Orlando International Airport Braces for Record Holiday Travel Through Early January 2026

Dec 19, 2025 in "Air Travel"

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Orlando International Airport

Posted: Friday December 19, 2025 2:11pm ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

MCO holiday travel traffic is expected to surge to near record levels as Orlando International Airport prepares for one of its busiest end-of-year periods on record.

Airport officials forecast nearly 3.1 million total passengers arriving and departing MCO during the Christmas and New Year's travel window. The period runs from Friday, December 19, 2025, through Monday, January 5, 2026, representing a 2.6 percent increase over last year.

Southwest Airlines

Busiest travel days at MCO

Daily passenger volumes are projected to remain elevated for more than two weeks, with several days exceeding 190,000 total travelers.

The peak days:

Saturday, January 3, 2026: ~196,212 passengers (busiest day)
Sunday, January 4, 2026: ~195,960 passengers
Friday, January 2, 2026: ~191,324 passengers

Traffic builds steadily after Christmas and intensifies as holiday visitors return home following New Year's.

What travelers should expect

With sustained high volumes across departures and arrivals, congestion is likely in parking facilities, ticketing halls, and security checkpoints, especially during morning and evening peak travel windows.

MCO is advising passengers to:

Arrive at least three hours before departure
Be at the gate one hour before boarding
Check flight status in advance using airline tools or the Orlando MCO app

Parking and security options

To help manage the crowds, several services are available:

Reserved Parking lets you secure a space ahead of time, though availability is limited during peak days
MCO Reserve allows travelers without TSA PreCheck or CLEAR+ to book a security screening time at no cost
Cell Phone Lots remain the best option for passenger pickup, as curbside waiting is prohibited

TSA reminders for holiday travelers

Security screening delays can increase when bags require extra inspection. TSA recommends:

Do not wrap gifts before screening
Follow the 3-1-1 liquids rule
Avoid ribbons or attachments on checked luggage
Check carry-ons carefully for prohibited items
Never joke about weapons or explosives
Label electronics with contact information
Keep pets leashed during screening

Ongoing construction at MCO

Holiday travel coincides with continued work on the airport's Gate Link Replacement project, focused on upgrading aging systems.

Construction is active near Gates 100-129, affecting Avelo and Southwest operations
Most passengers should see less than 15 extra minutes added to their trip
Overnight travelers may encounter shuttle buses
Rental car and ground transportation users should allow an extra 30 minutes

Plan ahead and expect crowds

With more than 3 million people moving through MCO in just over two weeks, patience and planning will matter. The airport stresses that high traffic will be spread across many consecutive days, not just the traditional holiday peaks.

For updates, maps, and travel tools, passengers can visit flymco.com or use the official MCO mobile app before heading to the airport.

Discuss on the Forums

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jrhwdw22 days ago

Like last year, a Wonderful Sendoff for MOUACT'S 2025 Season just happened! Thank You MK for the past 10 Amazing Days!!!!!! What a year this has been! Old School MK is Most certainly BACK!!!! 😀😃🙂

Gringrinngghost22 days ago

Here is New Year's Eve's Wait Times https://snapshots.raintank.io/dashboard/snapshot/dyir34uam7B3BKpGUlN1poGSA6Ou0I1d?orgId=0

TrainsOfDisney22 days ago

I’ll continue visiting Disney as long as I enjoy it and see the value. I see things going in the right direction at WDW - they brought back the echo set at voices for the first time since 2019. We have a night parade at MK again. They used the Main Street piano player and voices of Liberty in an ad campaign for the holidays. Whoever made the free passholder calendar clearly knows what Disney fans want - and that was a really nice and classy gift. There are issues - but the ship hasn’t sailed yet.

Sirwalterraleigh22 days ago

Fair… The crap I get is usually misplaced on what I’m saying… I don’t want it to be 1999 again with fees or prices…just you have to demand a little more for the prices and fees. Don’t just gobble up rehabs and downgrades to what they have and act like its “advancement” For feee-wings it’s a good value. Consumers are on the opposite team as TWDC…not the same one

Sirwalterraleigh22 days ago

You can’t…which is why putting 60% of your megacorp on the back of your themepark division was an awful management failure They were right were they needed to be at about 40%… It’s not all on Bob…but it’s mostly Bob’s stupidity about the death of cable

Splash4eva22 days ago

As discussed before stock has basically been a dog during one of the biggest bull runs ever… so we can argue the “model” isnt working. I see your point in saying if you reduce prices your reduce revenue and profits but in the same breathe you can argue if you reduce enough you will get more people there and bring in more moneyin return. I will say this. You will never ever see the paid FP and Premium LL go away. Along with these up charge events and double dipping party events…. Reduction in ticket prices/hotels and souvenirs and in park purchases of food etc can be a path in right direction. Ultimately tho they need abetter fresh product with new rides and true expansion to capacity. People will still pay and more will come. Entertainment. Hours expanded

bmr159122 days ago

The question I continue to have, and no one ever seems to give a great answer to, is how do you fix the pricing problem without upsetting shareholders? We can say slash prices across the board, but that’s not a realistic path forward. Is DVC overpriced? Absolutely. Is it still selling well? Apparently. And even if they wanted to cut buy in by $10,000, what do you do for all those who purchased at $35,000? That doesn’t seem like good business to upset your core audience like that. I’m just unsure what realistic path forward y’all would like to see. Not your dream, but actual reality.

Splash4eva23 days ago

Im more having some fun here with you. Like i said. I enjoy our interactions… I “defend” them on certain areas and crush them in others. No company is perfect. No company makes sounds decisions all the time…. There were multiple reasons why i cancelled in June and why i am not going this weekend. Honestly money was not one of the major factors. The stale product definitely played a factor if you want the truth. My daughter telling me she wasnt overly excited about our trip because of again stale product among other reasons… Time also is precious so if i feel a place no longer brings the ultimate joys it once did time to take a step back and do something else with the time. So money really never crossed my mind as a reason not to go… Ill be back dont get me wrong but i cant envision me going until A good amount of this “expansion” is completed. If i had to take a true educated guess. Thanksgiving 2027….

Chi8423 days ago

The problem is you also want everyone else to have fun on your terms.😉

Sirwalterraleigh23 days ago

I still have fun on my terms…but won’t gloss or support the stuff that’s over the line Generally speaking…”reject stupidity” is a general mission statement in life. So what brings you here? If you are scared from going…what’s the point in defending them? Is it the price?

Splash4eva23 days ago

With whatever you are spending your money on at the mouse ;). Pretty sure you are DVC off memory. So dues etc. You are there now so tickets… assuming you are eating & drinking in the parks. Whatever money you are spending in theory is feeding the beast.

Splash4eva23 days ago

Maybe somewhere in the middle is the correct answer… listen i agree prices have gotten out of hand with every extra up charge dining souvenir etc but people still going and we all been saying the bridge is gonna break but it hasnt but as we both agree stock and ceo has been beyond underwhelming so maybe it has and noone has realized it yet…

zulemara23 days ago

I was actually willing to buy a ticket to EPCOT for NYE but they aren’t selling tickets for day guests. It’s so crazy given EPCOT never hit phased closing before lockdown.

Sirwalterraleigh23 days ago

This has been the first day that felt like hell (2018) in studios Rookie mistake…studios is always bad before New Year’s Eve But I’ve been chatting with the peasants in lines…really heavy in locals and dvc. Low value guests 😎