Booking an airport transfer should take 2-3 minutes and result in a seamless arrival experience. Here's exactly how to do it right.
What to Have Ready When Booking
- Flight number and airline: Essential for flight tracking (delays automatically accounted for)
- Origin airport and arrival time: We track your flight, but approximate times help scheduling
- Destination address: Hotel name and address, or full address for residential
- Number of passengers: Ensures correct vehicle size
- Luggage count: Especially important for large groups or those with unusual amounts of luggage
- Contact phone number: For day-of communication
Meet-and-Greet vs. Curbside Pickup
Meet-and-Greet (Inside Baggage Claim)
Driver meets you in the baggage claim area holding a name sign:
- Best for: International arrivals, first-time visitors who don't know TPA layout, VIP guests, families with young children
- Additional fee: Typically $10-15 for parking/waiting time
- Advantage: Simplest possible experience — you see your name, follow the driver
Curbside Pickup (Outside Arrivals)
Driver waits at the curbside pickup zone outside baggage claim:
- Best for: Returning visitors familiar with TPA, those traveling light
- Lower cost: No parking charge
- Process: Exit baggage claim, proceed to Level 1 ground transportation, call driver for exact location
Flight Delay Policy
We track all incoming flights. If your flight is delayed:
- Your pickup time automatically adjusts to your actual arrival
- No additional charges for delays
- Driver is dispatched based on actual landing time, not scheduled time
TPA-Specific Tips
- After landing, you take the SkyConnect tram from your Airside (A, B, C, or E) to the main terminal
- Baggage claim is on Level 2 of the main terminal
- Ground transportation exits are Level 1
- For meet-and-greet: driver will be in baggage claim at Level 2 with a name sign
- TPA baggage claim can be slow — allow 15-25 minutes from landing to bags in hand
How Early to Book
- Regular periods: 24-48 hours ahead minimum
- Spring break, holidays: 5-7 days ahead
- NYE, major events: 2-3 weeks ahead
- Last minute (4-12 hours): Available when capacity permits; not guaranteed during peak periods