Orlando Airport-How crowded when departing early after cruise

[doodle60]

Since we have an early flight out of Orlando upon returning from cruise on the Mariner, can anyone tell me how crowded the check in is at the airport (how much time to allow upon arrival before 12:00 noon)?:)

[ILVMM]

Check out these web sites for information about OIA (MCO).

 

http://www.orlandoairports.net/main.htm

 

http://www.orlandoairports.net/ops/airlines.htm

 

 

What I can tell you is that depending upon what time of year you are flying, Orlando Airport is one of the busiest in the USA. So, check out this website for "wait times". And then add about 30 mins if you are traveling during school vacation or summertime. Don't forget Orlando International Airport is considered one of the parks of Disneyworld! LOL!

 

http://waittime.tsa.dhs.gov/stateResolver?state=FL&submit=SUBMIT

[JanineM]

Orlando airport can be quite busy - Sundays are particularly bad because of the number of people who have disembarked cruise ships, plus the people who have spent the week or weekend at the theme parks.

 

Normally you are told to be at the airport 2 hours in advance for US flights, 3 hours in advance for international flights. That said, I have never waited more than about 20-25 minutes to get through the check-in line, and about 30 minutes to go through security. I KNOW it can be far slower --- but it can also be far quicker, too.

 

If you have a noon flight and want to be sure to make it, then you should probably consider self-disembarkation. You should then be on the curb before 9 am, and at the airport by 10.

[GottaLuvCruising]

The closer you get to noon / early afternoon, the crazier things get at the Orlando airport. We usually book crack-of-dawn flights and still have a wait at security. If at all possible, I'd allow two hours prior to flight time.

[newmexicoNita]

Our daughter is a gate/ticket agent at MCO. Just ask her> She will call us on Sat or Sunday afternoons. Normally, a very calm, gentle and caing person she turns into a witch. Why? because of the crowds at the airport on weekends.

 

Nita

[greatdanemom]

Coming off of Mariner and heading home we found the check-in lines for Southwest to be VERY long. The good news was that the TSA security lines looked long but we felt they moved pretty fast.

 

Cheryl