Orlando International Airport closes ahead of Hurricane Milton: Last flight leaves

ORLANDO, Fla. - The last flight out of Orlando took off Wednesday morning ahead of Hurricane Milton and landed a couple of hours later in Detroit ahead of Hurricane Milton. 

The plane took off from Orlando International Airport (MCO) at 8:02 a.m. Wednesday, two minutes after airport officials had previously announced commercial flights would stop as Florida braces for impacts from Hurricane Milton.

More than 800 passenger flights into or out of MCO were canceled, the airport said in a news release. The last cargo flight left at 9:05 a.m. 

The airport will remain open for emergency relief aid or emergency relief flights, officials said. The airport is not a 

Orlando Executive Airport suspended its operations on Tuesday night.

The airports are no longer accepting commercial or private flights but are still open to accept emergency aid and relief flights as needed, officials said.

Both airports will resume operations as soon as possible once damage is assessed, according to the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, which manages and operates them.

Meanwhile, hurricane preparations are continuing at the airport, including securing the Gate Link and Terminal Link trams. Non-essential personnel who are not on the ride-out crew have been sent home.