US Airport · Florida

Orlando International (MCO)

Orlando International (MCO) is Florida's busiest airport and the principal gateway for Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando and the Central Florida theme park region. It sits about 12 miles southeast of downtown Orlando. MCO is unusual among large US airports in that no single carrier dominates — Southwest, Spirit, Delta, JetBlue, American and United all run major schedules, with Frontier and Allegiant adding leisure capacity. Its four airside concourses (1, 2, 3, 4) connect to the central main terminal by automated people movers. One quick factoid: MCO opened a brand-new Terminal C in 2022, the first major new airport terminal in the United States in over a decade.

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Terminals at MCO

Terminal A (Sides 1 & 2)
Southwest, Delta, Alaska, Allegiant, plus most domestic mainline
Main legacy terminal — check-in on Level 3, airside via people mover to Airsides 1 and 2.
Terminal B (Sides 3 & 4)
American, United, Frontier, Spirit (some), plus international operations
Mirror image of Terminal A, with Airside 4 handling most international long-haul departures.
Terminal C
JetBlue, Aer Lingus, British Airways, Lufthansa, Norse Atlantic, Emirates, Avianca, plus selected others
New terminal built in 2022 with direct rail platform for Brightline service to Miami.

Getting to Orlando International

Mode Details Cost Frequency
Rail (Brightline)Brightline high-speed rail from Terminal C runs to West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Miami in roughly 3.5 hours.$79-149 one-way to Miami depending on classEvery 1-2 hours
Rideshare / TaxiRideshare pickup at Level 1 Ground Transportation curb at Terminals A, B and C; taxis at the same level.Taxi roughly $50-75 to Disney area, $40-55 to downtown Orlando; rideshare $30-65 to DisneyOn demand
Theme park shuttlesMears Connect and similar shared shuttle services run scheduled buses to Disney, Universal and major resorts.$16-35 one-wayEvery 30-60 min
Lynx local busLynx Route 11 runs from the airport to Sand Lake Road and connections into Orlando.$2 one-wayEvery 30-60 min

Parking at MCO

Tier Rate Shuttle Best for
Terminal Garages (A, B and C)$22/day maxNone — covered walkwayTrips under 24 hours
Economy Park-Ride$10/dayFree shuttle every 10-15 minTrips 1-14 days
Park Place / Park-Ride Tradeport$8/dayFree shuttle every 15-20 minLong trips on a budget
Off-airport private lots$8-12/day typicalOperator-run shuttle every 10-15 minPre-booked budget parking
Valet$40/day maxNonePremium drop-off

Lounges at MCO

Delta Sky Club
📍 Airside 2
Delta One, Sky Club membership, Amex Platinum/Reserve with same-day Delta flight, paid day pass
United Club
📍 Airside 4
United Club membership, eligible flights, paid day pass
American Admirals Club
📍 Airside 4
Admirals Club membership, eligible AA flights, paid day pass
JetBlue / The Club MCO
📍 Terminal C
Priority Pass, paid day pass, eligible premium credit cards
British Airways / Virgin Atlantic Lounges
📍 Airside 4 (varies by carrier)
Eligible long-haul business/first; some Priority Pass during off-peak

Top destinations from MCO

Destination Country From
London (LHR)United Kingdom$449Open route guide →
Paris (CDG)France$449Open route guide →
Rome (FCO)Italy$699Open route guide →
Los Angeles (LAX)United States$249Open route guide →
New York (JFK)United States$119Open route guide →
Miami (MIA)United States$79Open route guide →

Airlines at MCO

British Airways Virgin Atlantic Lufthansa KLM Aer Lingus Southwest Airlines Spirit Airlines Frontier Airlines JetBlue Airways American Airlines Delta Air Lines United Airlines Allegiant Air

5 things you didn't know about Orlando International

Verified by the CompareFlights team
  1. 1MCO stands for 'McCoy' — the airport sits on the former site of McCoy Air Force Base, named for Colonel Michael McCoy, who died in a 1957 B-47 crash during a training mission near Orlando.
  2. 2Brightline rail service to Miami opened at MCO in 2023 — the first true high-speed rail at any US airport, with extension to Tampa scheduled for late 2026.
  3. 3MCO's Terminal C, opened in 2022, was the first major US terminal designed for an end-to-end 'boarding-pass-less' experience using facial recognition at every checkpoint.
  4. 4Walt Disney World owns the largest single share of off-airport ground transportation contracts of any US airport — the Disney 'Magical Express' shuttle once carried 30% of arriving traffic before its 2022 discontinuation.
  5. 5MCO's central atrium skylight is one of the largest in any US airport, deliberately designed to evoke an indoor jungle and prepare arriving theme-park visitors for the Florida climate.

Frequently asked about MCO

Which terminal does Southwest use at MCO?

Southwest operates from Terminal A (sides 1 and 2). Check-in is at Level 3 of Terminal A; you then take the automated people mover to Airside 1 or 2 for your gate. Through-passengers cannot transit airside to Terminals B or C from Airsides 1 or 2.

How early should I arrive at MCO for an international flight?

Three hours before departure is the standard recommendation for international flights, particularly long-haul departures from Airside 4 in Terminal B and from Terminal C. Saturday morning peak (theme-park changeovers) generates very dense queues at security and curbside drop-off.

Can I take a train from MCO to Disney?

There is no direct rail link from MCO to Walt Disney World; Disney's Magical Express was discontinued in 2022. Most travellers use rideshare, Mears Connect or a hotel shuttle. Brightline rail connects MCO to South Florida but not to the theme parks.

What's the cheapest way from MCO to the Disney-area hotels?

Mears Connect shared shuttle at $16-35 one-way is the cheapest organised option. Rental cars start around $40/day plus theme-park parking fees. Rideshare averages $30-65 to most Disney-area resorts depending on time of day and surge.

Is there a hotel inside MCO?

Yes — the Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport sits inside the original main terminal between Terminals A and B, with rooms overlooking the atrium. It is a covered indoor walk from check-in. Several other airport-area hotels offer shuttles.

Nearby airports

Orlando Executive (MCO Executive (ORL))
8 mi NW
General aviation only
Orlando Sanford International (SFB)
35 mi N
Allegiant focus city; major international charter and TUI base
Tampa International (TPA)
85 mi W
Tampa Bay's main airport, useful for west Florida itineraries
Melbourne Orlando International (MLB)
70 mi SE
Smaller East Coast airport; a few seasonal services