Airline travel is always an experience, for better or for worse. It feels extra stressful when you’re going on vacation, though, right? We don’t want to miss a single extra second of vacation time — ESPECIALLY if we’re stuck at the airport.

If you are heading to Disney World this spring, you may find yourself traveling through the Orlando International Airport (MCO). If you are, we have a few warnings for you as we gear up for a busy weekend of travel!

The Orlando International Airport has been growing A LOT, and this year’s Spring Break travel was expected to have an 11% increase in passengers compared to last year. In fact, on March 16th, 2024, Orlando International Airport hit a new passenger record with 102,064 departing passengers. Keep in mind that this is ONLY departing passengers and does not include arrivals. So, it is safe to say that it has been a busy Spring Break season.

Previously, the highest daily passenger record was 98,521 on December 30th, 2023. Total traffic through the airport has been on the rise since 2021, and we are currently in one of the BUSIEST times for the Orlando International Airport. 

We are coming up on the Easter holiday weekend, and it is expected to be ESPECIALLY BUSY at MCO. Today, March 29th, tomorrow, March 30th, and Sunday, March 31st are all projected to be in the top ten busiest spring break days at MCO.

Have no fear, though; even if you are planning to travel through Orlando International Airport this weekend, we are here with some tips to make your trek as easy as possible!

Follow the 3-2-1 Rule

This guideline was issued directly by the Orlando International Airport, so you KNOW it’s a good tip.

The 3-2-1 rule asks that passengers arrive to the airport at least three hours before their flight, head to security at least two hours before their flight, and arrive at the gate at least one hour prior to departure. 

Use Reserved Parking

The Orlando Airport recently started a reserved parking program, so you can make sure you have a spot before you arrive. You can reserve your spot on the airport’s website or on the airport’s mobile app. To reserve a spot, you just need to log-in, put in your vehicle information, and pay for the spot. You will receive a QR code that will give you access to level 4 of Parking Garage C.

While you can only reserve at Parking Garage C right now, it is a great way to know you will have a spot available. It costs $32 per day, and you can click here to reserve your spot now.

Take Advantage of Customer Experience Ambassadors

The Orlando International Airport understands that this is an incredibly busy time at the airport. As a result, they are ensuring they are operating at full staffing and are also providing more Customer Experience Ambassadors in the airport.

These employees can help answer questions and direct you in the correct direction. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to stop and ask one of them.

Reserve a Spot in Security Ahead of Time

In addition to reserving your parking space ahead of time, you can also reserve a spot in security! At Orlando International Airport, you can take advantage of a FREE service called MCO Reserve powered by CLEAR. The service is available from 5AM-5PM. So, if your flight is set to depart between 6:30AM and 8:30PM, then you can take advantage of this service.

You can make reservations for MCO Reserve up to three days before your flight departs. If you’ve already have TSA PreCheck or Clear+, you do not need to get an additional reservation through MCO Reserve.

Have These Two Apps Handy

We also recommend downloading two apps ahead of your trip: Orlando International Airport’s app and the app for the airline you are flying on. On the Orlando International Airport app you can save your parking location, get current security wait times, see any airport updates, and even find dining and shopping locations. 

As well, we recommend downloading the app for the airline you are traveling with. You can check on any delays or cancellations through the app, as well as see up-to-date gate information. If problems do arise, you can often utilize the app to make changes instead of having to wait in line for an airline employee.

While the airport will be busy this weekend, we hope these tips will help make your journey as easy as possible. We wish you safe travels, and make sure to stay tuned to DFB for more travel news for your Disney vacations!

Read about the three BIGGEST mistakes you are making at Orlando International Airport!

Do you have any more tips for flying through the Orlando International Airport? Let us know in the comments!