Hurricane Maria Moves Away From Turks and Caicos

Hurricane Maria is moving away from Turks and Caicos, the National Hurricane Center reports, and is set to pass northeast and east of the Bahamas through Sunday.

The category 3 storm still has maximum sustained winds near 125 mph and is centered about 90 miles north of Grand Turk and 420 miles east-southeast of Nassau as of 2 p.m. Friday. The storm is expected to weaken gradually over the next 48 hours.

Even though the storm is moving away, a hurricane warning remains in effect for the Turks and Caicos and the southeastern Bahamas, while a tropical storm warning remains in effect for the central Bahamas.

Flight Updates

All flights at Providenciales International Airport in Turks and Caicos are canceled through September 22, according to the latest update from American Airlines.

American Airlines has issued a travel waiver for customers flying through Providenciales and St. Thomas through October 31, with rebooked travel to take place through December 31. Customers traveling through St. Maarten through August 31, 2018, can rebook through September 30, 2018. Customers flying through Antigua and Nassau through September 30 can rebook through November 15, and customers flying through other affected Caribbean airports through September 30 can rebook through October 7.

Customers flying through St. Maarten, Providenciales and St. Thomas can contact American Airlines’ reservation department to change their origin and destination city, although a difference in fare will apply. In all other cases, customers must rebook between the same city pair in the original cabin class (or pay the difference).

United Airlines is waiving the change fee and any difference in fare on new flights departing through October 7. For wholly rescheduled travel departing after October 7, or for a change in departure or destination city, United will waive the change fee, but a difference in fare may apply. Rescheduled travel must be completed within one year from the date when the ticket was issued.

Delta has issued a travel waiver for flights through the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico through September 30. The ticket must be reissued on or before October 7, with rebooked travel to begin no later than that date. For flights through Turks and Caicos through October 31, the ticket must be reissued on or before the end of ticket eligibility, with rebooked travel to begin no later than October 31, 2018.

Southwest Airlines has issued a travel waiver for flights through September 30 through San Juan and Punta Cana. Customers can rebook in the original class of service or travel standby within 14 days of their original date of travel between the same city pair.

Finally, customers flying JetBlue through September 26 can rebook through October 7.

Related Stories

After Hurricane Maria, First Commercial Flight Returns to San Juan

New Park Hyatt St. Kitts Still on Track for November Debut Post-Maria

Hurricane Maria Update: The Most Current Island-by-Island Reports

The Latest Caribbean Cruise Changes From Hurricane Maria, Irma