Tampa International is Becoming America's Next Great Airport
Throughout the world countries have been busy planning new airports and improvements to existing facilities. A few airports in the United States such as New York's LaGuardia, Los Angeles International and Denver International are being significantly upgraded. But so far, projects in other nations like South Korea's new airport, entertainment, and gaming facility in Incheon, Turkey's New Istanbul Airport north of the city, and Singapore’s Changi Airport have captured the international spotlight.
As domestic and international flight demand grows and the population continues to shift to the South and the West, many U.S. airports are going to need to expand their capacity. One region that understands these trends and is ready to take on the challenge is Tampa Bay. Tampa Bay International Airport is a modern facility run by the Hillsboro Airport Authority. It has with an excellent layout, strong public amenities, and a master plan to expand its capacity from twenty-two million to thirty-four million passengers annually. The Airport's 3300-acre campus currently has four terminals and 59 Gates.
Tampa International is ranked among the top airports in the United States by industry publications and customers. Having flown in and out of Tampa several dozen times, the distinctive features and services of the airport merit this formidable reputation. These include:
Airport Location - The greater Tampa Bay region has a population of almost four million people if you include the counties that make up the cities of Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota, and Bradenton which are all within an hour's drive from the airport. The airport is also close to the popular Gulf Coast beaches of Clearwater, St Pete’s Beach and Lido Beach that are rated as among the best in the United States. Accessible from three Interstates, traffic flow to the airport runs smoothly. The neighborhood around the airport is also exceptional. Within one mile of the airport's boundaries lies Raymond James Stadium, home of the NFL Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Steinbrenner Field and the corporate offices of the New York Yankees, and the International Plaza and Bay Street, a large retail and entertainment establishment with luxury stores and restaurants. Accessible from three Interstates, traffic flow to the airport runs smoothly.
Parking and Rental Facilities - The parking and car rental facilities of Tampa International is the first place that you begin to appreciate the intelligent layout of the airport. Very few airports provide enough room at the terminal to drop off or pick up passengers and have insufficient garage space for people to park in a convenient, affordable, and stress-free manner. Tampa accomplishes these objectives better than any airport I have visited in the U.S. First, the short-term garage is located above the terminal on floors four to nine, so you can park a car and take the elevator down to the ticketing level or baggage pickup level to assist an arriving or departing passenger. This garage has a maximum daily charge of $24. Second the long-term garage is adjacent to the main terminal and reachable by a short walkway. This garage charges a maximum daily fee of $20. Third, there is a huge economy garage, bus depot and passenger pickup area that is serviced by a free monorail train called the Sky Connect, which runs about every 3 to 5 minutes from the fourth floor of the main terminal. This garage has a maximum daily charge of $12. There are no long walks or shuttles needed to park a car for a long trip. Equally important, the parking charges at Tampa will not cost more than your ticket like at some other airports. EV charging stations are available at all parking facilities.
When you rent a car or return one, there are no shuttle buses or inclement weather to contend with at a remote location. The rental car facility is adjacent to the economy garage and is the second stop on the Sky Connect train. You simply take an escalator or elevator to the train. The counter areas for each company are in a spacious corridor adjacent to the train with chairs, couches, and restrooms for your party to use when you conduct business. If you want to, you can also check your bags remotely there too. Finally, the airport has a free cell phone waiting lot across from the economy parking garage.
Airlines and Destinations- There are twenty major carriers with service to Tampa International, but the five largest airlines carry 85% of the twenty-two million or so passengers anticipated to pass through the airport this year. Southwest is the largest airline serving Tampa and the other four are American Airlines, Delta, Spirit, and United.
There is direct service to over ninety different destinations in the United States and around the world. The leading domestic locations served from Tampa are Atlanta, the hub for Delta, Chicago's O'Hare airport, and then Charlotte, Dallas, Denver, and Newark in that order. People planning to visit Orlando attractions or the Gulf Coast beaches should check out comparable flight costs to Tampa. It is only an extra 30-minute drive to Disney World from Tampa International in comparison to Orlando International on toll free Interstate 4. Sarasota- Bradenton Airport and Southwest Florida Airport in Fort Myers are two alternative airports in the region serving the beach areas but those airports have fewer direct flights to major cities to the north.
If you are heading out of the country, the leading international destinations are Toronto, served by Air Canada and WestJet, and London's Gatwick Airport, served by British Airways. Frankfurt, Panama City, and Amsterdam follow them. International traffic only amounts to 11% of the airport's passengers so developing Tampa as an alternative landing spot to Atlanta, Orlando, and Miami for international traffic to the southeastern United States should be an important part of the airport's plan.
Embarkation and Disembarkation Facilities- When you arrive at the main terminal at Tampa International to check in for a flight, you proceed by escalator to the second floor. The first thing you notice is the size of the place. The check-in area is larger than a football field and the counters for each of the major airlines have been placed in separate locations around the terminal. Most airlines have installed remote checking machines, created special lines for first class and priority customers, and provided room to check bags comfortably. People who have printed or downloaded their boarding passes in advance and only have carry-on luggage can proceed directly to the third floor, but even those who need to use the airline counter will find Tampa to be stress-free.
The third floor of the terminal is a wide-open space full of shops, areas to relax or do work, food establishments and other amenities for use by outgoing passengers with extra time or people waiting for arriving passengers. There are also portals leading to each of the four terminals which you enter by scanning your boarding pass at an automatic gate. An above ground train then takes you on a ninety second journey to the terminal where you pass through security. The security areas are a bit crowded but security lines flow at a reasonable pace because of the transit system, automatic boarding pass inspection, and the availability of simplified inspection for TSA precheck and other verified passengers. It has never taken me more than 30 minutes from the time that I drop off my rental car to reach my departure gate.
The disembarkation experience process for arriving passengers is also well organized. After exiting the plane, you take the ninety second shuttle back to the third floor of the main terminal and descend an escalator to the first-floor baggage claim. Bags are delivered efficiently and there are four loops in each baggage bay so there is no jostling for position or straining to find your bag coming on the conveyor belt. Once you have your stuff, it is out the door to ground transportation or up the elevator to the Sky Connect train or onsite parking garages.
Passenger Amenities- Tampa International is not designed as an entertainment destination. However, the support systems for passengers in the terminals include everything you need to wait for a flight or for an overnight stay when needed. The main terminal on the third floor has full-service restaurants for passengers with extra time such as PF Chang’s and Hard Rock Cafe, along with a clean and spacious food court with several national chains. The terminals at the gate also have restaurants and Cafe style eateries so waiting passengers can enjoy everything from a cappuccino to snacks to sandwiches or a full meal. The popular Columbia restaurant known for its Cuban and Caribbean dishes is just one option worth considering if you need a meal.
Retail stores are also scattered throughout the main terminal and the gate terminals. These include everything from a Tommy Bahamas and an eyeglasses shop to the usual bookstores, jewelry, and clothing options. There is no shortage of restrooms at either location, and they are modern and clean. There is even a patio area on the second floor with clumps of grass for support animals to be walked when needed. The Marriott Hotel located at the airport is the most convenient lodging that I have encountered at a U.S. airport. It can be reached by walking down a short corridor from the third floor of the main terminal. There you will find a fully equipped hotel with a comfortable lounge and restaurant, an outdoor pool, meeting space and comfortable hotel rooms.
In summary, there is a lot to like about traveling through Tampa International Airport. Tampa and Sarasota emerging as two of the most popular cities in the country that people are moving to. The airport's leadership has built a structure that can manage existing traffic with comfort and developed a plan to grow along with the communities it serves. It may be difficult for older cities with airports near their downtowns to upgrade their facilities to match Tampa in coming years.