MCO Pre check times

Jasten

Earning My Ears
Joined
Aug 7, 2017
Messages
72
We have a return car service through Access Line Transportation planning to pick up at 6 am to make it to MCO for an 8:10 am departure. Is that enough time to make it to the airport, get our luggage checked with Southwest and make it though security? DW and I are both pre-check traveling with two children.

What are the wait times like at pre-check? Our return is April 19 so its around spring break time too.

I’m considering calling and adjusting pickup to be earlier.
 

We don’t fly out that early, but we do Precheck & are usually thru the whole screening in less than 15 minutes. I agree with PP tho, your bigger issue is going to be baggage check. We were there in early afternoon in late January. The baggage check line went straight across the building as far as we could see. We had business select tickets so had a separate check in desk across the hall & took about 10 minutes. The regular check in had that long line to tag your bags, then a separate line for bag drop off. It was crazy & we were thrilled we didn’t have to wait in those. My family members said the line was similar in December & took about 20-30 minutes to tag & drop their bags. I never do curbside checkin. There was a line outside but not near as long as inside. Not sure if that will be easier or quicker for you.


An 8:10 departure will start boarding at about 7:40 -45. I’m not familiar with that car service. If they get there right at 6, figure a few minutes to load your bags & get your kids situated. Are they little? Need to adjust or install car seats? Then 25 minutes to MCO, get there about 6:35? Figure minimum 20 minutes for baggage check, 15 for security. Absolute best case scenario has you thru security at 7:10. Then tram & walk to gait. 7:15-20. Rest room stop & you’re at your gate at 7:25-30. That would be too close for my comfort. If your car is late or baggage or security check takes longer, you could be at gate after boarding already started. Especially if the kids are little & need longer walking & getting thru security.
 
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Glad I checked! It seems i need to either leave the resort earlier (5am) or change to a later flight and rebook the car service.

Kids are 8 and 3 so we will be a bit slower.

Really missing the resort check in services….😢
 
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I’d never cut it that close if checking bags and getting picked up just before ”rush-hour”….there could easily be an accident on the hwy, traffic, etc. I’d definitely leave earlier.
 
2 hours could be enough but makes it too stressful. Every little hiccup is like oh crap. Too many hiccups and it’s a BIG oh crap. We missed an early flight home once and Jetblue was nice enough and able to put us on a later flight with no extra charge. Could’ve been worse. Still stunk lol. We’re much more careful now. That also made us get preCheck.
 
We have a return car service through Access Line Transportation planning to pick up at 6 am to make it to MCO for an 8:10 am departure. Is that enough time to make it to the airport, get our luggage checked with Southwest and make it though security? DW and I are both pre-check traveling with two children.

What are the wait times like at pre-check? Our return is April 19 so its around spring break time too.

I’m considering calling and adjusting pickup to be earlier.
MCO is a weird airport. I've arrived two hours before a flight and made it through checking in luggage and TSA in less than 15 minutes; and I've arrived two hours before a flight without having to check luggage or get boarding passes and made it to the gate with less than 30 minutes until take-off. I would err on the side of caution there, even with pre-check, and be at the airport no later than 6am. If you are lucky, you'll have the extra time to have breakfast, use the bathroom, get the 'wiggles' out before the flight, etc.
 
The pre-check line will be 5 minutes or less. I don't have experience with the Southwest queue at MCO specifically, but at other airports I've found SW takes a long time even if it doesn't seem crowded.
 














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