Cheap flights from
Orlando International Airport (MCO)

The airport code for Orlando International Airport is MCO.

The Orlando airport has one on-site hotel, the Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport, located between Terminal A and Terminal B. Access to the hotel is pre-security (the entrance is between security checkpoints), and the hotel features a gym, rooftop pool, and sundeck with runway views, and two restaurants. Rooms start at about $190 per night.

There are three airline lounges at MCO, plus two lounges that are not airline-affiliated.

Terminal A

• The Club at MCO: On the main concourse; open 5am-10pm; ; assorted food and beverages, shower facility, workstations, free WiFi. Lounge passes start at $50.

Terminal B

• American Airlines Admirals Club: Near gate 55; open 4am-8:30pm; assorted food and beverages, free WiFi. Access is free for United Club members, travelers flying first or business class on United or its Star Alliance partners, United Club Infinite cardholders, and some elite-status United or Star Alliance frequent flyers. Day Passes are also available for $59.

• Delta Air Lines Sky Lounge: Near gate 71, center atrium; open 4:30am-9:45pm Mon, Wed, Fri and 4:30am-10:45pm Tue, Thurs, Sat, Sun; assorted food and beverages, free WiFi. Access is free for Sky Club members, Delta’s and Air France’s first-class or business-class ticketholders, SkyMiles Reserve cardholders, and AmEx Platinum cardholders with a Delta boarding pass.

• The Club at MCO: Near gate 91; open 5am-9pm; assorted food and beverages, shower facility, workstations, free WiFi. Lounge passes start at $50.

• United Club Lounge: Near gate 43; open 5am-8pm; light snacks, full-service bar, free WiFi. cess is free for United Club members, travelers flying first or business class on United or its Star Alliance partners, United Club Infinite cardholders, and some elite status United or Star Alliance frequent flyers. Day Passes are also available for $59.

Terminal C

• Plaza Premium Lounge: Just past security on Palm Court; open 7am-9pm; assorted food and beverages, shower facility, free WiFi. Lounge passes start at around $45 for three hours.

Service animals must be leashed at all times, and non-service animals must be kept in their air travel-approved carrier (except when using one of the pet relief areas).

Service Animal Relief Areas:

Terminal A

• Level 2, outside the east end of the building (outside security)
• In the concourse wing for gates 20-29 (inside security)
• Opposite gate 121 (inside security)

Terminal B

• Level 2, outside the west end of the building (outside security)
• In the concourse wing for gates 40-49 (inside security)
• In the concourse wing for gates 80-89 (inside security)

Terminal C

• Near gates C236, C241, and C242 (inside security)
• Level 6, just before baggage claim (inside security)

There are three terminals at MCO, with a grand total of 108 gates between them. Terminal A and Terminal B are opposite sides of one building, and Terminal C is a separate building. Terminal C is the main international terminal, but it’s also where JetBlue’s gates are.

Terminal A: There’s a Duty Free and some airport staple shops in Terminal A, and food options range from fast food to sit-down eateries like Cask & Larder, Farmair Restaurant & Bar, Villa Italian Kitchen, Le Grand Comptoir, On the Border, and UrbanCrave. The Club at MCO is here.

Terminal B: Dining options in Terminal B include Zaza, Bahama Breeze, Outback, Ruby Tuesday, and Nature’s Table, along with fast food. The usual airport shops are also in this terminal, as is a Duty Free shop. Lounges in this terminal are American Airlines Admirals Club, The Club at MCO, and United Club.

Terminal C: There’s another Duty Free shop in Terminal C, plus some local souvenir shops (including one featuring work by local artists). Food options include Cask & Larder, Desano Pizzeria, Shake Shack, Sunshine Diner, and Summer House. MCO’s Plaza Premium lounge is in this terminal.

Yes, CLEAR is available at the Orlando airport. The enrollment center is in the Terminal A and B building, near the security checkpoint for gates 70-129 on Level 3.

Yes, TSA PreCheck is available at MCO. PreCheck lanes are typically open from 4am-8:30pm. There’s even an enrollment option for travelers who are about to leave on a trip, which means you don’t need to make an appointment.

There are TSA PreCheck “ambassadors” with enrollment carts outside the security checkpoint for gates 1-59 from 5am-11am Monday-Friday. The regular PreCheck enrollment center is in Terminal B near baggage claim 23, and it’s open 8am-1pm and 1:30pm-4:30pm Monday-Friday.

Yes, Orlando Airport has Global Entry kiosks for international arrivals. The enrollment center is in Terminal C, near the Orlando Police Department’s office, and it’s open from 8am-4pm Monday-Friday.

As a general rule, travelers on domestic flights are advised to get to the airport two hours before departure. For travelers on international flights, the recommendation is three hours ahead. In some cases, though, you may not need to arrive quite so early. Here are some factors that may impact how early you need to get to MCO for your trip.

How big is the airport, and where is your gate? Navigating large airports takes time, but Orlando’s airport isn’t especially gigantic. Terminals A and B are in the same building, so check-in and security all happen there, with trains to get you from the main terminal building to the concourse wing where your departure gate is. The ride only takes a minute or so, and the walk to your gate should only be about 5-10 minutes. To get to Terminal C, you can either take a different airport train or a shuttle bus—and if the airport is busy, you may need to wait for a train or bus with enough room.

Do you need to check in or check a bag at the airport? There’s a cutoff time prior to departure when airlines stop allowing people to check in (usually 30-60 minutes) and check luggage (usually 45-60 minutes). If you can check in from home, that’s always going to save you time, but if you need to check a bag or you can’t check in ahead of time for any reason, give yourself extra time to do so at the airport.

How busy is the airport likely to be? The wait time in the standard lanes at MCO’s security checkpoints is around 15 minutes on average. If your itinerary includes flying around a busy holiday, peak season, or on generally busier days (Fridays and Sundays usually), it’s apt to be a much longer wait. The airport website posts real-time security wait times for each of its checkpoints and the current recommended time to arrive prior to departure on its homepage, so you can make some last-minute decisions if you want to.

Orlando International may not be huge, but it’s still recommended that you arrive at least 1.5 hours before a domestic flight—and that’s assuming you’re already checked in, aren’t checking any luggage, and flying at an off-peak time. Most of the time, though, it’s probably best to stick to the recommended two hours before a flight—and bump that to 3-4 hours if it’s busy.

Orlando International Airport (MCO) is 13-22 miles from downtown Orlando, depending on which route you take.

You have a few options for reaching Orlando’s airport from central Orlando.

By taxi or rideshare: The drive from downtown Orlando to the airport takes about a half-hour when traffic is light. There isn’t a flat taxi fare for the airport, but you can expect fares to be in the $38-45 range. Rideshare trips can range in price from $34-73, depending on traffic and demand.

By public transportation: There are a number of LYNX bus routes connecting various parts of the Orlando metro area to the airport. Lines 11 and 52 run between the LYNX Central Station downtown and the airport, a trip that takes 45-50 minutes, and a ticket costs $2.