Myers, Fla; Gainesville, Fla; Jacksonville, Fla; Key West, Fla; Melbourne, Fla; Miami, Fla; Orlando, Fla; Sarasota/Bradenton, Fla; Tampa, Fla; West Palm Beach, Fla., the fee to change your flight is waived under certain conditions like the date booked and the date traveling, according to American’s travel alert.

You can also change your reservation if it is eligible.

To contact American Airlines reservations, visit the airline’s website or call 800-433-7300 for English speakers or 800-633-3711 for Spanish speakers.

Southwest Airlines

Southwest flights may be disrupted from Tuesday to Saturday for Charleston, S.C; Destin/Fort Walton Beach, Fla; Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Fort Myers, Fla.; Jacksonville, Fla.; Miami, Fla.; Orlando, Fla; Panama City Beach, Fla.; Pensacola, Fla.; Sarasota/Bradenton, Fla.; Savannah, GA (SAV), Tampa, Fla; and West Palm Beach, Fla. according to the airline’s travel advisory. Cancun flights on Southwest were also disrupted on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Travelers with these Southwest reservations to, from or through the disrupted cities on the same dates can rebook or travel standby without paying additional charges, under certain guidelines.s

All Southwest flights in and out of Fort Myers, Orlando, Sarasota/Bradenton and Tampa will be limited, according to the airline. Those fliers can change their origin or departure to any of the airline’s airports serviced in Florida, without paying any additional charge. Those include: Destin/Fort Walton Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Miami, Panama City Beach, Pensacola and West Palm Beach.

Also, all pets flying through Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando, Sarasota/Bradenton, Tampa and West Palm Beach will fly free through Thursday.

To contact Southwest Airlines visit their help center online or call 1-800-435-9792.

Delta Air Lines

Delta Air Lines passengers flying to, through or from Daytona Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Gainesville, Jacksonville, Key West, Melbourne, Miami, Orlando, Sarasota, Tampa and West Palm Beach from Monday to Thursday will experience disruptions. For rebooked travel that occurs on or before October 15, in the same cabin as originally booked, the fare difference will be waived.

To contact Delta Air Lines visit their help center online or call 1-800-221-1212.

United Airlines

United Airlines passengers traveling at Key West, Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Orlando, Miami, West Palm Beach, Fort Myers, Sarasota/Bradenton and Tampa may experience disruptions from Monday to Saturday, according to the airline’s travel alert.

Passengers can reschedule their United trip and the airline will waive change fees and fare differences. However, the new flight must be a United flight departing between October 5 and October 19. Tickets must be in the same cabin and between the same cities as originally booked.

To contact United Airlines visit their website or call 1-800-864-8331 for English speakers or 1-800-426-5561 for Spanish speakers.