TPA, PIE Prepare For Possible Record Summer Travel Season

TAMPA, FL — As the final school bells ring and Memorial Day weekend approaches, Tampa International Airport and other airports across the country are preparing for what promises to be busy months ahead.

With peak days now exceeding pre-pandemic levels, TPA and its airlines, federal agency partners and other airport businesses are getting ready to see steady and heavy volumes of more than 70,000 daily passengers.

The Transportation Security Administration recently announced its operational readiness in regard to staffing and screening technology and TPA’s Customs and Border Protection checkpoint may see more travelers as the airport now has several weekly flights to and from London, Cancun, Zurich, Frankfurt and other international cities.

While busier runways combined with the possibility of summer storms can sometimes cause operational hiccups for Florida airports, TPA aims to make the passenger experience as pleasant and smooth as possible.

Here are some tips from Tampa International Airport for those planning to take to the skies this summer:

• Tampa International Airport offers online booking for those planning to park at TPA during their trips, and reserving ahead not only helps TPA maximize its garage space for travelers, but it offers a discounted rate as well.
• The airport also offers TPA To Go on the Grab mobile app, allowing you to go straight to your gate area and have someone deliver your food, or skip the lines and pick up your order at the counter or restaurant without waiting.
• Arrive early. Avoid the stress of nearly missing a flight – or worse, watching your plane back away as you’re running toward the gate – and plan to get to the airport at least two hours before departure, or three hours for international flights. Enjoy any extra time relaxing, charging your phone, grabbing a snack or shopping for souvenirs.
• Sail through security. For anyone planning to travel more than once or twice a year, the Department of Homeland Security’s Trusted Traveler programs such as TSA PreCheck and Global Entry are your friends. TSA announced that in April that 94 percent of precheck passengers nationwide waited less than five minutes at checkpoints. International passengers with Global Entry going through Customs can enjoy less paperwork and reduced lines.
• TPA also has Automated Passport Control Kiosks, and U.S. and Canadian citizens can download the Mobile Passport app for faster processing.
• In any security screening lines, be sure to check all pockets and bags before leaving the house or hotel. Prohibited items such as sharp objects, large containers of liquids and certain food items can cause heavy snags at the checkpoints.
• Choose express. For passengers traveling without checked luggage, TPA offers a streamlined drop-off and pick-up experience at the recently opened Blue Express Curbsides. Drivers can follow the road signs to Express Departures where the passengers can go straight up to the Transfer Level, or those wanting to bypass the baggage claim crowds can head down to the Express Arrivals curbs to wait for their rides.
• For information about TPA, including flight status, ground transportation, restaurants, nonstop routes and more, click here.

St. Petersburg/Clearwater International Airport is also preparing for big crowds this summer and are hiring and training more staff to keep up with the demand.

Here are some airline travel tips from St. Petersburg/Clearwater International Airport:

• Plan to arrive two hours before your scheduled flight departure time and check departure gate. PIE has two separate gate areas — 2-6 and 7-11 — that are not connected, so make sure you are at your correct gate 30 minutes before the flight is ready to board.
• Check with the airline for carry-on luggage requirements and sizes.
• Long-term parking is expected to fill to capacity, so travelers may be directed to park in economy lots. A complimentary shuttle will be provided between the economy lots and the terminal. The Key Lime Economy Lot is the primary economy lot, and the Strawberry PIE Lot will be used as needed. They accept credit and debit cards only when exiting. No overnight parking is allowed in short-term parking. For parking information and maps, click here.
• More information, along with a terminal map, parking map and airline websites are located here.
• Pack smart; start with empty bags. Airline passengers who pack for travel with empty bags are less likely to bring prohibited items through a Tampa Security Administration checkpoint. Check for prohibited items by using the “What Can I Bring?” page on the TSA website.
• Know before you go. Plan to arrive at the airport in plenty of time to check in, check bags, and complete security screening in time to avoid stressful sprints to the departure gate. At the TSA checkpoint, have a valid ID card readily available and follow the liquids rule of 3.4 ounces or less, except for hand sanitizer, which has a temporary 12-ounce limit in carry-on baggage.
• Contact TSA for help if there are questions or concerns. Those who are preparing to travel and may have special circumstances, considerations or general questions about airport screening can get live assistance by tweeting questions and comments to @AskTSA or via Facebook Messenger, weekdays from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and on weekends/holidays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. You can also call the TSA Contact Center at 866-289-9673.
• TSA also offers TSA Cares, a helpline for travelers with disabilities, medical conditions and other special circumstances. You may submit a request for assistance by calling TSA Cares at 855-787-2227 weekdays from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. and on weekends/holidays from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. TSA Cares is open 365 days a year. Passengers may also use the TSA Cares form available on the TSA website.
• Enroll now in TSA PreCheck to “Travel with Ease.” By enrolling in TSA PreCheck, airline passengers can avoid removing shoes, belts, liquids, food, laptops and light jackets at the TSA checkpoint. Most new enrollees receive their known traveler number within five days, and membership lasts for five years. Nationally in April, 94 percent of TSA PreCheck passengers waited less than five minutes at the checkpoint (at PIE, it’s 100 percent).
• Face masks are optional but recommended. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends face masks for passengers ages 2 and older in indoor areas of public transportation and transportation hubs as an effective precaution for those who seek to avoid exposure to COVID in higher-risk public spaces. CDC provides health recommendations for domestic travel during COVID-19 and international travel on its website at CDC.gov.