Tampa Airport Lounges: What to Know

Tampa International Airport (TPA) is the 23rd busiest airport in the U.S. and averages 292 daily departures. Southwest Airlines carries the most travelers through TPA, followed by Delta, American and United. Several other airlines also fly in and out of TPA.

Here’s a look at Tampa’s airport lounge options for the next time you fly out of The Big Guava.

Airside E: Delta Sky Club

Delta Air Lines has a Sky Club in Airside E with the entrance near E68.

The lounge area overlooks both the gate area and the security lines.

• It is open from 4 a.m. to 8 p.m.

• Food and drinks are available.

• Complimentary Wi-Fi is available. 

• Travelers must be at least 18 to enter without an adult.

• Access requires a same-day boarding pass up to three hours before departure time or during a layover.

Travelers who are Sky Club members, are traveling in Delta One on a domestic or international flight on Delta or a SkyTeam partner or have access via a credit card can enter the club, unless traveling on a basic economy ticket. Note that Delta has recently made several drastic changes to Delta Sky Club access.

Medallion Members of the Delta SkyMiles Program can buy an individual membership for $695 or 69,500 miles.

Cards that allow access into the Sky Clubs include:

Airside F: American Admirals Club and more

The American Airlines Admirals Club is near Gate 85 and the door is a bit tucked away.

• Open from 5 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

• Food and drinks are available.

• Complimentary Wi-Fi is available. 

Access is for Admirals Club members, passengers flying in first or business class on an international or transcontinental ticket on a flight marketed and operated by American, a Oneworld airline or on certain flights to Hawaii.

Individual memberships are available to AAdvantage members and begin at $850 or 85,000 miles and decrease based on AAdvantage membership level.

Day passes are available for $79 or 7,900 miles and are based on lounge capacity.

For passengers traveling in premium classes on outbound international flights, there is a Tampa International Club Lounge near Gate 78 that operates only when those flights are departing.

It is only accessible to those passengers and not via memberships or other means.

Another option in Airside F is The Café by Mise en Place. It’s a Priority Pass restaurant and is in front of the security checkpoint by Gate F85. You must have a same-day boarding pass to use the Priority Pass benefit.

Having certain Priority Pass memberships will get you $28 off your meal, which can go a long way. The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is one example of a card that includes Priority Pass dining in its suite of perks.

Annual standard Priority Pass memberships that include 10 free visits begin at $329. There are also a few travel credit cards with Priority Pass restaurant dining built-in as a perk (which is different than Priority Pass Select membership).

Before security: USO Center

The USO Center at Tampa International Airport is the only lounge that is in the main terminal building before security.

It’s on the second (ticketing) level near the escalators and ticketing areas for Breeze Airways and British Airways.

Access to the USO Center is limited to active military members and their families.

• The USO Center is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

• Drinks and snacks are available.

• There is space to rest, relax and sleep. 

Recapping Tampa airport lounges

If you’re a member of the U.S. Military, are flying on Delta or American Airlines, or are a Priority Pass member, there might be a lounge option for you at Tampa International Airport.

A lounge is also available for premium passengers traveling on some international flights.

No matter where you’re going, make sure to say hi to Phoebe, the 21-foot-tall flamingo in the main terminal building by the escalators.