Hurricane Melissa: Bahamas, Turks and Caicos Calm Today; Bermuda Braces

Published on Oct 30, 2025, 9:45 am CDT

6 min read

Key points

Airport operations resume across Turks and Caicos from 8:00 a.m. ET, with Nassau remaining open and select Bahamas out-islands reopening by afternoon
Bermuda is under a Hurricane Warning with peak impacts late Thursday into Friday and likely flight cancellations
American, Delta, JetBlue and United waivers cover Bahamas, Turks and Caicos and Bermuda on select dates
Cruise lines swap or cancel calls at Bahamas and TCI ports, advancing or dropping private-island days
Tender-only private islands such as Great Stirrup Cay and Half Moon Cay are the first to cancel when seas build

Impact

Airports: NAS open, TCI airports reopen 8:00 a.m. ET; some Bahamas out-islands phase in this afternoon; BDA likely disruptions Thu night-Fri
Waivers: AA, Delta, JetBlue, United change-fee waivers active for Bahamas, TCI and Bermuda with defined travel windows
Cruise Itineraries: Carnival, Disney, Royal, others reroute; private-island calls moved earlier or swapped
Tender Limits: Tender-only stops cancel first when wind and swell exceed safe boarding conditions
Timing: Bahamas and TCI improving today, Bermuda peak impacts late Thursday into Friday

Hurricane Melissa is moving away from the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos on Thursday, October 30, with aviation and port operations beginning to normalize through the day. Bermuda, however, is under a Hurricane Warning and should expect deteriorating weather late Thursday into Friday, which will likely force airline cancellations and schedule changes. The National Hurricane Center's 8:00 a.m. EDT advisory highlights Melissa's approach toward Bermuda later today and tonight, with the island under a Hurricane Warning.

Airport operating envelopes across the central and southeastern Bahamas tightened overnight as tropical-storm-force gusts and squalls persisted behind the departing core. Local notices indicated select out-island airports closed Wednesday evening with proposed reopening times from early Thursday afternoon, while Nassau's Lynden Pindling International remained open. Travelers connecting via Nassau should still expect residual delays as out-stations phase back in.

In Turks and Caicos, authorities issued an "all-clear" at 730 a.m. local time, with all airports reopening from 800 a.m. today. That restores the operating window for commercial flights into Providenciales and the family islands, subject to airline readiness and aircraft rotation. Expect some morning cancellations and gradual afternoon recovery as crews and aircraft reposition.

Bermuda's window is the opposite: conditions degrade from late afternoon Thursday, with the Bermuda Weather Service and local media tracking a closest approach early Friday. With a Hurricane Warning active, flyers should assume Thursday night and Friday disruptions at L.F. Wade International and plan around potential full or rolling closures driven by crosswinds and gusts, low cloud bases, and ramp safety protocols.

Airline waivers and what they cover

Major U.S. carriers have activated flexible rebooking around Melissa. Delta's published exception covers Kingston, Montego Bay, Providenciales and Bermuda across the October 25 to November 2 window, allowing one-time changes with fare rules specified for agents. American Airlines has been issuing Melissa updates and, as airports reopen, is resuming service Thursday at Providenciales while maintaining hurricane-related flexibility for affected customers. Check each carrier's alert page for the exact airports and dates on your ticket.

JetBlue maintains a consolidated travel-alerts page used for Melissa waivers and advisories; United issued a Melissa waiver earlier in the week that included Providenciales and Montego Bay. If your travel spans Thursday night into Friday for Bermuda, monitor for additional expansions as the warning period begins.

How waivers work. Waivers typically remove the change fee and sometimes the fare difference for a new flight within a defined date range and between the same city pair. If you want a different origin or destination, or travel outside the waiver window, expect to pay a fare difference. Always reissue before departure to keep options open. (See your carrier's waiver for the specific reissue-by date and eligible travel dates.)

Cruise reshuffles and private-island realities

Cruise lines have been shifting Eastern Caribbean and Bahamas calls all week. Carnival confirmed multiple itinerary changes across its fleet, replacing weather-exposed calls with alternatives in Cozumel, Mahogany Bay and Belize, while Disney advanced Castaway Cay days to dodge the worst seas. Expect additional near-term swaps for Friday private-island calls if winds and seas remain elevated near the Bahamian channels.

Private-island stops behave differently depending on whether ships tender or dock. Norwegian's Great Stirrup Cay and Holland America's Half Moon Cay rely on tenders, which are the first to cancel when swell and wind make boarding unsafe. By contrast, piers at Royal Caribbean's Perfect Day at CocoCay and MSC's Ocean Cay offer higher weather tolerance, though lines can still cancel for safety. If your itinerary lists tender-only beaches on Friday, prepare for a sea day or alternate port.

Today through Friday: operating envelopes by area

Southeastern and Central Bahamas. With Melissa's core having exited, conditions ease through Thursday. Expect phased airport reopenings on impacted out-islands from early to mid-afternoon; Nassau remains the primary hub for connections. Residual convective bands can briefly close ramps for lightning or gust fronts, so keep alerts on and leave extra time for connections.

Turks and Caicos. Airports reopen from 8:00 a.m. local time. Morning operations may be limited as crews report and carriers reposition equipment. Most Thursday afternoon flights should operate, with Friday expected to be largely normal barring aircraft rotation issues from the broader Caribbean.

Bermuda (late Thursday into Friday). A Hurricane Warning is in effect. Airlines typically curtail schedules ahead of peak winds to avoid aircraft stranding and ground-handling risks. If booked Thursday evening or Friday, move earlier if inventory is available under your carrier's waiver. Plan for cancellations and rolling recovery once winds subside.

Background: why private-island tenders cancel first

Tenders are small boats that shuttle guests ashore. When winds and seas rise, the motion at the ship's platform and tender landing makes boarding unsafe, and the master cancels the operation. There is no universal "number," only a safety call informed by wind direction, swell period, and docking geometry; hence, tender islands cancel more frequently than pier-equipped private islands during stormy spells.

Final thoughts

For Thursday, October 30, the directional trend is positive in the Bahamas and Turks and Caicos, with airports reopening and cruise calls reassessed case by case. The risk shifts to Bermuda late Thursday into Friday, where a Hurricane Warning and expected peak winds will likely disrupt flying and ferries. For a full situational history and earlier advisories, see our ongoing coverage here: Bahamas, TCI, Bermuda: Melissa Travel Outlook (internal link to /news/2025-10-29-bahamas-tci-bermuda-melissa-travel-outlook).