How early do we need to arrive for our flight out of MCO?

Heather76

Earning My Ears
Joined
Jul 8, 2017
We have a 6:54pm flight out of MCO on November 12th. What time do we need to arrive at the airport?
 
The 12th November is a Sunday .

I would leave your Hotel at the Disney area by about 3pm

In Airport by 3.50 pm . Then to check in say 4pm & Q

Start to Go through security 4.30 pm . Shoes & Belts back on by 5pm

Walk to And catch Monorail 5.15pm to Gate by 5.30pm

Restrooms & snack will take you to 6.30pm .
 
The 12th November is a Sunday .

I would leave your Hotel at the Disney area by about 3pm

In Airport by 3.50 pm . Then to check in say 4pm & Q

Start to Go through security 4.30 pm . Shoes & Belts back on by 5pm

Walk to And catch Monorail 5.15pm to Gate by 5.30pm

Restrooms & snack will take you to 6.30pm .

It takes an hour to go to the bathroom and buy a bag of chips?
 


We recently had a morning flight out of MCO. The regular security line looked like it may take an hour or so!
We were glad we had no checked bags and TSA precheck and breezed right through.

A passenger boarded our flight just before the door closed and asked the flight attendant to hold the plane for her friend who was still in the security line. She chuckled and said she would be in plenty of time to catch the next flight that left 3 hours later..

We usually shoot to be at the airport 2 hours early, at MCO we tend to get there a bit earlier and get a bite to eat while we wait.
 
We have a 6:54pm flight out of MCO on November 12th. What time do we need to arrive at the airport?

What airline are you flying? There is an ongoing construction project through March that affects gates 1-29 as they are down to one tram between the security and air side gates. https://orlandoairports.net/getting-around-mco/construction/

JetBlue is probably the biggest airline affected by it but there are others so that could add some time, JetBlue is saying to allow 3 hours at MCO.
 


It takes an hour to go to the bathroom and buy a bag of chips?
That specific date is the end of:
  • Veterans Day weekend
  • Jersey Week
  • Food and Wine Festival
Anyone is welcome to ignore travel expert/airline/TSA recommendations and arrive (potentially much) closer to departure time. Expect long security lines. Airlines will not accept responsibility for missed flights if the passenger doesn't allow the recommended time.
 
Last edited:
For a 6:54 flight, the flight will probably start boarding by 6:35. So, you'll want to be at the gate by 6:30, no later. If you leave your resort by 5:00, you'll arrive at MCO around 5:30. Then it can take 10 mins or it can take 25 mins at security. Then add the tram to the gates. If you're flying on an airline served by the tram area that is undergoing construction, add another 20+ mins...they have just one tram running and that means you'll need addtl time. If you know your way around MCO, fine. But, if you don't, you might want to leave addtl time...leave your resort no later than 4:30. Yes, you may find yourself sitting at the gate with 45 mins to kill, but I'm going to tell you...that's a heck of a lot better than racing to get to the gate. They will not hold the plane for you. I've watched it happen!!
 
Just remember That a lot of International & Trans Atlantic Flights

Depart from 4pm onwards

( Extra 200 + passengers each )

Better to be at the Gate early than Run to it .

How many times have you heard " will the following Passengers please go to Gate XX as Boarding

is closing ? "
 
That specific date is the end of:
  • Veterans Day weekend
  • Jersey Week
  • Food and Wine Festival
Anyone is welcome to ignore travel expert/airline/TSA recommendations and arrive (potentially much) closer to departure time. Expect long security lines. Airlines will not accept responsibility for missed flights if the passenger doesn't allow the recommended time.

As a matter of fact we'll be flying back to Jersey.
 
For a 6:54 flight, the flight will probably start boarding by 6:35. So, you'll want to be at the gate by 6:30, no later. If you leave your resort by 5:00, you'll arrive at MCO around 5:30. Then it can take 10 mins or it can take 25 mins at security. Then add the tram to the gates. If you're flying on an airline served by the tram area that is undergoing construction, add another 20+ mins...they have just one tram running and that means you'll need addtl time. If you know your way around MCO, fine. But, if you don't, you might want to leave addtl time...leave your resort no later than 4:30. Yes, you may find yourself sitting at the gate with 45 mins to kill, but I'm going to tell you...that's a heck of a lot better than racing to get to the gate. They will not hold the plane for you. I've watched it happen!!

Thanks for all of this information. I haven't been on a plane in 25 years so I have no idea what I'm doing.
 
Well All has changed over the last 25 years & is changing every day.

So heed my advice ( aged over 50 ) And get there early ..

Leave by 3 pm ....... Arrive Early & Watch the rushing , panic of people trying to catch their flights.
 
That specific date is the end of:
  • Veterans Day weekend
  • Jersey Week
  • Food and Wine Festival
Anyone is welcome to ignore travel expert/airline/TSA recommendations and arrive (potentially much) closer to departure time. Expect long security lines. Airlines will not accept responsibility for missed flights if the passenger doesn't allow the recommended time.

Even the own airline website says to arrive two hours before departure for a domestic flight: https://orlandoairports.net/faq/

Arriving three hours early seems like overkill. Disney's own transportation PICKS UP guests three hours before their flight.
 
Even the own airline website says to arrive two hours before departure for a domestic flight: https://orlandoairports.net/faq/

Arriving three hours early seems like overkill. Disney's own transportation PICKS UP guests three hours before their flight.
I'm usually cautious when it comes to getting to the airport early, but I agree with you. If you walk in 2 hours before your flight, even if you have to check bags (can be done via skycaps or kiosks usually), if security takes an hour, that still leaves 45 minutes to take the tram to your gate.
 
Terminal construction at Orlando International Airport, FL (MCO)
Last Updated: 7/22/17 7:30 PM ET
As part of a long-term airport modernization project at Orlando International Airport, FL (MCO), the Automated People Mover (APM) trains used to shuttle customers between the main terminal and the JetBlue gate area (Gates 1-29) will be completely renovated between July 2017 and March 2018.

Throughout the construction period, a single APM train will remain operational to shuttle customers between the terminal and gate area. In the unlikely event of a train service disruption, and during periods of overnight preventative maintenance, the airport will provide bus transportation. Customer service ambassadors will be on-site to help direct customers—click here for construction updates.

We recommend arriving at the airport 3 hours prior to your flight departure, and please be sure to check the status of your flight online or via the JetBlue app prior to arriving at the airport.

For airport information, including check-in times and terminal information, click here.

I just copied this from the JB site. Do with this what you will. I know I'll be giving it a bit more time when I'm flying home from MCO!!!
 
I would be walking into the airport no later than 2.5 hours before the flight. The security on that weekend will, likely, be long...holiday weekend, Jersey week, etc. Better to be early than late, especially for a flight..
 
Terminal construction at Orlando International Airport, FL (MCO)
Last Updated: 7/22/17 7:30 PM ET
As part of a long-term airport modernization project at Orlando International Airport, FL (MCO), the Automated People Mover (APM) trains used to shuttle customers between the main terminal and the JetBlue gate area (Gates 1-29) will be completely renovated between July 2017 and March 2018.

Throughout the construction period, a single APM train will remain operational to shuttle customers between the terminal and gate area. In the unlikely event of a train service disruption, and during periods of overnight preventative maintenance, the airport will provide bus transportation. Customer service ambassadors will be on-site to help direct customers—click here for construction updates.

We recommend arriving at the airport 3 hours prior to your flight departure, and please be sure to check the status of your flight online or via the JetBlue app prior to arriving at the airport.

For airport information, including check-in times and terminal information, click here.

I just copied this from the JB site. Do with this what you will. I know I'll be giving it a bit more time when I'm flying home from MCO!!!
Thanks for that. I forgot about the construction.
 
If you have TSA Pre-Check, Global Entry or Clear, you can cut it a wee bit closer, but if you don't, look out. When I left MCO late morning last Friday, the line for the regular TSA checkpoints for Gates 1-59 snaked completely (and very tightly) through the roped area, and all the way back to the food court. The estimated wait was 90 minutes in the line. (Pre-Check was 20 minutes.) If it is that bad on an ordinary Friday, just imagine how bad it can get on the Sunday evening of a holiday week.

PS: If you haven't been through MCO in a while, be aware that they re-configured security earlier this year. Gates 1-59 now have a single line for those who do not have Clear, Pre-Check or Global Entry access. When you pass the ID check, everyone is in a single line, the lines no longer split there. Essentially, it's the bank-teller system; you get to the end of the line and then go to whichever machine line is shortest. Gates 1-59 are also the home of several of the smaller-presence international airlines, so this line is slower than usual due to language issues.
 

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