TPA Records 2nd Busiest Day In Airport History

It’s no secret that Tampa is one of the most popular cities in the country right now. Tampa International Airport makes it easy for residents and travelers to get to their destination quickly, efficiently, and enjoy some great food and beverages along the way. This Thanksgiving, Tampa International Airport had its second busiest day in their airport history.

This year, Tampa International Airport saw a 6 percent increase in total passengers compared to 2022. There were 5,844 flights from Thursday November 16 to Sunday November 26. The total number of flights recorded an 18 percent increase over 2022’s Thanksgiving week. Over 840,000 passengers were served through TPA.

2023 was a big year for records at TPA. Back on March 19, 2023, the airport recorded its busiest day on record with 90,320. That is not surprising considering spring break is the busiest time of year for Florida. This Sunday, November 26, TPA recorded another huge milestone. 89,018 passengers traveled through TPA making it the second busiest day recorded in Airport history.

In 2023, getting to the airport shouldn't be that hard. With rideshare like Lyft and Uber, you’ll find yourself at the front doors of the airport right on time. The downside to these apps is that rides can be very expensive. You might want to opt for an alternative method like parking on site. If your travel plans are shorter, it might be more economical to park in one of the lots.

The parking facilities were close to capacity this Thanksgiving weekend. Many people found it difficult to find a space. The parking team at TPA worked to ensure the Short Term, Long Term, and Economy garages had availability. The overflow lot was also an option near the Economy Garage.

According to TPA Executive Vice President of Operations and Guest Experience John Tiliacos, “Thanks to robust planning, preparation and execution by our various Airport teams – as well as our TSA, FAA, CBP and concessions partners – we delivered a first-class customer experience during one of the busiest times of the year,” Tiliacos said. “Throughout the week, we did what we do best in our business – connecting hundreds of thousands of people with friends and family efficiently and, more importantly, safely.”

TPA is already planning ahead for Christmas and New Year's. If you're planning on traveling during the holidays, you can pre-book your parking online, beforehand.. You’ll want to arrive at the airport two hours before departure for a faster drop-off and pickup.

Wanna get away? You can scoot out Tampa onto a nonstop Southwest flight this holiday season, as the airline carrier is bringing back 7 nonstop flights to Tampa International Airport.

These flights return as part of Southwest's winter seasonal rollouts. So where can you fly to? We've got the list for you.

If you want to zip out on a Southwest nonstop flight, you can check out any of these returning routes: Tampa to Salt Lake City, Utah; Detroit, Michigan; Cleveland, Ohio; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Cincinnati, Ohio; Grand Rapids, Michigan; and Syracuse, New York.

I've done some skiing outside of Salt Lake City. That's a great spot to hit as we get into the winter months. If you need to go to Michigan, Southwest makes it easy now with flights to Michigan and Grand Rapids. Those aren't the only Midwest nonstop flights. you can go to Cleveland, Ohio and Minneapolis, Minnesota, or Cincinnati, Ohio. Syracuse is very pretty this time of year, as well.

Do you like flying Southwest? It's still one of my favorite airlines to fly on. They dialed in the comedy a bit. They used to be known for their quippy scripts. The flight attendants and even pilots would be providing you with their own brand of in-flight entertainment.

What places are tops on your list this year to fly to? It seems that flight prices are hit or miss so definitely plan ahead.

For more on this story, click here.

If you want to book a flight, go to the Southwest website.

Visit Salt Lake City and then head to Park City for some great skiing. They also have some amazing restaurants there including the Purple Sage.

Detroit is amazing if you are a big sports fan. Do you want to watch the Redwings, the Lions or Tigers? Oh my.

Cleveland is home to some amazing amusement parks. Have you been to Cedar Point?

Visit the City of Lakes. Did you know there are 13 lakes in Minneapolis?

Not just sports in Cincinnati. Check out the Cincinnati Zoo or the Cincinnati Museum.

You might be surprised to find out that there are some great wineries in Grand Rapids. It's not far from Amish Country.

Syracuse is beautiful this time of year, especially if you want to watch the leaves change.