Traveling via plane is fun — jet-setting over beautiful blue waters or rolling hills, taking in cloud formations, and landing in a completely different location in a matter of hours is unlike anything else.
The whole navigating the airport part? Less exciting, and sometimes pretty stressful. To help make your time at Orlando International Airport (MCO) as smooth as possible, we’ve created a guide that covers everything from gates and parking to details on the airport’s 140+ nonstop flights.
What to know
- TSA | MCO can get busy, so the airport advises arriving at least three hours before your departure time to allow time to get through security. Pro tip: Enroll in TSA PreCheck for lower wait times.
- Map it out | If you’re like us and need to completely visualize a place before you step foot inside, these maps of the entire airport will be your saving grace.
- Food and drink | Cask & Larder’s modern Southern comfort food changes the “airport food” game — whether you’re popping in for a breakfast Belgian waffle platter or enjoying a locally brewed craft beer before your red eye. Now open in Terminal C (Gates C230-C245) as well the original location at Gates 100-129. Not flying out of these gates? No worries. There are 60+ other great options throughout the terminals.
- Reminder | By May 7, 2025, you will need a REAL ID to board commercial flights in the US.
- Flight status | While we recommend staying updated via your respective airline, you can also check your flight status here in a pinch, or by downloading the MCO App.
Current airport updates
The airport recently unveiled its brand-new, 1.8 million-sqft Terminal C, which added 15 new gates, 11 retail locations, 23 restaurants, and more. The new terminal opened for passengers on Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2022, and it’s expected that 12 million passengers will travel through it annually — bringing MCO’s total annual passengers to 50+ million.
Parking, shuttles, and rideshare
Not everyone has a bestie who will drop everything to pick them up from their 3 a.m. landing. Each garage offers 20 minutes of free parking, 21-30 minutes for $2, and each additional 15 minutes for $1, up to a maximum of $24. Beyond that, the price per day is as listed:
- Parking Garages A, B, and C | $24/day
- Terminal Top Parking | $24/day
- North Park Place Economy Lot | $14/day
- South Park Place Economy Lot | $14/day
- West Park Place Economy Lot | $14/day (only open during holiday periods)
- Valet Parking | $35/day
- North Cell Phone Lot | Free
- South Cell Phone Lot | Free
To make paying for parking easier, make sure you have an E-PASS or SunPass. Use the specially marked lanes when entering + leaving and your payment will be deducted from your E-PASS/SunPass account.
Hate the thought of driving yourself? Try out a shuttle, rideshare, or taxi service that will take you to and from the terminal. These services are permitted to pick-up and drop-off at MCO:
- Uber | Rideshare
- Lyft | Rideshare
- Wingz | Rideshare
- Diamond Cab Company | Taxi
- Quick Cab | Taxi
- Town & Country Transport | Taxi
- Mears Taxi Yellow/City Cab | Taxi
- FastLink | Bus
- Mears Transportation Group | Shuttle bus
Rideshare pick-up locations:
- Arrivals Curb at Terminals A and B (on level 2)
- Departures Curb at Terminals A and B (on level 3) between 9 p.m. and 2 a.m.
- Arrivals Curb at Terminal C (on level 6)
Rideshare drop-off locations:
- Departures Curb at Terminal A and B (on level 3)
- Departures Curb at Terminal C (on level 2)
Nonstop flights
MCO offers nonstop flights to 145 destinations — 102 US destinations, plus 42 international destinations in 20 countries. Here are four nonstop flights to consider for your next vacation.
Bonus: Get lower fares by signing up for Going. You’ll get emailed when flights are 40-90% cheaper than usual. Get a two-week free trial of the Premium plan, which lets you set custom destination flight alerts (score).
- Miami, FL | American + Delta
- Atlanta, GA | Delta, Frontier, Southwest + Spirit
- New York, NY | Delta + JetBlue
- London, UK | British Airways, Norse Atlantic + Virgin Atlantic
Pro tip: Remember that flight times and schedules will often change — you should rely on your respective airline for exact timing and to stay updated on any changes.
Here are some of the offerings (think: popular food and drink options, stores, and lounges) nearby these gates.
Gates
Gates 1-29
- Airlines: Frontier, Silver, Spirit
- Lounge: The Club MCO
- Table service dining: On The Border
- Other dining options: Urban Crave, Le Grand Comptoir, La Madeleine, Burger King, and more
Gates 30-59
- Airlines: American, Breeze, United
- Lounges: American Admiral’s Club, United Club
- Table service dining: Ruby Tuesday
- Other dining options: Camden Food Co., Nature’s Table, Qdoba, Wendy’s, and more
Gates 70-99
- Airlines: Aeromexico, Air Canada, Air Transat, Avianca, Bahamasair, Copa, Delta, LATAM, Sun Country, Virgin Atlantic, Viva Air, Volaris, WestJet
- Lounges: Delta Sky Club, Club at MCO
- Table service dining: Bahama Breeze, Outback Steakhouse
- Other dining options: Tacos Locos, Vino Volo, Nathan’s, and more
Gates 100-129
- Airlines: Alaska, Avelo, Southwest
- Table service dining: Cask & Larder
- Other dining options: Villa Italian Kitchen, Chipotle, Jersey Mike’s, McDonald’s, and more
Gates C230-C245
- Airlines: Aer Lingus, Azul, British Airways, Caribbean, Emirates, Eurowings Discover, GOL, Icelandair, JetBlue, Lynx Air, Norse, Sunwing
- Lounge: Plaza Premium Lounge
- Table service dining: Summer House, Sunshine Diner, PGA Tour Grill (coming soon)
- Other dining options: Cask & Larder, Desano Pizzeria, Wine Bar George, Shake Shack, and more
Food and drink
MCO is a hub of eateries with dozens of restaurants, bars, and coffee shops for fliers to dine before or between flights, like:
- Le Madeleine’s | Silver Airways, Spirit, Frontier | Menu highlights: Chicken la Madeleine, caramel crème brûlée, coffee
- MCO MKT | American Airlines, Breeze, United | Menu highlights: Roasted veggie and goat cheese flatbread, snacks, quick bites
- Villa Italian Kitchen | Alaska Airlines, Avelo Airlines, Southwest | Menu highlights: Neapolitan pie, garlic rolls
Stay up to date on all things MCO via the airport’s website.
Fly comfortably
While we may not be able to offer solutions for crying babies or mysterious in-flight meals, we do have some tricks up our sleeves for upping your comfort while flying. Browse some of our favorite travel essentials:
- Lights Out Sleep Mask | This eye mask provides optimal comfort and aids restful sleep amidst changing environments and varying light conditions.
- The AirFly Pro | Make sure you can always access in-flight entertainment (while avoiding the wired headphones airlines pass out) by using an AirFly. It plugs into your seat’s headphone jack and connects to your earbuds or headphones via Bluetooth.
- Trtl travel pillow | The Trtl pillow is scientifically designed to provide a better head position when sleeping upright, thanks to an internal support system comfortably cushioned in cozy fleece.
- Leather Dopp Kit | Keep your essentials organized and easily accessible, ensuring hassle-free journeys wherever you go.
- Bose Noise Canceling Headphones | These headphones are tried-and-true traveling companions, beloved for their crisp sound and ability to block exterior noise.
- Cozy Earth joggers | These Oprah-approved joggers are polished enough to navigate the airport in, but comfy and stretchy enough for long flights.
- Snacks | Bringing your own snacks ensures dietary preferences are met — plus, you’ll save time and money while traveling.
- Anti-nausea wristbands | Some simple anti-nausea wristbands might relieve a nervous stomach or sensitivity to turbulence while flying.
