Flying into Tampa with very short layover in Charlotte, NC

[G00fyDad]

Has anyone flown into Tampa International Airport (TPA)? I can save about $300 flying into that airport. Is it worth it to fly into there vs MCO? Just to note, we will be spending the first part of the trip at WDW and the last three days in Clearwater Beach so it will be closer to us when we leave Florida. How busy or confusing is TPA?

We're also going tro have a SUPER short layover in Charlotte, NC and I am worried about getting from gate to gate in that time.

 

[celluloid]

I am originally from FL and we would often check Tampa for flights anywhere for same reason. It is more of a business hub as well as tourism than MCO and you can often find good deals there. In the long run it is not that much more of a drive. Worth it if it saves you that much and you could rent a car from there instead and allow drop off from MCO or just back to Tampa if you are flying back round trip form there.

 

[mkt]

Has anyone flown into Tampa International Airport (TPA)? I can save about $300 flying into that airport. Is it worth it to fly into there vs MCO? Just to note, we will be spending the first part of the trip at WDW and the last three days in Clearwater Beach so it will be closer to us when we leave Florida. How busy or confusing is TPA?

It's a smaller and easier airport to navigate than MCO. For a $300 savings, it's worth the hour drive to WDW.

 

[Lilofan]

It's a smaller and easier airport to navigate than MCO. For a $300 savings, it's worth the hour drive to WDW.

It takes approx ,90 mim drive not including traffic. 60 min drive if no-one on the highway

 

[G00fyDad]

My biggest concern is that I am looking at a 30-35 minute layover. AA uses all of the concourses and if we land there late and have to go from a gate in E to a gate in A then I am now worried we may miss our connecting flight. But the same issue exists for MCO (30 minute layovers).

We always rent a car and we make a trip to and back from Clearwater so the 90 minute drive is not a problem. I am just nervous about a new airport and a short layover.

 

[mkt]

It takes approx ,90 mim drive not including traffic. 60 min drive if no-one on the highway

I did that commute every day for 3 months. I did it in 60 :X

 

[Lilofan]

I did that commute every day for 3 months. I did it in 60 :X

92 miles in 60 min?

 

[Darstarr]

I have flown into and out of Tampa several times. Without the magical express there is no reason not to if it saves you money on flights. Also, without traffic it is closer to an hour and fifteen minutes.

 

[G00fyDad]

Has anyone had a small layover timeframe and had to cross the entire terminal to get to their connecting flight?

 

[MaryJaneP]

Does a pp mean 90 min (sic mim) to go 60 miles or does the pp mean 60 minutes to go 92 miles? If it is the later, didn't WDW get rid of the racetrack featured by the MK parking area?

 

[celluloid]

Has anyone had a small layover timeframe and had to cross the entire terminal to get to their connecting flight?

It is not a tiny airport but pretty efficient. It kind of has trams like MCO in a sense that take you from terminal to the main area. Unless it is really close I would not be overly concerned more than a typical delay or situation causing issue.

 

[mkt]

92 miles in 60 min?

Closer to 75 miles point to point, and once I was on the highway with cruise set, yes.

 

[celluloid]

Closer to 75 miles point to point, and once I was on the highway with cruise set, yes.

Yeah. I have gotten to Central FL/Disney property there in thereabouts of time as well. Give or take a few. Getting out of the Airport/275 area is the longest part or feels like it is the variable that makes the biggest difference.

At the end of the day it is going to add less than a half hour most times to your commute from MCO.

You can always check Sanford as well. Not likely cheaper but you may strike a deal situation if it is a regional flight. Renting a car is a tiny bit trickier for lack of the convenience.

 

[bpiper]

My biggest concern is that I am looking at a 30-35 minute layover. AA uses all of the concourses and if we land there late and have to go from a gate in E to a gate in A then I am now worried we may miss our connecting flight. But the same issue exists for MCO (30 minute layovers).

We always rent a car and we make a trip to and back from Clearwater so the 90 minute drive is not a problem. I am just nervous about a new airport and a short layover.

I am confused. I thought you were flying into MCO or TPA, staying at WDW, driving to Clearwater for a few days and then flying home. Where does the connecting come in?
You can look at the airports website and see where the inbound flight and outbound flight currently board to get a sense of the distance, but it might change down the road.
Also, you can take a look at landing times on the inbound flight and see if it routinely lands very early from the scheduled flight arrival. The airline might be heavily padding it so that you have more time than you think.

I just looked, the airport's website says that American only uses concourse F.

That said, the main terminal is very compact, shaped like a square. It takes very little time to transit from one gate shuttle to the other.
We have flown in many times to TPA and then drove to WDW to save money.

 

[G00fyDad]

I am confused. I thought you were flying into MCO or TPA, staying at WDW, driving to Clearwater for a few days and then flying home. Where does the connecting come in?
You can look at the airports website and see where the inbound flight and outbound flight currently board to get a sense of the distance, but it might change down the road.
Also, you can take a look at landing times on the inbound flight and see if it routinely lands very early from the scheduled flight arrival. The airline might be heavily padding it so that you have more time than you think.

I just looked, the airport's website says that American only uses concourse F.

That said, the main terminal is very compact, shaped like a square. It takes very little time to transit from one gate shuttle to the other.
We have flown in many times to TPA and then drove to WDW to save money.

I feel stupid. I have no idea why I confused TPA with my connecting airport (Charlotte, NC). I am connecting in Charlotte and that is where the 30-35 minute issue comes into play. I feel really dumb now.

 

[celluloid]

I feel stupid. I have no idea why I confused TPA with my connecting airport (Charlotte, NC). I am connecting in Charlotte and that is where the 30-35 minute issue comes into play. I feel really dumb now.

That makes more sense. I don't know about Charlotte. What is your origin airport?

 

[bpiper]

I feel stupid. I have no idea why I confused TPA with my connecting airport (Charlotte, NC). I am connecting in Charlotte and that is where the 30-35 minute issue comes into play. I feel really dumb now.

No worries. It happens. Are you sure you're changing planes in Charlotte. You might be staying on the same plane. A 30 to 35 minute layover sounds about right for that scenario. You should check your flights to see if you actually are changing planes or the plane just lands and you stay on it while others board for the continuation to Florida.

 

[mkt]

I feel stupid. I have no idea why I confused TPA with my connecting airport (Charlotte, NC). I am connecting in Charlotte and that is where the 30-35 minute issue comes into play. I feel really dumb now.

Run.

 

[Lilofan]

No worries. It happens. Are you sure you're changing planes in Charlotte. You might be staying on the same plane. A 30 to 35 minute layover sounds about right for that scenario. You should check your flights to see if you actually are changing planes or the plane just lands and you stay on it while others board for the continuation to Florida.

With the plane departing by row with first class departing first and a full flight, I would not want to be sitting in the back of the plane to exit. That 30 min connection is really cutting it close , good luck to the ones trying to catch their connection .

 

[bpiper]

With the plane departing by row with first class departing first and a full flight, I would not want to be sitting in the back of the plane to exit. That 30 min connection is really cutting it close , good luck to the ones trying to catch their connection .

That's why i think its a continuing flight. At a hub, the airlines usually wont schedule a connection under an hour.