Flights to Orlando

[dmbcanada]

Hi Everyone,

Anyone know why a lot of the discount airlines (Swoop, Flair, Alegiant) are flying to Sanford (SFB) instead of Orlando Intl. (MCO)?

 

[SleeplessInTO]

I don’t know for sure but I would guess it’s cheaper to land at SFB. Maybe it’s a less popular airport so the discount airlines are able to get better pricing on baggage and facility use, and better flight times for landing/take off.

 

[ccudmore]

Hi Everyone,

Anyone know why a lot of the discount airlines (Swoop, Flair, Alegiant) are flying to Sanford (SFB) instead of Orlando Intl. (MCO)?

The airport charges the airlines a number of fees for using their airport. Airlines must purchase landing slots that give them the right to land at a certain time, and then pay landing, ground handling and gate fees once they do land. SFB's fees for all of these are a lot lower than MCO.

 

[dmbcanada]

The airport charges the airlines a number of fees for using their airport. Airlines must purchase landing slots that give them the right to land at a certain time, and then pay landing, ground handling and gate fees once they do land. SFB's fees for all of these are a lot lower than MCO.

I was suspecting that, I assume MCO must have jacked up the fees as we flew Swoop to MCO back in 2020.

 

[dancin Disney style]

The above mentioned things are correct. However, MCO is jammed and no space for additional carriers until after the new terminal opens. There is a lot more to it than gate space.

 

[von Monster]

I was suspecting that, I assume MCO must have jacked up the fees as we flew Swoop to MCO back in 2020.

More likely they just sold their slots; MCO has been the busiest airport in North America this year plus most airports have a 'use it or lose it' approach to their slots so with terminal C being delayed and being uncertain of COVID restrictions impacting their schedule they would be worth more to a larger carrier and moving to SFB doesn't really impact leisure travellers.

 

[flav]

I thought MCO was more for international flights and airlines and SFB was more of a regional/domestic airport. I fly to MCO from Montreal, Canada and to SFB from Plattsburgh, USA (a little over an hour away from Montreal).

ETA: Looking at SFB destination list, there are a few Canadian cities and the rest is all USA. MCO flights go to many different countries.

 

[ccudmore]

I thought MCO was more for international flights and airlines and SFB was more of a regional/domestic airport. I fly to MCO from Montreal, Canada and to SFB from Plattsburgh, USA (a little over an hour away from Montreal).

ETA: Looking at SFB destination list, there are a few Canadian cities and the rest is all USA. MCO flights go to many different countries.

Pre-Covid many of the UK Charter operators used SFB, which are seasonal. RIght now 95% of the SFB flights are Allegiant.

 

[flav]

SFB has the Attraction Express charter bus that goes to Universal Orlando. A bit like Mears and Sunshine Flyer do from MCO to Disney.