If you have flown recently to/from MCO ...

[GSLand]

how early did you arrive at the airport?
I just read something about arriving 3 HOURS before the scheduled departure time. Have you found that to be necessary?

 

[iluvflorida8]

I fly 2x a month out of Orlando and have never got to the airport more than 90 minutes before my flight, and always have at least 45-60 minutes to wait at my gate.

 

[dvc guy]

We flew out on 1/1 and got to airport 2.0 hours in advance. We had checked in at the hotel (OKW) and checked our luggage.
We only needed about 40 minutes to get rid of the car and go thru security.

Here is the bottom line, delays can happen at check in, security and many other places. If you miss your flight the airline is under no obligation to put you on the next flight, and with most flights going out close to full , you might be waiting a long time to get a flight. Most airlines require you to be at the boarding gate ready to get on the flight 20 minutes in advance. If you do not present yourself they have the right to give your seat away.

Any other question I can help with??

 

[safetymom]

They start boarding a half hour before departure usually. I fly out of MCO quite often. Sometimes you can breeze right through other times the lines can be long. I have a Clear card so I just breeze right through

I would rather be sitting at my gate with time to spare then running through the airport like I have seen many people do at MCO.

 

[goofy4tink]

We leave our resort about 3 hrs before our flight departure time. This gets us to MCO about 2 1/2 hrs before flight. It could take 10 minutes to get through security, it could take an hour. there's no way of telling for sure. It can change in the blink of an eye. You could arrive at the airport, see that there are no lines at all for security so head off to do some window shopping, or whatever. Then, when you return 30 mins later, the line is crazy!!! Leave plenty of time to get to your gate. You are much better off, sitting at the gate for an hour or so than worrying about not making your flight.

 

[MulanMom]

We usually like to arrive at the airport 2 hours before our flight's departure time. However, on New Year's Eve, our driver insisted arriving at the airport 90 minutes prior would be fine. It was okay, but only because we were able to do curbside checkin (SW lines inside were horrible) and security didn't have much of a wait.

 

[Simba's Mom]

how early did you arrive at the airport?
I just read something about arriving 3 HOURS before the scheduled departure time. Have you found that to be necessary?

I flew home on 1/13. DME scheduled my pick up just under 3 hours and then we stopped at another hotel, so it was around 2 1/2 hours before my flight when I got there. Even at that, I sat and read for an hour before going down to my flight. So I'd say arriving 2 hours before your flight is PLENTY of time.

 

[HolliePoppins]

3 Hours is for international flights. 2hrs. for domestic.