How Early to Arrive at Orlando International Airport (Domestic & International Flights)
Orlando International Airport (MCO) accommodates 50 million passengers annually. There are three terminals here:
- Terminal A
- Terminal B
- Terminal C
Given this, I recommend arriving at Orlando Airport 2 hours before a domestic flight and 3 hours before an international flight.
How Early to Arrive at Orlando Airport (MCO)
I’ve flown from Orlando Airport more than 20 times. Based on my experience, I recommend arriving at the airport 2 hours before a domestic flight and 3 hours before an international flight. This should give you enough time to:
- Check-In: If you haven’t done so already
- Drop Your Bags: Where applicable
- Go Through Security
- Walk to the Gate:
In my experience, it’s always better to arrive at the airport a little earlier and have some extra time rather than arriving late and feeling rushed.
Why Do You Need Longer for International Flights?
I recommend arriving at Orlando International Airport (MCO) 3 hours before an international flight (outside the US). There are several reasons for this, including:
- Visa checks
- Entry requirements
- Immigration control
- Customs
Long-haul international flights also often have larger aircraft with more passengers. This results in a more extended boarding period that starts earlier.
Other Factors to Consider When Flying From Orlando Airport
Other factors you’ll want to consider when flying from Orlando International Airport (MCO) include:
- How you’re travelling to the airport
- The time of year
- Checking in for the flight in person
- Dropping off checked bags
Which Orlando International Airport Terminal Do You Need?
There are currently three terminals at Orlando International Airport. The airlines that currently fly from these terminals are:
Terminal A
- Alaska Airlines
- Avelo Airlines
- Avianca Airlines
- Breeze
- Copa Airlines
- Frontier Airlines
- Interjet
- LATAM Airlines
- Southwest Airlines
- Spirit Airlines
- Virgin Atlantic
Terminal B
- Aeromexico
- Air Canada
- American Airlines
- Bahamas Air
- Delta Air Lines
- LATAM Airlines
- Rouge (Air Canada)
- Silver Airways
- Spirit Airlines
- Sun Country Airlines
- United Airlines
- Viva Air
- Volaris
- WestJet
Terminal C
- Aer Lingus
- Air Transat
- Azul
- British Airways
- Caribbean Airlines
- Emirates
- Eurowings
- GOL
- Icelandair
- JetBlue
- Lynx Air
- Norse
- Sunwing Airlines
The free shuttle bus at Orlando Airport transports passengers between terminals and operates 24 hours a day. It picks up and drops off from level 1 space B29 outside Terminal B and level 6 arrivals outside Terminal C.
Orlando Travel Planning Guide
🏥 Should I Buy Travel Insurance for a Trip to Orlando?
If you’re travelling to Orlando for vacation, then travel insurance is recommended. Basic travel insurance coverage with Safety Wing averages between $5 – $10 per day and offers peace of mind.
However, if a trip to Orlando isn’t part of a vacation. For example, you live locally. Then travel insurance isn’t likely to be necessary.
🚘 Do I Need to Rent a Car for a Trip to Orlando?
You don’t need to rent a car for a trip to Orlando (you can use rideshare services instead). However, a hire car will make your trip to Orlando significantly more convenient.
I personally use Discover Cars to find the best car rental deals when visiting Orlando. Discover Cars allows you to compare different companies and cars to find the best prices.
🏨 Where to Stay in Orlando?
Deciding where to stay in Orlando can be incredibly overwhelming. Having visited Orlando several times over the past decade, I’m going to try and make it as simple as possible.
- If you’re going to both Universal Orlando and Walt Disney World and don’t want to hire a car, then stay in an Orlando hotel with a shuttle to the theme parks.
- If you are travelling with kids and plan to do pool days, then book one of the many Orlando hotels with waterslides.
- If you are going to Walt Disney World on a budget, then stay in a hotel with both a free breakfast and theme park shuttle.
- If you are only visiting Universal Orlando, then spend a little extra for the perks of staying in a hotel onsite.
When booking accommodation in Orlando, I use either Booking.com or Hotels.com. However, for large families and groups, VRBO is my number one choice.
🎟️ Where To Buy Orlando Theme Park Tickets?
If you are visiting a theme park in Orlando, then you’ll need to purchase theme park tickets. If you’re based in the US or Canada, I recommend Klook for your Orlando theme park tickets.
Klook consistently has the most competitive prices. There’s also a range of different ticket options to suit all budgets and requirements.
Meanwhile, if you’re based in the United Kingdom. Then I recommend buying your Orlando theme park tickets from AttractionTix.
I personally use AttractionTix when purchasing theme park tickets. That’s because AttractionTix has the most competitive prices and incredible customer service.
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Thanks for stopping by! Do you have experience with this trip or want to share some of your own tips? We’d love to hear about it! Comment below and let’s chat!