World Series pushes Tampa International's projected traffic to as many as 80,000 passengers a day
The airport says the series turned one of its slowest travel stretches into a rush, with another wave expected when fans head home.
TAMPA - The World Series has given Tampa International Airport a surge in what is normally one of its quietest stretches of the year. Earlier this week the airport projected 75,000 to 80,000 passengers a day, compared with an average of about 55,000 for this time of year, according to an Oct. 27 release from the airport.
September and October are usually among the airport's lightest months for passenger traffic, the release says. Fans arrived steadily Sunday and Monday ahead of Game 3, when the series between the Rays and the Milwaukee Brewers moved from Milwaukee to Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg.
The airport has not released actual daily passenger counts for the series; the figures above are its projection. Its operations team expects another wave of travelers when the series ends and visiting fans fly home.
Inside the main terminal, the airport set out Rays merchandise, oversized "TB" letters for photos and ray decals, and its 21-foot flamingo sculpture, Phoebe, became a backdrop for fans' selfies. Airport employees noticed Rays fans flying in from around the country and from as far as the Dominican Republic, the release says.
The series is still going. The Rays beat the Brewers 4-3 in Game 4 on Tuesday, after losing the first three games, and Game 5 is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 28, according to Major League Baseball's official schedule. If needed, Games 6 and 7 would be played in Milwaukee, which would send another round of fans through the airport.
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Source: Tampa International Airport release, Oct. 27, 2026; Game 4 result and Game 5 date from MLB's official Rays schedule.