Hurricane Idalia has caused significant disruption to air travel in Florida and beyond, with over 1,000 flights canceled and nearly 900 delayed, according to flight-status tracker FlightAware. The storm, initially a Category 3 hurricane, made landfall on Florida's Gulf Coast on Wednesday. By Wednesday morning, three major Florida airports, including Tampa International Airport, St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport, and Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport, had closed ahead of the storm. Southwest Airlines was the most affected, with 220 cancellations and 300 delays. Delta, American Airlines, and United reported a combined total of roughly 700 delays and 330 cancellations. Miami International Airport and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport also experienced heavy disruptions. Amtrak has canceled passenger train trips for 10 East Coast routes scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday.

Despite the havoc caused by Idalia, there was some relief as the storm weakened and moved out of Florida. Most of the major airports that had shut down during the storm reopened for business. However, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) warned that the after-effects of Idalia were still impacting air travel. The agency tweeted a warning about flight cancellations as the storm made landfall in Florida and emphasized that severe weather could affect flights beyond the immediate area.

Tampa International Airport announced its reopening at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, but only for incoming flights. Departing flights and normal operations were expected to resume early Thursday morning. The airport's CEO, Joe Lopano, expressed gratitude that they had avoided the worst effects of the storm and focused on returning to full operational capacity to assist in recovery efforts.

Similarly, St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport announced its reopening at 3 p.m., with flights set to resume on Thursday. Sarasota-Bradenton Airport had already resumed business on Wednesday morning but advised travelers to check with their airlines for updates. Jacksonville International Airport posted a similar message on its website, urging travelers to contact their airlines for rebooking options.

However, not all airports were able to reopen. Gainesville Regional Airport remained closed on Wednesday, with no indication of when it would resume operations. Tallahassee International Airport also remained closed on Wednesday, with normal operations expected to resume on Thursday morning, according to the official Tallahassee government website.

In addition to flight disruptions, Hurricane Idalia also affected other forms of travel. Amtrak canceled passenger train trips for 10 East Coast routes scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday.

As Florida continues to recover from the storm, airlines, including Southwest, Delta, American Airlines, and United, have issued travel advisories and are allowing affected travelers to rebook their flights for free. Passengers are advised to check with their airlines for the latest updates and rebooking options.