Airports Serving the Tampa Bay Area: TPA, PIE, SRQ & MCO

The Tampa Bay region is served by one major international airport and several secondary options:

Primary: Tampa International Airport (TPA)

• Location: 10 mi (16 km) west of downtown Tampa
• Status: Major hub — 22M+ passengers (2023)
• Airlines: Southwest (largest, ~50% share), Delta, American, United, JetBlue, Spirit, Frontier, Silver, international carriers (BA, LH, AC, WS, Copa, etc.)
• Nonstop Destinations: 90+ domestic, 15+ international (London, Frankfurt, Toronto, Cancún, Panama, etc.)
• Features: Landside/Airside people mover; top-ranked customer satisfaction; major cargo (FedEx, UPS hubs)

Secondary Commercial Airports

St. Pete-Clearwater International (PIE)

• 13 mi NE of downtown St. Petersburg
• Allegiant Air focus city (leisure routes)
• Sun Country, seasonal charters
• ~2M passengers; smaller, easier access

Sarasota-Bradenton International (SRQ)

• 45 mi S of Tampa (1 hr drive)
• Seasonal leisure focus: Northeast/Midwest snowbirds
• Allegiant, Delta, United, American, JetBlue, Breeze
• ~3M passengers; growing

Regional Alternative

Orlando International (MCO)

• ~85 mi / 1.5 hr from Tampa
• Florida's busiest (57M+ pax); 150+ nonstops; international gateway
• Viable for Tampa residents seeking specific routes/fares
• Brightline rail (future) may connect

General Aviation

Peter O. Knight (TPF, Davis Islands), Albert Whitted (SPG, St. Pete), Tampa Executive (VDF), Venice (VNC) — private/corporate/training.

Choosing Your Airport

TPA dominates; PIE/SRQ serve niches; MCO for gaps.