St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE) is preparing for a busy holiday season. We want our passengers to enjoy stress-free holidays and offer these important travel tips.
Airport Travel Tips
- Please consider getting a ride to PIE. PIE is experiencing record-breaking growth and parking options are limited at the airport. We expect our Long-term parking to close on Monday, Economy Lots to fill to capacity on Wednesday, and the Overflow lot is also expected to reach capacity. Complimentary shuttle service is provided between the economy lots and the terminal. The Key Lime Economy Lot is the primary Economy Lot, and the Strawberry PIE Lot will be open when needed and accepts credit and debit cards only when exiting. No overnight parking is allowed in Short-term parking. Once all parking lots are closed, no additional parking is available at the airport; limited options are available at some nearby hotels on a first-come first serve basis and are listed on the website. For parking info, rates and maps, check fly2pie.com/parking-and-transportation/parking
- Please allow ample travel time to the airport. Shuttles operating to and from our Economy Parking Lots may experience delays due to traffic congestion or construction activity. The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Gateway Express Project is under construction on the roadways surrounding the airport. Check updates at fdottampabay.com/project
- Picking up passengers? Use our free cell phone lot to await your party until they are curbside with their luggage. Active loading and unloading only at curbside in front of terminal and remain with your vehicle at all times. No curbside waiting allowed.
- Go Easy! For more information, including our terminal map, parking map, and airline websites, visit our website fly2pie.com
Airline Travel Tips
- Plan to arrive 2 hours before your scheduled flight departure time (3 hours for International) and check departure gate. PIE has two separate gate areas 2-6 and 7-11 that are not connected, so make sure you are at your correct gate 30 minutes before departure ready to board. Please check with airline for carry-on luggage requirements and sizes.
- Monitor/Check with your airline for updated flight information
- For wheelchair assistance, request directly from your airline. Wheelchair assistance is provided from check-in to boarding aircraft and from aircraft to baggage claim.
TSA Travel Tips – tsa.gov/travel
- Pack smart; start with empty bags. Airline passengers who pack for travel with empty bags are less likely to bring prohibited items through a TSA checkpoint. Check for prohibited items by using the “What Can I Bring?” page on TSA.gov.
- Know before you go. Plan to arrive at the airport in plenty of time to check in, check bags, and complete security screening in time to avoid stressful sprints to the departure gate. At the TSA checkpoint, have a valid ID card readily available and follow the liquids rule of 3.4 ounces or less, except for hand sanitizer, which has a temporary 12-ounce limit in carry-on baggage.
- Contact TSA for help if there are questions or concerns. Those who are preparing to travel and may have special circumstances, considerations or general questions about airport screening can get live assistance by tweeting questions and comments to @AskTSA or via Facebook Messenger, weekdays from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. EDT and on weekends/holidays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. EDT. You can also call the TSA Contact Center at 866-289-9673.
- TSA also offers TSA Cares, a helpline for travelers with disabilities, medical conditions, and other special circumstances. You may submit a request for assistance by calling TSA Cares at 855-787-2227, weekdays from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. and on weekends/holidays from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. TSA Cares are open 365 days a year. Passengers may also use the TSA Cares form available on the TSA website which can be found at tsa.gov/travel/passenger-support.
- Enroll now in TSA PreCheck® to “Travel with Ease.” By enrolling in TSA PreCheck, airline passengers can avoid removing shoes, belts, liquids, food, laptops, and light jackets at the TSA checkpoint. Most new enrollees receive their known traveler number within five days, and membership lasts for five years. Nationally in April, 94% of TSA PreCheck passengers waited less than 5 minutes at the checkpoint (at PIE, it’s 100%!).