Travel time to Tampa

[stormer]

We fly home from Disney on Friday night. It was much cheaper to fly home from Tampa. Our flight leaves at 7:10 pm. What kind of traffic should we expect to hit at that time? What would be a good time to leave Disney? We have a rental car that we will need to return at the airport. Thanks.

 

[zaccaglin]

You would have to leave Disney at around 3 and you'd still be spending over 90mins in traffic. I live between Disney and Tampa and what would be my 30mile commute around 5pm takes an hour.

 

[Woodview]

Take advice given by zaccaglin

Leave before 3 pm ....... Arrive early ...... relax ..... have a cup of coffee .

 

[Capt_BJ]

Take advice given by zaccaglin

Leave before 3 pm ....... Arrive early ...... relax ..... have a cup of coffee .

Tampa rush hour traffic s*u*c*k*s and to get to the airport from Disney you must go thru the worst of it. For a 7 flight I'd want to get there by 5 ... do the math .... leave early and grab some early dinner in the airport.

 

[goofy4tink]

Leave by 3! My DS lives about 6 miles east of Tampa International. I drive over to visit him a lot when we're in Orlando. I usually figure on at least 70 mins....when closer to 'Rush hour' it could be longer. Traffic around Tampa can be something to behold.
The airport is very user friendly though. Returning a car is easy.
Get there early, return the car, then grab a bite to eat and relax.

 

[NotUrsula]

If you find yourself running late stuck in Tampa traffic, it is pretty straightforward coming into Tampa to get off of the highway and take an alternate route into the airport. Get off of I-4 before the I-75 split, at 22nd St in Ybor City. Go north on 22nd for 3 blocks and take a left (westbound) on 17th Street. This is a residential street. Stay on 17th westbound, it will merge with Columbus Avenue. Columbus Avenue eventually changes name to Boy Scout Road -- Boy Scout Road is actually the airport service road that runs parallel north of I-275; it will take you right in. (Take a look at Google maps and you'll see how simple this detour is, ~ 6 miles on surface streets. Columbus does go as far east at 22nd St., but that end of Columbus is one-way, so you can't turn directly onto it at first.)

The bulk of the ugly highway traffic in that part of Tampa is at the I-75/I-275 split; if it's backed up, just bail and avoid it.

 

[stormer]

Thanks all. We will be sure to hit the road by 3.