Rowdy Miami Beach spring breakers will get ‘reality check’
Miami Beach officials are ready to ramp up their annual spring break campaign, “Spring Break Reality Check,” going creative with their message.
- March 2025 could be a record-breaking month of flights leaving Indianapolis International Airport to Florida during spring break.
- Numbers provided by Indy’s airport show more than a thousand flights were scheduled to cities in Florida in March this year.
- It’s recommended passengers arrive early to to the airport in anticipation of the busy travel season.
Florida is a popular travel destination for spring break, and it might be the most popular state to visit if you happen to live in Indiana.
The Indianapolis International Airport is expecting a “tremendously busy spring break and summer” this year in large part because of Florida travel, officials said. By mid-February, passengers had booked more than a thousand March flights from Indianapolis to the Sunshine State, according to numbers requested by IndyStar.
Here’s what you should know if you’re flying from Indianapolis to Florida this month.
When is Spring Break 2025?
Spring break for high schools in most of central Indiana begins mid-March — the earliest (Greenfield-Central Community Schools) starting March 10. Spring break will end for most other central Indiana high schools by April 11.
State schools, such as IU Bloomington and Purdue University, will have spring break from March 16-23.
What spring break Florida cities are popular in 2025?
“Here in Indiana, we’re seeing Hoosiers making spring break travel plans for Florida as well as the Caribbean, Europe and Asia,” said Christina Griffiths, spokesperson for AAA Hoosier Motor Club in a February news release. Four of the top ten domestic spring break locations in 2025, writes AAA, are Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, Miami and Tampa.
Story will continue after photo gallery.
How many people fly from Indianapolis to Florida during spring break?
A lot. By mid-February, passengers had booked upwards of 177,000 scheduled seats on 1,043 flights to Florida at Indianapolis International Airport in March, representing a third of all total departures. That’s only slightly less than what airport officials observed in 2024, considered a record-breaking year for spring break travel.
“March 2024 remains the highest scheduled capacity month of all time to Florida,” an airport spokesperson said in a message to IndyStar. The spokesperson said 181,000 scheduled seats were booked for that year.
Visiting Florida: Is it the Gulf of America or Gulf of Mexico?
It’s both, depending on where you live.
Americans traveling this year to the Sunshine State will do so presumably to enjoy Florida’s many theme parks or to swim in the Gulf of America. President Donald Trump’s decision to rebrand the body of water became official last month.
Store continues after photo gallery from Spring Break 2024.
Popular online map applications such as Google, Apple and Bing have since updated their maps to the Gulf of America — unless you’re navigating by MapQuest, then it’s still the Gulf of Mexico.
The gulf name will appear differently for people in other countries, Google explained in a social media post, saying: “When official names vary between countries, Maps users see their official local name. Everyone in the rest of the world sees both names.”
Where can I park at Indianapolis International Airport?
There are several places to park at Indianapolis International Airport, which a multilevel parking garage close to the terminal, an economy lot with shuttle service to the terminal, valet parking and a cellphone lot, allowing a place for people to park until passengers have landed and claimed baggage.
Airport officials recommend doing this these things before your flight:
- Always check your flight status with the airline before you arrive at the airport.
- Arrive a full two hours ahead of the departure time to get checked in, through security, and to the gate in plenty of time before boarding call.
- Download the airline’s mobile app for all pertinent travel update.
- Use a mobile boarding pass or print boarding passes ahead of time.
- Download the MyTSA app for 24/7 access to the most frequently requested airport security information, including helpful tips for preparing for security, including a searchable database of items that can and can’t go in checked or carry-on bags.
- Pack smart – check for prohibited items and follow the 3-1-1 liquids rule. Learn more at: tsa.gov/travel/travel-tips/refresh-your-memory-liquid-rules.
When is the first day of spring 2025?
Thursday, March 20, is the first day of spring this year.
John Tufts covers trending news for IndyStar and Midwest Connect. Send him a news tip at JTufts@Gannett.com. Find him on BlueSky at JohnWritesStuff.