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<\/p>\nThe Brief<\/p>\n
Both airports (TPA and PIE) are staffed and operating, even after the recent government shutdown.<\/p>\n
Tampa International Airport (TPA) and St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE) are preparing for holiday travelers this Thanksgiving.<\/p>\n
Officials at both airports are asking passengers to leave prohibited items at home and to also have a plan for parking.<\/p>\n
TAMPA – Holiday travel is officially underway in Tampa Bay, and both major airports are preparing for busy crowds as Thanksgiving approaches.<\/p>\n
What we know<\/p>\n
Tampa International Airport officials expect roughly 80,000 daily travelers will move through the airport\u2019s security checkpoints during this holiday period, which runs from November 20 to December 1.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s similar to what TPA saw during last year\u2019s Thanksgiving travel period, TPA VP of operations Benjamin Robins said.<\/p>\n
Sunday, November 30 \u2013 the Sunday after Thanksgiving \u2013 is expected to be the busiest day when officials anticipate the airport will see over 86,000 travelers.<\/p>\n
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What they’re saying<\/p>\n
Thursday, November 20 marked the first day of the holiday travel period. It also marked the first day that paychecks hit the banks for some TSA employees.<\/p>\n
“As I understand it, we started getting paychecks today,” Kirk Skinner, TSA federal security director for the greater Tampa Bay area, said. “So I think everybody’s happy about that.”<\/p>\n
Airport officials told FOX 13 that TPA is back to “normal operations” post-government shutdown.<\/p>\n
“For TSA,<\/a> I can say that throughout the shutdown, our entire team came to work. We experienced none of the slowdowns, none of the issues with callouts that other organizations and other airports have seen. And my hat’s off to the officers here in Tampa and at St. Pete-Clearwater. They just did a great job, and the public helped with some of that. We got over $10,000 in donations with gift cards that helped put gas in their cars and food on the table, as well as retail establishments here at the airport including the Marriott that provided food,” Skinner said. “The holiday period for us is always a challenge. But in terms of staffing, as long as we’ve got the officers to keep the lanes open, the traveling public’s not going to have any issues.”<\/p>\n Dig deeper<\/p>\n Click here to see what Thanksgiving-related items can be brought through TSA security.<\/p>\n “Check your bags carefully before you pack. Make sure it’s entirely empty,” Skinner said. “We’ve had over 200 firearms come through this year, which is not good for the airport or for the passenger. The caution that you take when you’re packing your bag will ensure that you know where your weapon is, and it’s not in your bags when you show up at the airport.”<\/p>\n By the numbers<\/p>\n PIE is in the middle of a historic growth streak<\/a>, breaking monthly passenger records since February and projecting its biggest year ever in 2025.<\/p>\n Officials are expecting the upcoming holidays to be no different.<\/p>\n “We are over 15% year-to-date from last year. And month over month, we\u2019ve been breaking records,” PIE interim director Mark Sprague said of passenger traffic at PIE.<\/p>\n What You Need To Know<\/p>\n Parking is limited at PIE, and spots fill up quickly.<\/p>\n “We are not going to have parking spots for every single passenger,” Sprague added.<\/p>\n Parking is first-come, first-serve: There is no reservation system at PIE.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/7f1d19e9900ff48130052e3567bf0a91.jpeg\"\/)
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