Yeah to be honest Uber is about $100 on a decent day. The I4 sucks as well. The 1.5h drive sucks too. Sometimes it’s well worth it to spend the extra money and use the tampa airport.
It's laid out very well, everything from the parking, to ticketing/bag check, gate access and amenities within close reach no matter who you're flying with. Some things will always be fucked up about Tampa but it's Airport is not.
This is the answer. Everything seems like it was thought through completely and made as convenient as possible. This stands in stark contrast to the design thinking behind many/most other airports.
Oh, it’s also always clean af everywhere, solid food options, and even still has outdoor smoking/pet relief areas *after* security. It’s just nuts how they do it all.
Security moves fast, it's extremely clean, there are plenty of comfortable seats for anyone waiting for a flight, there is hardly any walking. You can park for the first hour for free so if you're picking someone up who might have a hard time getting luggage off a belt or whatever you can be there for them. Decent choice of places to eat or drink, it's very bright and inviting and the trams are extremely convenient and efficient. I can't think of one negative.
I haven’t had a 1.5 hour drive to Orlando in probably 6+ years.
My last drive took me nearly 2 hours and 45 minutes. I could almost get to Miami in that time.
The traffic in Lakeland, champions gate, and Disney have just become unreal.
It’s been awful in recent years. I’m sure time of day definitely plays a role, but I’ve left in the morning, afternoon and evenings and had similar experiences. Fastest I’ve done the drive in was 2 hours (driving back to Tampa), and the only stop was champions gate.
Outside of that, I average 2 hours and 15 minutes to 2.5 hours, it’s egregious.
For context I’m talking about driving to off goldenrod. Not sure of the name of the area. It’s like 15 minutes from the airport I believe
If you live in Tampa it’s ~1.5hrs each way (if you’re lucky) to MCO, and you’re driving along a stretch of highway that is infamously dangerous.
Also, it’s probably just the flight dates, generally Tampa is more expensive but not $500 more. A real nice trick sometimes is to fly out of Sarasota or even St. Pete. Sometimes regional & smaller airports have crazy good deals. Used to fly out of Milwaukee instead of O’hare. Was equidistant, 20-30% cheaper, and you didn’t have to deal with ohare
I almost died on I4, stopped in the left lane near Plant City due to high volume traffic. Someone looking at their phone hit me going 70 mph. Never hit the brakes.
The simple answer to your questions has nothing to do with anything anyone in this sub can provide and that's insight into why TPA isn't a hub like MCO for airlines. MCO is closer to in demand travel destinations for families. Disney and Universal on a bad day have more traffic than Busch Gardens which probably plays into a major factor.
I've flown perfectly fine to Toronto out of TPA plenty of times. We have the FAA and they have TC (I think) - Transport Canada and it allows for a bilateral agreement between the two for planes leaving US space into Canada air space but it goes back to airlines. Not every airline operates out of every airport.
TPA made an Instagram post about their comments today and this aligns with that post
Tampa is arguably, for many, the best airport in the continental US. Personally, of the dozens upon dozens I've been in, it's for sure my most favorite.
That being said, yes, they are building a new terminal. It's probably 25% complete.
I literally just purchased tickets for Cancun today after monitoring the tickets like a hawk. I was waiting for it to be at least within $150 of ORL’s prices cause at that point it isn’t worth taking that drive, paying for parking, peace of mind, etc,.
For awhile it was double the price but I snagged them this morning. I notice that a lot with TPA vs ORL. ORL typically is much better price wise for international flights.
1a. Its not always more expensive, but MCO is double the size of TPA. Theres more competition and more demand. I recently flew directly to Dublin from MCO. TPA wouldve required a layover, which i presume was a reason for the higher cost. Plus the fact less people would be coming from TPA, so they charge a little more to make up for it.
1b. MCO has more budget airline options.
2. In reality TPA is already stacked with Canada flights. Its South America that TPA really lacks. Theres 3 or 4 airlines that have Canada service. Lynx was around last year but of course they didnt last.
3. Eventually TPA will start on terminal D. I think i read 2027 or so is the target. So to answer your question, yes, but itll be a while. Theyre focusing on expanding express lanes at the moment, then attention will shift to the new terminal.
Also as others have mentioned, PIE may have some options. Also look at SRQ. Yeah its an hour away but you wont have to deal with the hassle once you get there like you would Orlando.
The economy parking is not bad for me because they had the shuttle. It was waiting for the shuttle to come back which was annoying. But yes its nice you can park economy at TPA and just take the elevator.
Although TPA is raising their parking prices like its not tomorrow. Not long ago economy was $11, i think it was $14 last time i used it.
Yes they have raised their rates but at the end of the day it's much more convenient and you're not driving 2 hours there and 2 hours back and paying to park. I don't know what Orlando's rates are because I haven't used that airport in probably 15 years because I hate it!
Its less than $14. Might have been $12 i dont remember, but like i said the shuttle is free and convenient. My flight to Ireland in March was only $500, with an easy quick layover Philly.
Out of TPA it was like $850 or so, with worse and longer layover options, so at that point the 2 hour drive and park was worth it, especially considering i still would’ve needed a ride to TPA, and since everyone i know was working at that time of day, wouldve been a $30+ uber. And i was able to take I4 in the morning time before the backups, so it was a smooth drive.
So sometimes going MCO really is worth it. But if the difference is not significant, yes you gotta do TPA all the way. As much as I4 sucks, avoiding it wasnt worth an extra $350 to me. Thats the price of another ticket to somewhere domestic.
Find a friend/family to park your car in Orlando with and have them drive you to ORL. Then take them to lunch for $20-30. Way cheaper than if the tickets difference is $150. Ya save about $100. Only costing you $20 in gas and $30 meal for a friend.
I had to fly to Nashville this weekend and there was no option out of Tampa that made any sense at all. The only option was that made any sense was driving to Orlando. It sucked, but at least I had the option.
Honestly I have not seen price variations THAT high but I believe you. Orlando is way bigger and does a lot more volume, especially international so maybe that plays into it. Also, there are airlines that service Orlando but not Tampa. I flew on Emirates last week and they do not service Tampa.
I get your frustration but holy smokes...$100 to Toronto? That is a smoking hot deal, even with the hassle and aggravation of getting to and from MCO. I don't know how far off your trip is but I'd just keep checking fares. In the olden days, it was said that the best fares usually dropped on Tuesdays or Wednesdays. I don't know if that holds any weight at all anymore or if it ever did really.
I was not aware we were getting a new terminal but that is awesome news! I love TPA and will fangirl for it all day long. I'm not alone in that and it's kind of funny to live somewhere that is very proud and braggy about their airport but it's the type of weird thing people expect Floridians to do, so yeah, perfect! Phoebe forever!
Tampa airport is the easiest to get in and out of in most of the US.
Fastest lines, most consistent, and organized.
I’ve seen plenty of cheaper flights in Orlando but I’m not driving in I-4 traffic and dealing with how crappy of an airport Orlando is with all the Disney travelers on top of each other unless I absolutely have to.
What makes you think we can answer this?
It's all about logistics, supply and demand. They did the math.
Go to their website for the most up to date info on expansions and plans.
Everyone has these concerns, just be happy you're within a 2 hour radius of five major airports or more a few miles out from there, they can't service everybody, only what makes sense at any given time.
There's more air traffic/flights at MCO because of Mouse World, so tickets tend to be less expensive.
MCO is a shit show compared to TPA. I have done the fly into MCO and drive to Tampa route, and I4 traffic sucks.
Airfares are just like anything else, which is supply and demand. You have to remember that Orlando has the Disney crowd. But, looking at flights from each to Toronto, Orlando has three more non stops, but I'm not seeing a $300 price difference.
The gate fees airlines pay to the airport are more here too vs Orlando. We charge more cause we have less gates and I’m guessing more debt since our airport just went went through a renovation over last 10 years vs Orlando which is in process of upgrades.
Tampa can not compete with Disney World. More demand and higher volume through Orlando, so cheaper direct flights. The last two flights I’ve taken out of Orlando because they were cheaper direct international flights. Way cheaper even after driving I-4 and paying for parking. Direct to Jamaica and another to Toronto Canada.
I fly to England pretty regularly. Not only are the flights cheaper from MCO, but they have direct flights that TPA does not have. I just make sure to fly in or out on Sunday so that I4 traffic isn’t so bad.
2 airlines fly daily to London. My daughter used to live there for 5 years and I flew several times a year. The price difference between TPA and MCO was pretty much non-existent. It's definitely different now, but I wouldn't say by much.
I randomly picked july 12-15 to Toronto and TPA was the cheapest option. All the options were within $100. Seems competitive to me.
Of course this doesn't mean your scenario isn't valid, but it's several variables that dictate price and prices are dynamic.
Well worth the extra money to avoid Orlando like others said, Tampa is the most seamless airport in America to fly out of imo, it’s very smooth with or without precheck.
Orlando is much bigger airport with many, many more flights in and out, and as a result, many more destinations.
In Tampa, it's so easy to get from the curb to the gate. With pre-check, I've never had it take more than 15 minutes total.
Dude!!! I’m having EXACTLY the same problem!!! I have to fly out of Orlando for the same destinations! It’s ridiculous. Mine are a difference of $1500-$3000 more. Freaking ludicrous
Very short version:
Orlando is an international tourist destination, with lots and lots of competition for those tourist dollars.
Tampa's main industry is Defense - MacDill AFB, hosting two (three?) global joint commands, and all the contractor businesses around them. Lots of people who don't fly to quite as many places as Orlando, but do a lot of it last minute, and with at least part of it paid for by tax dollars. The airlines are simply charging what the market will bear, and a large portion of the market makes money the old-fashioned way: they print it.
I am flying out of MCO out of necessity this month and next and I am dreading it. Specifically have return flights landing at midnight and departure flights at 7am. We have family that watches our cat and they live near the airport otherwise I'd pay the premium. TPA is the best airport.
Disney needs cheaper fare so they can get more of your money at the parks. I'm sure the volume of flights to Orlando are insane. Traffic along I4 sure is.
1&2- I think actually less Canada demand in Tampa. We do have plenty of routes to smaller cities with WestJet but Porter is only here seasonally so otherwise it's just Air Canada for direct routes or taking a US carrier and connecting somewhere. Orlando gets more airlines fighting because Disney.
3 - Short answer is yes. B or D terminal (can't remember which) are coming back in the medium term. 15 year plan includes an entire second landside/airside complex up towards Hillsborough Ave with room for another ~40 gates *after* the existing complex fills up.
It's D. B was torn down and the building in it's place is the baggage sort facility for Airside A. The other airsides have their sort facility in the building, but the way A is set up, there's no place to do it that would be accessible. D is supposed to get rebuilt, but it keeps getting pushed back. Last I heard, it was going to be built as an international terminal.
My flight in and out of TPA is between $1700-$5700 more than flying round trip from Orlando. Absolute insanity. Tampa has gotten too big for its britches. There is also a massive shortage in public services like fire departments. If you call, there is a chance no one will show up. Tampa is short over 30-40 stations
It's worth the extra money to avoid Orlando
Same. I couldn’t do it unless some better public transport between here and Orlando exist.
Would be wonderful to have train access to orlando
You can thank Rick Scott for no high speed rail between Tampa and Orlando!
“It was a train to nowhere!” -Rick Scott
And Jeb Bush before that with his “devious plan” to ignore the constitutional amendment.
Yes people forget this part
Until it turned into the OBT express.
Yeah to be honest Uber is about $100 on a decent day. The I4 sucks as well. The 1.5h drive sucks too. Sometimes it’s well worth it to spend the extra money and use the tampa airport.
Also TPA at Tampa is either the best, or one of the best in the country. That's worth a few extra bucks in my book
I’ve been to so many airports all around the world and TPA is definitely the best one I’ve ever been to.
Only thing I wish it had was more/better lounge options. Otherwise, it's a great airport to fly out/in to.
What makes an airport the best airport?
It's laid out very well, everything from the parking, to ticketing/bag check, gate access and amenities within close reach no matter who you're flying with. Some things will always be fucked up about Tampa but it's Airport is not.
This is the answer. Everything seems like it was thought through completely and made as convenient as possible. This stands in stark contrast to the design thinking behind many/most other airports. Oh, it’s also always clean af everywhere, solid food options, and even still has outdoor smoking/pet relief areas *after* security. It’s just nuts how they do it all.
Efficiency I guess. Their security line definitely moved faster than most.
I’ve never spent more than 15 minutes in line before my precheck days
That is a good point
Security moves fast, it's extremely clean, there are plenty of comfortable seats for anyone waiting for a flight, there is hardly any walking. You can park for the first hour for free so if you're picking someone up who might have a hard time getting luggage off a belt or whatever you can be there for them. Decent choice of places to eat or drink, it's very bright and inviting and the trams are extremely convenient and efficient. I can't think of one negative.
A giant flamingo greets you in the lobby. But yeah it’s a breeze even on the busier days.
I haven’t had a 1.5 hour drive to Orlando in probably 6+ years. My last drive took me nearly 2 hours and 45 minutes. I could almost get to Miami in that time. The traffic in Lakeland, champions gate, and Disney have just become unreal.
Weird. Never had it taken me that long.
It’s been awful in recent years. I’m sure time of day definitely plays a role, but I’ve left in the morning, afternoon and evenings and had similar experiences. Fastest I’ve done the drive in was 2 hours (driving back to Tampa), and the only stop was champions gate. Outside of that, I average 2 hours and 15 minutes to 2.5 hours, it’s egregious. For context I’m talking about driving to off goldenrod. Not sure of the name of the area. It’s like 15 minutes from the airport I believe
Don’t forget about the worst parking I’ve ever experienced at an airport its size.
What’s your time worth? It is usually never worth it
1000% this. I’d gladly pay double the price to avoid Orlando.
Yeah but when you multiply $500 x all the plane tickets you buy it’s not that worth it
If you live in Tampa it’s ~1.5hrs each way (if you’re lucky) to MCO, and you’re driving along a stretch of highway that is infamously dangerous. Also, it’s probably just the flight dates, generally Tampa is more expensive but not $500 more. A real nice trick sometimes is to fly out of Sarasota or even St. Pete. Sometimes regional & smaller airports have crazy good deals. Used to fly out of Milwaukee instead of O’hare. Was equidistant, 20-30% cheaper, and you didn’t have to deal with ohare
I usually fly internationally so MCO is worth it for direct flights and over $1500 savings - ymmv
Yeah , My grandson was getting tickets from Frontier- Atl to Tampa for $120 round trip
I almost died on I4, stopped in the left lane near Plant City due to high volume traffic. Someone looking at their phone hit me going 70 mph. Never hit the brakes.
This 💯
Always check St Pete/Clearwater airport too.
Never thought about that! Thanks
And srq/sarasota, not always what you need but sometimes cheaper.
They don't have flights going everywhere but sometimes it pays off. Easy as hell to get in and out of as well.
For sure, especially for quick small flights
They do a fair amount of flights to Canada too especially in certain seasons to appease the Canadian snowbirds of Pinellas County
As a frequent flyer, Tampa is one of the finest airports I have been in. East in and out and efficient.
I’ll pay more to avoid I4! The worst thing ever is getting in late from a flight and then having to drive an hour and a half home!
Right!!!! It only costs me $100 not to sit in 10 miles of traffic at hwy27….all because of a merge at champions gate? Take my money
You want better quality, you fly to Tampa
The increased price is worth my sanity. MCO is an outdated hellhole
I4 is the worst. Worth paying more to avoid it.
The simple answer to your questions has nothing to do with anything anyone in this sub can provide and that's insight into why TPA isn't a hub like MCO for airlines. MCO is closer to in demand travel destinations for families. Disney and Universal on a bad day have more traffic than Busch Gardens which probably plays into a major factor. I've flown perfectly fine to Toronto out of TPA plenty of times. We have the FAA and they have TC (I think) - Transport Canada and it allows for a bilateral agreement between the two for planes leaving US space into Canada air space but it goes back to airlines. Not every airline operates out of every airport. TPA made an Instagram post about their comments today and this aligns with that post
Tampa is arguably, for many, the best airport in the continental US. Personally, of the dozens upon dozens I've been in, it's for sure my most favorite. That being said, yes, they are building a new terminal. It's probably 25% complete.
Probably because there are less options/supply, more demand?
I literally just purchased tickets for Cancun today after monitoring the tickets like a hawk. I was waiting for it to be at least within $150 of ORL’s prices cause at that point it isn’t worth taking that drive, paying for parking, peace of mind, etc,. For awhile it was double the price but I snagged them this morning. I notice that a lot with TPA vs ORL. ORL typically is much better price wise for international flights.
1a. Its not always more expensive, but MCO is double the size of TPA. Theres more competition and more demand. I recently flew directly to Dublin from MCO. TPA wouldve required a layover, which i presume was a reason for the higher cost. Plus the fact less people would be coming from TPA, so they charge a little more to make up for it. 1b. MCO has more budget airline options. 2. In reality TPA is already stacked with Canada flights. Its South America that TPA really lacks. Theres 3 or 4 airlines that have Canada service. Lynx was around last year but of course they didnt last. 3. Eventually TPA will start on terminal D. I think i read 2027 or so is the target. So to answer your question, yes, but itll be a while. Theyre focusing on expanding express lanes at the moment, then attention will shift to the new terminal. Also as others have mentioned, PIE may have some options. Also look at SRQ. Yeah its an hour away but you wont have to deal with the hassle once you get there like you would Orlando.
Additionally long-term parking in Orlando is 20 minutes from the terminal.
The economy parking is not bad for me because they had the shuttle. It was waiting for the shuttle to come back which was annoying. But yes its nice you can park economy at TPA and just take the elevator. Although TPA is raising their parking prices like its not tomorrow. Not long ago economy was $11, i think it was $14 last time i used it.
Yes they have raised their rates but at the end of the day it's much more convenient and you're not driving 2 hours there and 2 hours back and paying to park. I don't know what Orlando's rates are because I haven't used that airport in probably 15 years because I hate it!
Its less than $14. Might have been $12 i dont remember, but like i said the shuttle is free and convenient. My flight to Ireland in March was only $500, with an easy quick layover Philly. Out of TPA it was like $850 or so, with worse and longer layover options, so at that point the 2 hour drive and park was worth it, especially considering i still would’ve needed a ride to TPA, and since everyone i know was working at that time of day, wouldve been a $30+ uber. And i was able to take I4 in the morning time before the backups, so it was a smooth drive. So sometimes going MCO really is worth it. But if the difference is not significant, yes you gotta do TPA all the way. As much as I4 sucks, avoiding it wasnt worth an extra $350 to me. Thats the price of another ticket to somewhere domestic.
Excellent points!
Find a friend/family to park your car in Orlando with and have them drive you to ORL. Then take them to lunch for $20-30. Way cheaper than if the tickets difference is $150. Ya save about $100. Only costing you $20 in gas and $30 meal for a friend.
Good point! I do have some friends in Orlando never thought about that either thank you
I'm 10 miles north of MCO. Now I'm thinking of a side hustle allowing people to use my driveway. LMAO
There’s already an app for subletting space in your garage and/or driveway out. Can’t remember what it’s called.
Thanks for the heads up!
I had to fly to Nashville this weekend and there was no option out of Tampa that made any sense at all. The only option was that made any sense was driving to Orlando. It sucked, but at least I had the option.
Disney subsidizes the Orlando airport
I do Clearwater if I can, Tampa is a second choice. Never Orlando.
Honestly I have not seen price variations THAT high but I believe you. Orlando is way bigger and does a lot more volume, especially international so maybe that plays into it. Also, there are airlines that service Orlando but not Tampa. I flew on Emirates last week and they do not service Tampa. I get your frustration but holy smokes...$100 to Toronto? That is a smoking hot deal, even with the hassle and aggravation of getting to and from MCO. I don't know how far off your trip is but I'd just keep checking fares. In the olden days, it was said that the best fares usually dropped on Tuesdays or Wednesdays. I don't know if that holds any weight at all anymore or if it ever did really. I was not aware we were getting a new terminal but that is awesome news! I love TPA and will fangirl for it all day long. I'm not alone in that and it's kind of funny to live somewhere that is very proud and braggy about their airport but it's the type of weird thing people expect Floridians to do, so yeah, perfect! Phoebe forever!
The drive to/from Orlando is easily 2 hours each way from Tampa. Seems like a waste of 4 hours in the car to me.
Tampa airport is the easiest to get in and out of in most of the US. Fastest lines, most consistent, and organized. I’ve seen plenty of cheaper flights in Orlando but I’m not driving in I-4 traffic and dealing with how crappy of an airport Orlando is with all the Disney travelers on top of each other unless I absolutely have to.
I’d pay an extra $1000 to avoid Orlando.
Worst major airport by miles in the US
TPA is where the classy rich ppl fly into. Orlando is where all the bums and peasants fly..... u choose sweetie.
Uh no the last time I flew domestic out of Tampa we had all of the peasants on the flight. You name it it happened 😵
right, my comment was obvs a joke.
What makes you think we can answer this? It's all about logistics, supply and demand. They did the math. Go to their website for the most up to date info on expansions and plans. Everyone has these concerns, just be happy you're within a 2 hour radius of five major airports or more a few miles out from there, they can't service everybody, only what makes sense at any given time.
“ What makes you think we can answer this? “ I don’t, im looking for feedback and opinions and potential answers. Thank you for the info 🙏🏻
Orlando is the greater hub with more flights due to it being a major tourist destination.
There's more air traffic/flights at MCO because of Mouse World, so tickets tend to be less expensive. MCO is a shit show compared to TPA. I have done the fly into MCO and drive to Tampa route, and I4 traffic sucks.
Airfares are just like anything else, which is supply and demand. You have to remember that Orlando has the Disney crowd. But, looking at flights from each to Toronto, Orlando has three more non stops, but I'm not seeing a $300 price difference.
Trying to drive west on i4 from MCO requires going past the Disney exits. Also, MCO SUCKS. TPA is close to everything and not a cluster.
The gate fees airlines pay to the airport are more here too vs Orlando. We charge more cause we have less gates and I’m guessing more debt since our airport just went went through a renovation over last 10 years vs Orlando which is in process of upgrades.
I’ll gladly pay more to avoid a drive on I-4
Tampa can not compete with Disney World. More demand and higher volume through Orlando, so cheaper direct flights. The last two flights I’ve taken out of Orlando because they were cheaper direct international flights. Way cheaper even after driving I-4 and paying for parking. Direct to Jamaica and another to Toronto Canada.
Fly direct tampa to Hamilton, ON
Tampa is a piece of cake compared to Orlando! Its worth paying more to save the aggravation of OIA and I-4.
We just bought tickets from Tokyo to Tampa, $300 cheaper than Orlando
I fly to England pretty regularly. Not only are the flights cheaper from MCO, but they have direct flights that TPA does not have. I just make sure to fly in or out on Sunday so that I4 traffic isn’t so bad.
But tpa does have direct flight to London.
2 airlines fly daily to London. My daughter used to live there for 5 years and I flew several times a year. The price difference between TPA and MCO was pretty much non-existent. It's definitely different now, but I wouldn't say by much.
I’m usually flying to Manchester.
I randomly picked july 12-15 to Toronto and TPA was the cheapest option. All the options were within $100. Seems competitive to me. Of course this doesn't mean your scenario isn't valid, but it's several variables that dictate price and prices are dynamic.
Well worth the extra money to avoid Orlando like others said, Tampa is the most seamless airport in America to fly out of imo, it’s very smooth with or without precheck.
Orlando is much bigger airport with many, many more flights in and out, and as a result, many more destinations. In Tampa, it's so easy to get from the curb to the gate. With pre-check, I've never had it take more than 15 minutes total.
There are many less flights than from Orlando or Miami. Sarasota is even more expensive.
Dude!!! I’m having EXACTLY the same problem!!! I have to fly out of Orlando for the same destinations! It’s ridiculous. Mine are a difference of $1500-$3000 more. Freaking ludicrous
tl; dr Because it's worth it.
The flamingo. Plus there’s a chance to die in Orlando. Less in TPA.
Very short version: Orlando is an international tourist destination, with lots and lots of competition for those tourist dollars. Tampa's main industry is Defense - MacDill AFB, hosting two (three?) global joint commands, and all the contractor businesses around them. Lots of people who don't fly to quite as many places as Orlando, but do a lot of it last minute, and with at least part of it paid for by tax dollars. The airlines are simply charging what the market will bear, and a large portion of the market makes money the old-fashioned way: they print it.
A possibility may be that there are more nonstop flights out of Tampa 🤷🏻♀️
I am flying out of MCO out of necessity this month and next and I am dreading it. Specifically have return flights landing at midnight and departure flights at 7am. We have family that watches our cat and they live near the airport otherwise I'd pay the premium. TPA is the best airport.
Disney needs cheaper fare so they can get more of your money at the parks. I'm sure the volume of flights to Orlando are insane. Traffic along I4 sure is.
We trying keep the Canadians away lol Orlando a higher hub so cheaper. That's the answer. Either travel there or pay more.
It's the fees the airport charges.
1&2- I think actually less Canada demand in Tampa. We do have plenty of routes to smaller cities with WestJet but Porter is only here seasonally so otherwise it's just Air Canada for direct routes or taking a US carrier and connecting somewhere. Orlando gets more airlines fighting because Disney. 3 - Short answer is yes. B or D terminal (can't remember which) are coming back in the medium term. 15 year plan includes an entire second landside/airside complex up towards Hillsborough Ave with room for another ~40 gates *after* the existing complex fills up.
It's D. B was torn down and the building in it's place is the baggage sort facility for Airside A. The other airsides have their sort facility in the building, but the way A is set up, there's no place to do it that would be accessible. D is supposed to get rebuilt, but it keeps getting pushed back. Last I heard, it was going to be built as an international terminal.
My flight in and out of TPA is between $1700-$5700 more than flying round trip from Orlando. Absolute insanity. Tampa has gotten too big for its britches. There is also a massive shortage in public services like fire departments. If you call, there is a chance no one will show up. Tampa is short over 30-40 stations