Oct 8 (Reuters) - U.S. airlines are canceling flights

and adjusting schedules as some Florida airports close in

anticipation of disruptions from Hurricane Milton, which is set

to make landfall in the state on Wednesday.

As of Tuesday afternoon, 896 flights within, into, or out of

the United States were delayed, and 696 were canceled, with that

number expected to rise as more than 1,500 flights scheduled for

Wednesday have already been canceled, according to flight

tracking data provider FlightAware.

Southwest ( LUV ), one of the largest U.S. airlines, said it is

adjusting its schedule at several airports that were pausing

operations, including Tampa International Airport and Orlando

International Airport.

Orlando International, one of the busiest airports in the

U.S., said it would cease operations at 8 a.m. local time on

Wednesday, according to a notice on its website, while Tampa

International said it was closed on Tuesday.

Allegiant Air, Sun County Airlines and JetBlue

Airways ( JBLU ) are among the carriers most likely to be

negatively impacted if Hurricanes Milton and Helene, which hit

Florida recently, weigh on travel demand, according to analysts

at Raymond James.

Allegiant and JetBlue ( JBLU ) have canceled 41 and 92 flights,

respectively, on Tuesday according to FlightAware, while Sun

Country told Reuters it has canceled about 19 passenger flights.

Hurricane Milton

was expected to expand

in size on Tuesday as it moved past Mexico's Yucatan

Peninsula en route to Florida's battered Gulf Coast, where more

than 1 million people were ordered to evacuate before the

monster storm arrived.

In response to the expected disruptions, some airlines

including United Airlines, JetBlue ( JBLU ) and Air Canada ( ACDVF )

said they had added extra capacity to move people out of

Florida.