Hurricane Idalia made landfall in Florida early Wednesday and has already caused wind damage, flooding and power outages as it moves inland.
The typhoon, which strengthened Tuesday after passing over western Cuba on Monday, approached Florida as a Category 3 typhoon. The hurricane made landfall along the state’s Gulf Coast between Tallahassee and Tampa. However, the interior of the state has also been affected, with flooding and winds. Injured in much of central and northern Florida: More than 270,000 Floridians are already without power. As the typhoon moves north toward Georgia and the Carolinas, tornado warnings are possible for those spaces through the end of the week.
While Hurricane Idalia’s arrival comes as typical hurricane season increases the threat of storms, summer is a popular time for travelers to stop at Florida’s theme parks and beaches, as well as to spend on cruise ships. With so many layovers in Florida on a daily basis, TPG has assembled an advisor on what you deserve to do if you plan to travel to Florida this week.
Although Florida’s tourism marketing company, known as Visit Florida, has not issued an advisory against travel to Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency in 46 of Florida’s 47 counties. Florida’s Gulf Coast is expected to be hardest hit by the hurricane. Idalia, however, DeSantis warned that the typhoon could be confined to low-lying spaces beyond where it makes landfall.
“It’s going to affect the interior of the state,” DeSantis said at a news convention Monday.
Those in Florida can expect heavy rain and winds of up to 115 miles per hour. The National Hurricane Center described Hurricane Idalia as causing a “life-threatening typhoon surge” accompanied by “dangerous winds. “”Ready to lose power,” DeSantis said at the news conference.
“If you’re in a vulnerable area, you’re evacuating to the top floor in a safe structure,” DeSantis said at the news conference, advising citizens that visitors might also need to do so if they didn’t leave before the storm.
In reaction to the hurricane, the Florida government has also deployed emergency services and 2,500 members of the Florida National Guard who will bring in rescue planes and water vehicles, according to Politico.
Despite the lack of travel advisories, travelers would likely have to reconsider their Florida vacation, as Hurricane Idalia is expected to have potentially dire situations once it makes landfall on Wednesday. More warnings and evacuation orders can be imagined as the typhoon approaches.
Most major U. S. airlines have issued advisories to Florida and other parts of the southeastern U. S. The U. S. could be affected by heavy rains caused by Hurricane Idalia. Check your airline’s online page to see which flights have been affected.
Here’s a look at the advisories issued through major U. S. airlines at noon Tuesday:
There will be no fees for changing flights to the following cities between August 28 and 31:
American will also waive replacement payments for fundamental economics and for travelers who are able to do so from Aug. 28 to Sept. 4. Customers cannot replace their hometown or destination if they want to take advantage of the fee waiver.
Customers traveling to the following locations from August 28 through August 31 will be able to reschedule their flights at no additional cost:
Southwest also allows consumers who want to get to and from Tampa to reschedule their trip to one of the following cities at no additional cost:
JetBlue’s waivers replace fares and fare differences for flights booked to the following cities August 29-30:
Customers can rebook their holiday until 2 September and, to take advantage of the exemptions, the original dates must have been booked by 28 August.
Delta does not apply fare differences for reservations between Aug. 28 and Aug. 31 to the following cities through Sept. 3:
However, for any rescheduled travel booked after Sept. 3, Delta will waive the upgrade fee, although a fare difference may still apply. If consumers choose not to update their reservation, they may cancel their flight and apply the unused fare to some other electronically booked flight within one year of the original price ticket being issued. Please note that a fare difference may still apply if you cancel your existing flight and book a new one.
For tickets purchased before August 27 with dates August 28-31 to any of the following cities, United will not apply replacement fees or fare differences for flights rescheduled between August 27 and September 4:
If you reschedule your vacation to another destination, United will not apply the replacement fee, but a fare difference may still apply.
For all flights to the following list of cities with dates between August 29 and August 31, Spirit eliminates fare differences and replaces fares through September 6:
Any flights postponed after September 6 will likely result in a fare difference; however, the replacement payment will not be applied.
In anticipation of Hurricane Idalia, some airports would likely suspend operations. For example, Tampa International Airport (TPA) announced Monday on X, formerly known as Twitter, that it would close starting at 12:01 a. m. Tuesday due to the storm, airports in Charleston, South Carolina; Fort Lauderdale; Miami; and Orlando have not announced any closures.
Sarasota Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) and St. Petersburg Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE), both on Florida’s Gulf Coast with Tampa, also announced airport closures Tuesday. SRQ plans to close at 7 p. m. on Tuesday and reopen at 8 a. m. m. of the next day. From 3 p. m. m. on Tuesday, PIE will remain closed and reopen at 3 p. m. m. on Wednesday.
Tallahassee International Airport (TLH) also suspended operations at 11 a. m. m. del martes. The airport in Florida’s capital is in Big Bend, an area of the state that is expected to experience widespread damage and flooding in the wake of Hurricane Idalia, with a typhoon surge of up to 10 to 15 feet, according to the National Hurricane Center.
Gainesville Regional Airport (CNG) is also closed until five p. m. No flights were operated on Wednesday until the evening. Charleston International Airport (CHS) also announced Wednesday that it will close at 6 p. m. m. y will reopen at 8 a. m. Thursday.
So far, none of the major hotel chains have announced closures on their website, however, some smaller chains are offering discounted rates to Florida citizens staying. Rosen Hotels, in the Orlando area, offers “relief rates” starting at $69 per night for Floridians who wish to evacuate inland.
If you have booked a hotel, be sure to check your hotel’s cancellation policies, as they will likely vary between hotels and hotel chains could revise their cancellation policies in light of Hurricane Idalia. You can call a hotel’s 1-800 number to cancel or reschedule your stay. The Florida Division of Emergency Management has a list of evacuation orders for the county. If you’ve booked a hotel on a domain that’s expected to be hit hard by the storm, you may have already received a communication from the hotel related to your stay.
A Hilton TPG spokesperson:
Hilton continues to monitor the progress of Hurricane Idalia. The safety and security of our visitors and team members remains our most sensible priority. Hilton homes in the expected path of the typhoon have implemented their hurricane preparedness plans and remain in close contact with local government. and tourism partners.
For consumers whose plans are impacted by Hurricane Idalia, replacement and cancellation consequences may be waived for reservations arriving between August 28, 2023 and September 4, 2023, for consumers traveling to, from or via Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. It is recommended to make a stopover in Hilton. com or call 1-800-HILTONS for the latest express property data. For more information on Hurricane Idalia, stop by the National Hurricane Center’s online page in www. nhc. noaa. gov.
An IHG spokesperson told TPG that the chain waives cancellation fees for visitors who have booked hotels in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina. Hotels in those spaces must also accommodate pets at no additional cost, the spokesperson added.
“As Hurricane Idalia continues to move forward, we are ensuring that IHG-branded hotels do everything they can to provide them with the highest level of hospitality, relief and comfort,” the IHG spokesperson said in a statement.
Marriott is tracking the hurricane and has implemented its typhoon protocols in Florida, with plans underway for evacuations and possible hotel closures, a Marriott spokesperson told TPG.
For bookings through a third-party travel company or an online aggregator like Expedia, be sure to check the cancellation policy. Instead of calling the hotel directly, call the third-party site, as they own your reservation before you travel.
Airbnb has a “mitigating circumstances” policy for natural disasters; however, it does not cover hurricanes that occur during Florida’s hurricane season, as they are classified as predictable events. Typically, Airbnb hosts list cancellation policies when you book, so policies may differ for each booking.
Based on Idalia’s current path, only Busch Gardens Tampa Bay has announced plans to close due to the hurricane. Currently, other parks in the domain are tracking the hurricane and allowing eligible visitors to reschedule their vacation if they prefer at a later date.
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay will close at 3 p. m. on Tuesday, August 29, 2023 and will remain closed on Wednesday, August 30, 2023, with a reopening scheduled for Thursday, August 31, 2023. The park has also activated its weather or non-weather insurance policy, providing stopover to visitors who intend to make a stopover. on the applicable dates. You can contact Busch Gardens directly if you have any questions or fill out the form connected above to get tickets to use at a later date.
Currently, Walt Disney World Resort operates general conditions at its four theme parks, but Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon water park and Disney’s two miniature golf courses will be closed on Wednesday, August 30, 2023.
If you have a tour planned with entry dates between August 28, 2023 and September 5, 2023, you may cancel or reschedule your tour without replacement or cancellation fee. Guests already staying at Disney World whose return is impacted by Hurricane Idalia can take advantage of a discounted rate to extend their stay through the evening of August 31, 2023, by visiting their hotel front desk. This policy applies only to tickets and hotels booked directly through Disney. Learn more here.
Universal Orlando Resort is currently operating on a general basis, but will not offer early access to the theme park for on-site hotel visitors on Wednesday, August 30, 2023. According to the park’s severe weather policy, a hurricane or tropical typhoon warning is issued. or a state of emergency is declared either in the Orlando domain or at your place of residence, within seven days of your arrival, you may contact Universal to reschedule or cancel your vacation without any cancellation or modification fee. . This policy applies only to tickets and hotels booked directly through Universal. Learn more here.
SeaWorld Orlando will open its doors on Wednesday, August 30, 2023 at noon. Find out more here.
Legoland Florida is trading lately in general conditions.
The Peppa Pig theme park is lately operating in general condition.
Like airlines and hotels, cruise lines have their own cancellation policies, so if you booked a cruise to or from Florida this week, you can check out the cruise line’s cancellation and rebooking policies on their respective websites.
MSC Cruises has replaced the itineraries for MSC Seaside and MSC Meraviglia voyages on August 28, the former expanding its itinerary in Nassau and the latter renewing its schedule between Miami and Nassau. Disney Cruise Line also replaced the Disney Fantasy schedule for its existing voyage, which replaced Cozumel, George Town and Falmouth with Tortola and St. Thomas.
Carnival Cruise Line has replaced the ports of Carnival Conquest and Carnival Valor. Carnival Conquest will call at Bimini from Key West. The ship will also skip a port in Cozumel and load a port in Nassau. Valor will eliminate the Costa Maya and charge a stopover in Cozumel. later in the week (due to Hurricane Franklin, the line also replaced the schedules of Carnival Legend and Carnival Magic, which now call at ports in the Bahamas or Bermuda).
Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Equinox has also made some changes, replacing dates for scheduled berths in Cozumel and Grand Cayman. In addition, a berth was added at Falmouth and one was removed from Bimini.
Currently, Norwegian Cruise Line, Holland America Line and Princess Cruises have no ships in the area. Royal Caribbean has not yet responded to requests for data on potential port changes.
Cruise lines do not owe you any refund if they relocate your itinerary according to the terms of the cruise contract you agreed to prior to departure. For any replenishment, you will be refunded any shore excursions you have booked through the cruise line that was planned. to take positions on the ports it avoids. (Check directly with your tour operator to see if you booked a third-party tour. )
TPG’s advisor on what happens if a cruise is cancelled is the next place to go for advice if you learn your cruise is cancelled. You can also find out what to expect in a hurricane season on a cruise ship.
Travel insurance will cover hurricanes if you purchase it in advance. Every insurance company has other policies when it comes to hurricane protection, so check each site to see which option works best for you.
Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance covers non-refundable expenses such as accommodation, airfare and any planned activities in case you have to cancel your trip due to a hurricane.
There’s also a type of policy called “cancellation for any reason” that can reimburse you about 75% of the cost of the Array, but it’s a more expensive option that may not be worth it for a trip to Florida. Allianz Travel Insurance’s online page says its “cancel anytime” insurance can reimburse travelers up to $16,000 in expenses.
Please note that you will need to have reserved your vehicle before the onset of the natural crisis to be covered. For example, Travel Guard says you can purchase insurance up to 24 hours before a hurricane hits. Once a hurricane is named, Travel Guard says it will exclude losses from cancellation and interruption of the policy. So, if you book a new one today, you’re probably not covered because a state of emergency was already declared after the hurricane.
Credit card insurance policies tend to vary, so be sure to consult the benefits advisor on the card you used to book your airfare or hotel for exceptions.
TPG offers comprehensive credit card advice that covers cancellation and interruption and what would be covered in the event of a natural loss.
To register a cancellation or interruption request, here are some tips:
Related: Times Your Credit Card Travel Insurance Can Help Solve Travel Problems, 7 Times No
Hurricane Idalia is expected to have potentially devastating effects on Florida, so it’s more productive to avoid traveling there if you can. With evacuation orders in place, it is vital to cancel or reschedule your trip.
Additional information through Tarah Chieffi, Ashley Kosciolek and Cameron Sperance.