Orlando International Airport Prepares for Busiest Spring Break Ever in 2026

Mar 13, 2026 in "Air Travel"

Gallery / 2 Photos
Orlando International Airport

Posted: Friday March 13, 2026 11:00am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Orlando International Airport (MCO) is heading into its busiest stretch of Spring Break 2026, with more than 7.4 million passengers expected during a 46-day travel window running through April 7.

That's an 8 percent increase over 2025 - itself a record year for the airport.

Terminal C at Orlando International Airport. Photo by Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA)

The peak runs from March 12 through March 16, with Sunday, March 15 projected as the single busiest day. MCO estimates around 212,000 travelers will move through the airport that day alone.

Close to 53,000 flights will operate into and out of MCO across the full Spring Break period.

Peak Day Estimates (March 10-16, 2026)

Date		Estimated Total Passengers
Tuesday, March 10		152,015
Wednesday, March 11		160,743
Thursday, March 12		184,556
Friday, March 13		199,263
Saturday, March 14		204,852
Sunday, March 15		211,973
Monday, March 16		205,362

Tips to Get Through MCO Faster

MCO recommends arriving three hours before your flight and reaching the security checkpoint at least two hours before departure. The airport's "three P's" framework is a good starting point:

Pack as lightly as possible
Park in any available garage or lot, or use Reserved Parking for a guaranteed spot
Plane - don't miss it. Give yourself extra time to clear security and reach your gate

A few other things worth knowing:

MCO Reserve - You can book a time slot for a TSA security checkpoint. Visit the FlyMCO website to make a reservation.
Cell Phone Lots - Free North and South Cell Phone Lots are available for picking up passengers. Both offer Wi-Fi and restrooms, so skip the circling.

Discuss on the Forums

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TrainsOfDisneyMar 15, 2026

Haha! They actually fly to a surprisingly large amount of places from Sanford - just on different days. As long as you can plan which day you fly - it’s usually a great deal.

SirwalterraleighMar 15, 2026

So one of the 4 airports allegiant flies out of then? 🤪

donsullivanMar 15, 2026

An example of what's happening at MCO as we approach Spring Break season. https://www.threads.com/@taninteston/post/DV4ZeA9DrXh?xmt=AQF0PzaqmcfvjdnxZG5KIHSBjoY004zFAtz-yHx__LF2eHBJw3Mc4K7ezqgD4GqwOfbth_Y&slof=1 Anyone who has spent any time going through that airport (I've lived here for 20 years + and travel for my job a lot so I've seen it all) knows that the lines always ebb and flow based on time of day and flight schedules. Your mileage may vary but it is definitely a high risk of lines being much, much longer than normal during this time with the DHS shutdown still active.

AylaMar 15, 2026

Which is why I noted that most major airports post their TSA wait times, so y'all can verify for yourselves.

AylaMar 15, 2026

MCO is the only reason I got Pre-check, because their TSA is so terrible.

NunuMar 15, 2026

*Anecdotal Experience* I was very worried about the TSA situation at MCO for my departing flight, three days ago. Thankfully, it was a normal 20min TSA queue, at around 2pm.

Mr. EngagementMar 15, 2026

Yeah, 40 min wasn’t bad. I just don’t think a personal anecdote is enough to gauge larger trends or the veracity of a TSA warning of delays.

TrainsOfDisneyMar 15, 2026

Agreed - Orlando is one of my least favorite airports to fly out of. Flying into MCO is fine but I try to fly out of Orlando Sanford if possible. The extra $$$ for the Uber is always offset by the low prices on Allegiant

Chi84Mar 15, 2026

Right but now that they're getting $0 paychecks it will likely be much worse.

HauntedPirateMar 15, 2026

A 40 minute wait is not unusual at MCO during busy times. Their TSA isn’t efficient to begin with, busier times don’t help with it. We always build extra time into our schedule because of TSA there.

Mr. EngagementMar 15, 2026

Did you read the article I linked? It references a new warning, issued by the TSA yesterday, March 13, and points to further complications due to the first missed paycheck for TSA employees. Point is, what you called “overblown and confined to a few airports” due to your own experience has gotten much worse since the Feb. 24th warning. I flew out of MCO last week, and had to wait about 40 minutes in the security line.

parksandtravelMar 15, 2026

I hope I get as lucky as you did! I have some upcoming travel for work next month and summer and I do not look forward to it.

Chi84Mar 15, 2026

I have the official TSA app “My TSA.” It has a notice stating that due to the lapse in federal funding it’s not being actively managed. Such incompetence!