TPA shares tips to help travelers navigate through the Thanksgiving holiday
Tampa International Airport is making preparations for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday travel period, which typically includes some of the single busiest travel days of the year. TPA is expecting more passengers than the Airport has seen since the start of the pandemic.
TPA’s official Thanksgiving travel period runs from Friday, Nov. 20, through Monday, Nov. 30, with the two busiest days being the Saturday and Sunday after the Thanksgiving holiday. On each of those days, between 47,000 and 49,000 passengers are expected to travel through TPA, though passenger estimates are harder to predict than in years past.
This year’s Thanksgiving passenger traffic is projected to be approximately 40 to 50 percent less than what it was during the same period last year.
Guests choosing to travel during this period will see many of the enhanced health, safety and sanitation efforts that TPA began rolling out at the end of April as part of the TPA Ready plan. Those measures include:
- Hand sanitizing stations
- Acrylic barriers at high touch areas
- New cleaning technology and frequency of cleaning
- Social distancing markers
- Touchless options, including new electronic gates, as well as touchless payment at our shops and restaurants
To ensure a healthy travel experience, TPA asks all guests to do their part by:
- Wearing a face mask properly at all times
- Wash hands frequently and use hand sanitizer
- Maintain social distancing as much as possible
- Use touchless options and mobile boarding passes
- Allow ample time at the airport to help avoid crowds
- Check with your airline for any additional guidelines
To accommodate an increase in travelers, more shopping and dining locations have reopened throughout the Airport. TPA also offers convenient grab-and-go options that can be enjoyed at the gate area and there are more sit-down dining options with limited capacity to promote social distancing. All restaurants in the Main Terminal have optional outdoor seating. Additional parking has reopened but Valet Parking remains closed.
In October, TPA began offering COVID-19 testing for all travelers. Testing is provided through BayCare and is available seven days a week, but will be closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Travelers interested in testing should visit the website for information on hours, pricing and testing options.
Thanksgiving often means food as well as family, and TSA reminds you that security screening restrictions on all carry-on and checked baggage still apply. Per the TSA website, “If you can spill it, spread it, spray it, pump it or pour it, pack it in a checked bag.”
TPA understands that not everyone is ready to return to the skies over the holidays, but for those who choose to fly, the Airport has taken every effort to provide for its guests’ and employees’ safety and comfort during these challenging times. Tampa International Airport wishes all of its travelers -- now and in the future -- safe and happy holidays.