ORLANDO AIRPORT | GUIDE TO ORLANDO AIRPORT (MCO)

MCO is the code for Orlando International Airport and stands for the airport’s former name - McCoy Air Force Base, a Strategic Air Command (SAC) installation, which was closed in 1975 due to general military draw-down following the end of the Vietnam War.

Orlando International Airport (MCO) is located 6 miles (10 km) southeast of Downtown Orlando, Florida and is a major public airport in United States. MCO is the busiest airport in the state of Florida and 10th busiest airport in the United States. Orlando International Airport handled more than 47,6 million passengers in 2018.

Orlando Airport is the major international gateway for mid-Florida region, conducting 850 flights and serving 44 airlines daily. The MCO Airport serves 135 domestic and international destinations. The airport serves as a hub for Silver Airways and focus city for Frontier, JetBlue, Southwest and Sprint. Southwest is the largest carrier by passengers carried.

The airport covers 13,302 acres (5,383 ha), is one of the largest commercial airports in the US and is home to a maintenance base for United Airlines. The Greater Orlando area is also served by Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB) and more indirectly by Orlando Melbourne International Airport (MLB), Daytona Beach International Airport (DAB), St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE) and Tampa International Airport (TPA).

Terminals and Concourses

The Orlando International Airport has one large main terminal building with four airside concourses with a total of 129 gates. Each area at the terminal is accessible via elevated people movers. The MCO airport has a hub-and-spoke layout and the terminal building is divided into two terminals: Terminal A (building’s north side) and Terminal B (building’s south side). Both terminals are equipped with check-in, security check and baggage claim facilities.
Before accessing the people movers, passengers are required to go through security check. One security checkpoint is located in the West Hall leading to Airsides 1 & 3 and the second one in the East Atrium, leading to Airsides 2 & 4.
Airside 4 serves as MCO airport’s primary international arrivals concourse.

Airside 1 also handles some international arrivals. The international passengers arriving at Orlando International Airport, who are required immigration and/or customs clearance have to proceed through checkpoints in the airside terminal where they arrive. After clearing US immigration, passengers collect their baggage and clear US customs.

After going through all of these steps, international passengers must ride the people mover to the main terminal. To eliminate the requirement for arriving international passengers to go through a security check between the customs area and the people mover, there is direct escalator access at Airside 4 from customs hall to the people mover platform. As a result, passengers have the option to bring their checked baggage with them on the people mover. However, passengers also have the option to place their baggage on a transfer belt in the customs hall and claim them at the main terminal’s baggage claim point. All passengers, who are connecting to a flight in Airside 4 or clearing customs in Airside 1 and airport employees have to go through security inspection upon exiting customs.
The main terminal of Orlando International Airport is divided into two parts - Terminal A and Terminal B.

Terminal A consists of the northern half of the main terminal and has the tramway connection system to Airside 1 & Airside 2. The gates 1-29 are located in Airside 1, which is the secondary international arrivals concourse. Airlines operating scheduled flights from Airside 1 include Aeromexico, Avianca, Azul, Copa Airlines, Frontier, JetBlue and Silver Airways. Airside 1 also operates charter airlines such as Magnicharters, XTRA Airways, Miami Air International and World Atlantic Airways. This part of the terminal is part of the original terminal, opened in 1981. Airside 2 includes gates 100-129 and provides scheduled flights from Alaska Airlines and Southwest.

Terminal B consists of the southern half of the main terminal with tramway systems to Airside 3 & Airside 4. Gates 30-59 are located in Airside 3 and serves scheduled flights from Airlines, such as American, Sprint and United. American Airlines Admirals Club and United Airlines United Club are located in Airside 3 as well. This part of the terminal is part of the original terminal opened in 1981. Airside 4 is primary international arrivals concourse used by many European airlines. Gates 70-99, the Club at MCO and Delta Airlines Sky Club are found in Airside 4. Gates 90, 92, 94 and 96 will soon be completed to be used as “swing” gates. Airlines operating scheduled flights from Airside 4 include Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge, Delta, Edelweiss, Lufthansa, Caribbean Airlines, Swoop, WestJet, Virgin Atlantic, British Airways, Volaris, Sunwing Airlines, Sun Country, Emirates, Icelandair, Bahamasair, Aer Lingus, LATAM, Norwegian Long Haul and Air Transat.

The Orlando International Airport terminal consists of 3 levels. There are various facilities available at the MCO terminal including shops, restaurants etc.

Airport Facilities

Orlando Airport terminal consists of 4 levels. There are many facilities located on each level of MCO airport terminal offering passengers relaxation and entertainment. The 1st and 2nd levels are dedicated to flight-related services, such as baggage reclaim, that is available on both levels.

The 3rd level of the terminal is commercial. The MCO airport features a large lobby area for guests awaiting flights, convention space, There is a big food court that involves several bars and two restaurants on the third level, surrounded by a huge variety of shops, ATM machines, currency exchange desks, phones, lost and found corner and restrooms. A signature restaurant is located on the top level of terminal building overlooking the airport facilities and runways. The Hyatt Regency hotel is located in the main terminal structure - on the East Atrium side of terminal - with 4th floor lobby level and guest rooms beginning on level 5 and above.

Car Rentals at Orlando Airport

There is a range of car rental providers in and around Orlando Airport. 

Orlando International Airport App

Orlando International Airport offers its passengers a mobile application that is available on iOS and Android devices. The app provides the passengers all information about flight updates, places to shop and eat. The app makes passengers’ time at the airport easier by sending them notifications about their flight status, giving them information about airline counters and gates, airport amenities, saving parking location and much more.

Top Destinations

Domestic Routes

Busiest domestic route from MCO Orlando International Airport from June 2018 to May 2019 is Atlanta, Georgia with 1,489,040 passengers following by Newark, New Jersey with 1,030,920 passengers and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with 865,440 passengers. New-York, Chicago, San Juan, Detroit, Dallas, Boston and Baltimore are in top 10 domestic destinations within the above mentioned time frame. The airlines covering these routes include Delta, JetBlue, American, Frontier, Sprint, Southwest and United.

International Routes

The top of the top international routes from Orlando International Airport is London-Gatwick, United Kingdom with 720,898 passengers, followed by Toronto, Canada with 620,702 passengers and São Paulo–Guarulhos, Brazil with 450,738 passengers. Other destinations falling in the top 10 international routes from MCO Airport include Manchester, Panama City, Mexico City, Montreal, Frankfurt, Bogota and Montego.

Top Airlines

Top carriers operating in MCO Orlando International Airport include Southwest Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue Airways, Sprint Airlines and American Airlines.

Arrivals and Departures at Orlando Airport

• See live flight arrivals information at Orlando Airport
• See live flight departures information at Orlando Airport

Hotels near Orlando Airport

There are a number of hotels to suit all budgets and requirements at or near Orlando Airport.

Parking at Orlando Airport

See options for parking services at Orlando Airport.

Additional Services and Amenities at Orlando Airport

At Orlando Airport you will find the usual array of bars and restaurants, airport lounges and shops.

• See all bars and restaurants inside Orlando Airport
• See and book airport lounges at Orlando Airport
• Plan your shopping in advance - see all the shops (including duty-free) at Orlando Airport

Things to do in Orlando

There are a number of activities to suit all ages and interests in the region - see a selection of tourist activities in Orlando, Florida in the United States of America.