Nearly 2,500 flights have been canceled and most Florida airports are closed as Hurricane Milton is about to make landfall.
As of 2:00 p.m. ET, 1,000 flights within, into or out of the United States have also been delayed, according to the flight-tracking website Flightaware.com, as the state prepares for the arrival of what officials are describing as a once-in-a-century storm.
Southwest is experiencing the largest number of canceled flights, followed by American Airlines and Delta, according to Flightaware.com. Incoming and outgoing flights at Orlando International have the most cancellations, followed by Tampa International and Miami International.
As Hurricane Milton approaches the gulf coast with wind speeds of 165 miles per hour, most of Florida’s airports are closed.
Daytona Beach International and Orlando International airports are closed except for military operations and emergency and government aircraft, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Southwest Florida International in South Fort Myers is closed except for emergency aircraft.
Naples Municipal airport, St. Petersburg/Clearwater International, Sarasota-Bradenton International and Tampa International airports are fully closed.
The FAA warned that the storm could also have ripple effects, causing delays for travelers in New York, Washington, San Francisco, San Diego and Los Angeles.