Orlando International Airport Ranks in the Top 10 Busiest Airports in the U.S.

There is nothing quite like the feeling when you first arrive to Orlando for your Disney World vacation! You have your whole trip ahead of you and you can’t wait to get to the parks.

Orlando Airport

While there are a couple of options to get to Orlando, a popular choice is flying into the Orlando International Airport. As a result, you can probably guess that the Orlando International Airport sees quite a few passengers traveling through it, but just how many may surprise you!

If you fly to Disney World, you may be very familiar with the Orlando International Airport. While it is one of two airports that are within a somewhat close proximity to Disney World, it has definitely become the most popular choice for getting to the theme parks. A report was just released that details just how BUSY the Orlando International Airport has become.

Orlando International Airport

The Airports Council International North America (ACI-NA) recently released their 2023 Traffic Summary. This report summarizes data about “passenger, cargo, and aircraft operations data from 275 North American airports.” In this report, Orlando International Airport (MCO) was ranked as the 7th busiest airport in the United States for passenger traffic. MCO over a 15% increase in passenger traffic which was the largest growth for U.S. airports. Globally, Orlando International Airport ranks 18th among international traffic totals.

©ACI-NA

In 2023, Orlando International Airport had a total of over 57 million passengers. That is a whole lot of people going through one spot! While the Orlando International Airport is the seventh busiest airport in the United States, we have lots of tips to make your trip through the airport easier. First, make sure to utilize the 3-2-1- rule. 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.

Terminal C at Orlando International Airport

Additionally, you can take advantage of a reserved spot in security. To reserve your spot, you can use a FREE service called MCO Reserve powered by CLEAR. The service is available from 5AM-5PM, so you can use this service if your flight is set to depart between 6:30AM and 8:30PM. You can make reservations for MCO Reserve up to three days before your flight departs.

Orlando Airport TSA Lines

You can also take advantage of reserved parking. 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.

Orlando International Airport

Finally, make sure you have two apps downloaded ahead of your trip. We suggest having the Orlando International Airport 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 find dining and shopping locations. On your airline’s app you can check on any delays or cancellations through the app, as well as see up-to-date gate information.

Be prepared for your flight!

Be prepared and make sure you leave yourself plenty of time to navigate the Orlando International Airport. Plus, having additional time means you can also spend time exploring the airport and not having to rush around. Stay tuned to DFB for all your Disney World news!