Tampa International Airport Guide

Tampa International Airport sits six miles west of downtown Tampa in Hillsborough County, Florida. Opened in its current form on April 15, 1971, it was the first airport in the world to use a fully automated people mover system — a design that connected a central landside terminal to satellite airside concourses and became a model for airports globally. The Hillsborough County Aviation Authority owns and operates the facility.

The airport served approximately 24.8 million passengers in 2025, recording around 226,400 aircraft movements that year. It operates three runways, with the longest extending 11,002 feet. Four active airsides — A, C, E, and F — provide 59 gates, with a fifth airside (D) under construction and scheduled to open in 2028. The airport ranks among the top 30 busiest in the United States.

TPA is the primary gateway for the Tampa Bay region and draws a mix of domestic and international carriers. American, Delta, Southwest, and United operate the highest passenger volumes, while Airside F handles most international flights including transatlantic services from British Airways and Virgin Atlantic. The airport's compact landside-airside layout keeps connection times short compared with larger hub airports.