Orlando Airport- How early do you arrive

[ddesousa323]

People keep talking about how slow MCO is. I am going to be flying out on a Friday on a 6:10 United flight. The rest of my family will still be there so I want to get the most out of my trip. I rented through Alamo so the drop off is on-Site and it will be three adults to go to the Airport. I already have seat assignments. How early would you go?

 

[ktink]

We've never experienced a problem w/ MCO being slow. When we arrive in Orlando we used ME and were at the resort within 30 mins. It was actually pretty quick. We plan on using ME again this year instead of a rental car.

 

[Dan Murphy]

I always get to any airport 2 hours before flight. Sometimes I sit around for over an hour, other times almost the full 2 hours is needed. Best bet is to heed the recommended times, and that is 2 hours.

 

[CarolA]

Up until the last six months I never arrived at MCO more then 60 minutes in advance, but recently the lines have become very bad. I barely made it the last time I arrived at my normal 60 minute mark. (Had I had to check luggage or not gotten in the faster DL screening lane, I would NOT have made it.)

At this point under no circumstances would I arrive less then two hours in advance.

 

[safetymom]

I agree. The lines have been very long and slow to get through security the last 6 months or so. I see people running for their planes all the time.

So allow at least 2 hours unless you enjoy running to your plane.

 

[goofy4tink]

2 hours before my flight departure time....any airport, not just MCO. I hate having to worry about getting to the gate with plenty of time to spare. I like to just sit and relax for a bit..hence the 2 hrs..just to be safe.

 

[tjmw2727]

I arrived at MCO at 8:30 for a 10:45 flight and needed every minute of it. I thought the 3 hour pickup via ME was excessive and I was wrong. Mind you I had no luggage to check and had my boarding pass in hand so I was able to proceed directly to secuirty.

It took an hour to get through the security line, it was chaos, IMHO. Despite the instructions and videos to help you prepare during the 45 minutes to get to the screening area most were not ready. Ugghh.

My advice is better safe than sorry, allow plenty of time and have a book to read at the gate or stop for a snack or a meal.

TJ

 

[TDC Nala]

I agree with the 2 hour people. The security lines have been extremely long and very slow lately.

 

[katallo]

Security lines were very long when we left last week. Allow 2 hours!

 

[Jeanne B]

We always get to MCO two hours early now. We had one close call when we got there about 1-1/2 hrs early...never again.

 

[ameraumi]

Maybe it was a fluke, but we had no problem going thru AirTran's counter or Security. Since ME had us there 2 1/2 hours early we had 2 hours to grab a bite to eat and relax.

BTW ~ our flight out was on a Friday at 8:30pm.

 

[Aisling]

I'm a patient person in general, but I absolutely cannot stand waiting in airports. It drives me crazy. I've tried to push my airport arrival time later and later, to maybe 45 minutes before flight, and I learned my lesson. I barely made the flight, I'm sure I was the last person on board, and I would have felt terrible if I held up the plane, and worse if I missed it.

I wish I had the good luck as others have had at MCO with fast moving security lines, but so far the lines have been really long when I've been there. Thank goodness I for some reason keep getting pulled out for the extra screening, which puts me through security ahead of all those hundred people waiting. But then I suffer through the waiting to board.

 

[minster22]

I am with the 2 hour ahead group.....just came back from a trip(3/30-4/7) during which I had to pick someone up the next day after I had arrived so I got to see the security lines on 3 different days. Very, very long lines and though they do move along they are soooo long that it is absolutely going to take some time.People on these boards have been reporting this for awhile so I was prepared.

 

[LeslieG]

Wow, I have always gone to MCO about an hour before and never had a problem. I have an upcoming flight at 6 a.m. on a Tuesday morning. I hate to be there at 4 a.m. Do you think day of week and time of day are definite factors?

 

[averill94]

Im with the 2hr before group...
Last time coming home we got there about an hour and half before but thought we should sit and grab a bite. Well we got to security about an hour before the flight and the two lines were beyond long. And there was not a thing you could do about it- I understand and agree that it is a most important job but there must be a more efficient way. I was in full panic mode- well there were so many people from our flight that they HELD THE PLANE! Thank goodness-
And of course once we got through security I noticed plenty of places to grab a bite.

Two hours before -
I think this is a very important thread especially for people that have not experienced this or are first timers- missing your flight is no way to end a dream vacation!

 

[safetymom]

Early morning is pretty bad. Security line doesn't open until 4:30 and there are plenty of people waiting to get through. I wouldn't chance it with only an hour.

 

[CarolA]

Wow, I have always gone to MCO about an hour before and never had a problem. I have an upcoming flight at 6 a.m. on a Tuesday morning. I hate to be there at 4 a.m. Do you think day of week and time of day are definite factors?

My flight that I almost missed was at 6:30 in the morning. Lines were horrid. (Made worse by the fact that at that hour only about half of the screening stations were open!!!)

 

[ducklite]

I was in MCO yesterday at about 3:30, what a mob scene!

It looked like the security lines were in the 45 minutes range.

Anne

 

[OKW Lover]

We always aim for 1 hour before the flight. You'll read a lot of stories about how bad the lines have been recently, but we travel during the off season when the lines aren't any problem at all.

 

[safetymom]

They don't have as many TSA people working so there are long lines most of the time now. Slow season has been just as bad.