Travel expert Amy West <\/a>says international conflicts are already having ripple effects on flights.<\/p>\n\u201cWe\u2019re seeing unprecedented cancellations,\u201d West said. \u201cThat ripple effect is certainly going to be seen in our spring break travel.\u201d<\/p>\n
West says some flights are being rerouted to avoid airspace concerns, while others have been canceled altogether.<\/p>\n
She recommends travelers consider purchasing travel insurance and understanding airline policies before departing.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow is the time to think about travel insurance and understand your rights as a passenger,\u201d West said.<\/p>\n
For those traveling internationally, West also recommends enrolling in the U.S. State Department\u2019s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP), which provides real-time alerts and allows U.S. officials to contact travelers in case of emergencies.<\/p>\n
\nWhat travelers should do before heading to the airport <\/p>\n
Airport officials recommend:<\/p>\n
Arriving two hours early for domestic flightsArriving three hours early for international travelChecking directly with your airline for real-time updates on delays or cancellationsExpecting longer lines at rental car centers and airport restaurantsOrdering food ahead through mobile apps when possible <\/p>\n
\u201cAlways check with your airline,\u201d Zimmer said. \u201cThey\u2019re going to have the most up-to-date information.\u201d<\/p>\n
TPA leaders say new technology designed to streamline the screening process will be unveiled this week, aimed at making travel faster and more efficient as peak crowds move through.<\/p>\n
\nRoad trips still popular this spring break <\/p>\n
While airports are preparing for crowds, AAA says a significant share of spring break travelers are still choosing to drive to their destinations.<\/p>\n
Survey data shows roughly one-quarter to nearly half of travelers plan to take road trips this season, with families continuing to favor driving as a flexible and cost-effective option.<\/p>\n
AAA also advises drivers to monitor gas prices and plan ahead for busy roadways during peak travel days.<\/p>\n
\nBottom Line <\/p>\n
Experts say spring break travelers should:<\/p>\n
Book earlyStay flexibleMonitor airline updatesConsider travel insurancePrepare for crowds <\/p>\n
With millions expected to travel through Tampa International Airport alone, officials say planning ahead will be key to avoiding delays and disruptions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"More than 3.1 million passengers are expected at TPA as global tensions, travel advisories and high demand shape…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":176987,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[135,137,136],"class_list":{"0":"post-176986","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-tampa","8":"tag-tampa","9":"tag-tampa-headlines","10":"tag-tampa-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/176986","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=176986"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/176986\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/176987"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=176986"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=176986"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=176986"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}