Is it safe to travel to Florida? Everything Europeans need to know as Hurricane Milton hits

Ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Milton in Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis declared a State of Emergency for 35 counties in the US state.

Nearly six million Floridians were advised to leave their homes before the arrival of the hurricane. 

While it remains unclear exactly how much damage Milton has caused, it has significantly affected the lives of countless people in Florida – and beyond. 

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. 

Are airports in Florida closed and have flights been cancelled?

Tampa International Airport, closest to where the storm hit, is temporarily closed. Several other Florida airports, including Orlando International Airport – the state’s main holiday hub – and Melbourne Orlando have also suspended operations.

Airlines including Virgin Atlantic, TUI and British Airways cancelled flights from the UK and mainland Europe to Florida due to Milton.

At Orlando International, more than 400 flights have been grounded and, across Florida as a whole, nearly 900 flights have been cancelled – that’s almost half of all scheduled arrivals.

“Due to severe weather conditions expected to be caused by Hurricane Milton, a state of emergency has been declared in Florida, and Tampa and Orlando airports are closing,” a Virgin Atlantic Spokesperson said. “Unfortunately this has impacted our flying schedule, and services to and from Orlando and Tampa are subject to cancellations and delays.” 

They add that the safety and welfare of their customers and crew is their top priority. If your trip with Virgin Atlantic or Virgin Atlantic Holidays is impacted by the hurricane, the company will contact you to discuss your options. Virgin Atlantic has also asked customers to check the status of their flights on virginatlantic.com for the latest information. 

If you are travelling with a UK or EU airline, the operator is obliged to fly you home as soon as it is safe to do so. If there is a lack of seats and you’re forced to wait, the airline must also provide accommodation and meals while you wait.

To prevent damage at Orlando International, ground staff prepared the airport by sandbagging doors and tying down boarding bridges.

Melbourne Orlando, like Orlando International, is set to reopen on Friday morning. 

Tampa International Airport, though, has been less clear about when its doors will reopen after Milton. 

“TPA plans to resume services as soon as it is safe to do so later this week, but passengers should check with their airlines regarding flight schedules,” it said in a statement. 

I’m already in Florida on holiday – what should I do?

An unspecified number of tourists are currently ‘stuck’ in Florida, a popular year-round destination.

The help you 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. 

If you have booked all aspects of your holiday yourself, you’re responsible for your own safety.  

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. 

“Visitors are always asked to evacuate waterfront hotels temporarily until a hurricane warning is lifted. Although emergency officials will err on the side of caution, evacuation orders are only given if there is a significant storm threat,” Visit Tampa Bay said before Milton’s arrival. “Check with the front desk or hotel concierge regarding availability at another hotel farther inland.”

Tampa Bay officials also offered hurricane shelters for visitors in hotels in the areas affected as well as shuttles to safe spaces for tourists without rental cars. 

Over in Orlando, the local authority opened up 11 designated shelters in schools, for people to have a safe place to go. 

If you were planning to visit one of the most popular attractions in Florida – and the entire USA – Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, and SeaWorld in Orlando, you’ll be disappointed. 

The parks were all forced to close their doors ahead of Hurricane Milton making landfall.

Official advice suggests that ticket holders should contact their individual suppliers regarding the possibility of refunds. It is not yet clear when the attractions will reopen, but Disney says it hopes to resume operations by the end of the week. 

In what circumstances will my travel insurance cover me?

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 you’re due to travel to Florida while the airports are closed, your flight will likely be cancelled. 

If that is the case, 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.