Orlando International Airport (IATA: MCO) . Most people arrive by commercial air arrive via Orlando International Airport, which is Orlando's primary airport, and the busiest airport in the state in terms of passenger traffic. The airport is located to the southeast of downtown but is centrally located with respect to the region and area attractions. Orlando International Airport is a secondary hub for AirTran Airways, Southwest Airlines, & JetBlue Airways, all of which fly numerous routes to/from Orlando. Furthermore, Delta Air Lines offers 15 flights daily (August 2009) between Orlando and their largest hub in Atlanta. Lufthansa flies 6 times per week to Frankfurt, while Aer Lingus operates direct flights to Dublin, offering a budget aifare between Orlando and Europe. In addition to direct flights with almost every major U.S. city, MCO serves over a dozen Canadian destinations (many seasonal), Jamaica (Montego Bay), the Dominican Republic (Santo Domingo), the Bahamas (Nassau), Mexico (Cancun, Mexico City), Panama (Panama City), Brazil (Sao Paulo), Costa Rica (San José), Colombia (Bogotá), El Salvador (San Salvador), France (Paris), and the UK (London-Gatwick, Manchester, Glasgow).
Full sized Hotel, with all amenities and services, directly within Orlando International Airport itself.
The airport is structured into two components. There is a central "landside" terminal (A and B), containing airline counters, baggage claim, rental agencies, numerous shops, and a hotel. This central terminal is connected via trams to four other terminals (known as "Airside 1-4") with the airplane gates. There are plenty of shops in both the central terminal and the airsides, but most restaurants are located in the airsides.
Security screening is performed in the central terminal before taking the tram to the airsides and, as in all U.S. airports, only ticketed passengers are allowed past security. Security lines can become extremely long (1 hr), especially during the summer tourist season and near holidays. Combined with long check-in lines, it is advisable to arrive 2-3 hours before your scheduled departure.
Almost every medium to high priced hotel in the city offers transfers. Orlando is the rental car capital of the world and as such there are several car rental agencies offering a wide range of vehicles for rental.
There are several shuttle services options that run from the airport to various points, including Kissimmee, theme parks, University of Central Florida, and the cruise port at Port Canaveral. Approximate rates for shuttle vans ranges from $18-26 depending on your destination.
Disney's Magical Express, +1 407-W-DISNEY, ? Complimentary shuttle and luggage delivery service for guests stay at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel. Advance reservations are required.
Public transit from MCO to Downtown Disney/Magic Kingdom transportation centers is provided by Lynx Route 111, every half an hour, picking up at Landside A Terminal (north), Level 1. $2.
Orlando-Sanford International Airport (IATA: SFB) . A secondary airport which serves the Orlando area is the Orlando-Sanford International Airport located in Sanford, a city just to the north of Orlando, the side of Orlando opposite most attractions. However, it offers more European flights than Orlando International, especially from the UK. Service between Orlando Sanford International and Europe includes: First Choice Airways (Bristol, East Midlands, Glasgow, London-Gatwick, Manchester); Monarch Airlines (Belfast, Cardiff, Dublin, Glasgow, London-Gatwick, Manchester, Newcastle, Shannon); Thomas Cook Airlines (Belfast, Glasgow, London-Gatwick, Manchester); Thomsonfly (Birmingham, London-Gatwick, Manchester, Newcastle); Flyglobespan (Belfast, Glasgow); Icelandair (Reykjavik). Orlando Sanford International is also a hub for Allegiant Air which serves a lot of small U.S. cities. </p>
Other regional airports (within an hour and a half drive) include Daytona Beach International Airport (served by Delta via Atlanta and US Airways via Charlotte) & Melbourne International Airport (served by Delta via Atlanta and Baer Air via Freeport, Bahamas). In addition, Orlando area visitors who plan on visiting the Gulf Coast may consider flying into Tampa International Airport, about 80 mi (130 km) west of Orlando or just over an hour's drive, as it is less crowded and a bit easier to access via road.
If you plan on visiting more than just Orlando and plan on taking international flights, you may want to consider flying via Miami International Airport, a 200-mile (320 km) and a 2-3 hour drive south of Orlando, which offers more international flights and is the main U.S. gateway for flights to South/Central America & the Caribbean.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Orlando
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Orlando - updated May 2024
SAVE up to 75% on Last Minute deals! Search for discount Orlando hotels, motels, apartments, hostels, guest accommodations and vacation resorts. Book now and pay at the hotel. Instant email confirmation!
Orlando Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
