PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla., Oct. 10, 2026 — Update to our October 9 story. Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport (ECP) has reopened to commercial flights after Hurricane Isaias, WEAR-TV reports. It is the first of the three Florida Panhandle airports shut by the storm to return, and Pensacola and Destin-Fort Walton Beach are still closed.
What changed since Friday
- It did stop flying. When we published on Friday, ECP was open with most flights cancelled. The airport then ended commercial operations at 1 p.m. local time on Friday, October 9. The terminal stayed open but was not a public shelter.
- It is back. WEAR-TV, reporting Gov. Ron DeSantis’s Saturday morning briefing, said ECP had reopened to commercial traffic.
- Which flights are operating: TBA. When we checked on Saturday, the airport’s website still showed Friday’s suspension notice and gave no restart schedule. Airlines decide flight by flight.
- Friday’s losses: FlightAware showed 47 cancellations at ECP by 12:45 p.m. Friday.
- The storm has gone. Isaias made landfall near Destin, west of Panama City, at about 8:30 p.m. CDT Friday and was a post-tropical cyclone over Alabama by 5 a.m. Saturday. Gusts topped 100 mph near Panama City Beach.
- Neighbors still shut: Pensacola (PNS) and Destin-Fort Walton Beach (VPS) remained closed on Saturday morning, with reopening times TBA.
Airline waivers
| Airline | Travel dates covered | Rebooking terms |
|---|---|---|
| American | Oct. 9–11 | Change by Oct. 11 for travel Oct. 7–14 |
| Delta | Oct. 9–10 | Fare difference waived for new travel on or before Oct. 13 |
| United | Oct. 9–10 | New flights must depart Oct. 7–13 |
| Southwest | Oct. 8–10 | Rebook or fly standby within 14 days of the original date |
What it means for non-revs
- ECP is the only one of the three storm-closed airports that is open. That makes it the alternate for anyone who would normally use Pensacola or Destin-Fort Walton Beach.
- That also makes it crowded. Airlines are rebooking passengers from all three airports, and waivers run to October 13 or 14. Expect very few open seats this weekend.
- Check each flight. An open airport does not mean a full schedule. Aircraft and crews were moved out before the storm, so early flights may still cancel.
- Allow extra drive time if you are coming from the Pensacola or Destin areas. Main highways are open, but power is out widely to the west.
- List early and have a backup day. Monday and Tuesday are likely to be easier than Saturday or Sunday.
Sources
- WEAR-TV, “DeSantis: 448,000 without power after Isaias; major Panhandle routes reopen”: weartv.com
- Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport, “Hurricane Isaias Update (October 9, 2026)”: iflybeaches.com
- AeroCorner, “Isaias Shuts Pensacola and Destin Airports”: aerocorner.com
- American Airlines, “Travel alerts”: aa.com
- Open Jaw, “Carriers Waive Change Fees as Hurricanes Threaten Gulf Coast, Mexico’s Pacific Coast”: openjaw.com
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