Tampa Airport Arrivals (TPA)

Tampa International Airport is one of the most important airports in the state of Florida, alongside the airports of Miami and Fort Lauderdale, and handles approximately sixteen million passengers every year. It is known by its IATA code of TPA. The airport is a gateway for the entire Tampa Bay area, which is popular for its many tourist attractions, such as the Busch Gardens, the Florida Aquarium, the Adventure Island, Starkey’s Flatwoods Adventures and the Lowry Park Zoo. Passengers on Tampa International Airport arrival flights have access to many airport facilities, as well as ground transportation, on public buses, private shuttle services and taxis.

Tampa’s international airport is located just six miles from the city centre, in Hillsborough County, Florida. It is particularly nearby to Beach Park, Tampa Heights and Pinecrest West Park, and to the west is Old Tampa Bay, which is crossed by the Interstate 275 and Highway 60. Both of these roads are important for airport access. On the other side of Old Tampa Bay are the areas of St. Petersburg, Largo and Clearwater, which are popular day outings for residents and visitors of Tampa. Clearwater Beach is a particular favourite. To the south of Tampa and the airport is Bradenton and Sarasota, and to the north is Spring Hill and Ocala. Heading east along the Interstate 4 will bring you to Plant City, Lakeland and the wonderful city of Orlando, with its world-famous Disneyland attractions.

Flights arrive at Tampa International Airport from many US cities, as well as from locations in Canada (Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal and Halifax), Switzerland (Zurich), the United Kingdom (London) and Mexico (Cancun). The busiest domestic flights are between Tampa Airport and Atlanta, Charlotte, Philadelphia, Newark, Dallas/Fort Worth, Baltimore, New York City, Detroit, Chicago and Miami. The majority of the airport’s airline companies offer non-stop flights, and also flights on a daily basis. Southwest Airlines is the largest carrier at the airport, handling the highest percentage of passengers, whilst Silver Airways, a company under the United Express brand, uses the airport as a hub location. Further airlines with flights to Tampa Airport include Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, AirTran Airways, Frontier Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Spirit Airlines, United Airlines and US Airways. The major international carriers include British Airways, Air Canada, Edelweiss Air and WestJet.

Passengers will arrive at one of four satellite buildings, referred to as the Airsides A, C, E and F. International flights will arrive at Airside F, and the majority of Delta Air Lines’ flights arrive at Airside E. The airport also has a main terminal building with facilities for passengers on the landside of operations, such as the baggage reclaim halls, the check-in counters and ticketing offices. This terminal is reached from the airsides by way of the APM system, or the automated people mover system. These trains are free of charge and run twenty-four hours a day. They are a vital part of the airport’s operations, as they are the only link between the main terminal and the four airside buildings. Once passengers have cleared customs and passport control (if on an international flight), they will use the trains to move to the main terminal and to their baggage claim hall to collect their belongings.

The Landside/Airside Terminal of Tampa International Airport has several levels. The baggage facilities are found on the first level, the ticketing and check-in counters are on the second level and the third level is the transfer level, with stations for the APM system. Levels four to nine are used as a short-term parking garage for private passenger vehicles. From level five a monorail train takes passengers to the long-term car park, and from the lower level a shuttle is available to the economy parking lot. Arriving passengers will also find plenty of facilities within this building that are useful, for example, currency exchange services, wireless internet connections and a variety of shops at the Airport Galleria on Level 3. Restaurants and fast food stores are also available if the arriving passenger has a bit of time to spare.

The entire airport complex of Tampa International is accessible to disabled passengers, as it is equipped with elevators and pavement ramps. The shuttle and APM systems of the airport are accessible, and there are specially dedicated car parking spaces in all car parks. All public restrooms are wheelchair accessible. Passengers who require further assistance upon their arrival should contact their airline company at least forty-eight hours before their flight is due to leave for Tampa Airport.

Arriving passengers have easy access to a number of options for ground transportation. Many like to rent a car, from one of the Tampa International Airport car hire companies, such as Hertz, Avis, Budget, National, Alamo, Enterprise and Thrifty, as a private vehicle is by far the best way to travel the region. Affordable rental rates are offered, especially if an advanced, online reservation is made. The car rental counters are found in the long-term parking garage, accessible by walkways from the main terminal or by the monorail trains on Level 5 of the short-term car park.

Alternatively, public HART buses are frequently available for travel into the city centre of Tampa, or arriving passengers can arrange a private shuttle service from SuperShuttle to travel to any of the surrounding areas. Taxis are another convenient way to reach all nearby areas of Tampa and beyond. They are always available from outside of the terminal building, and do not require a reservation.

Live Tampa International Airport arrival flights can be viewed online on various websites. The airport can be contacted as well at the following number: 813-870-8700.