Traveling through Orlando International Airport (MCO) can be a breeze or a battle, depending on how prepared you are for security lines. With its immense popularity as a gateway to Central Florida, MCO’s security wait times can stretch from 30 minutes to an hour during peak periods, leaving travelers stressed and sometimes scrambling to make their flights. Fortunately, there’s a free tool that can eliminate this hassle, and it just got a major update.
Reserve Your Spot in Line with MCO Reserve
MCO Reserve offers passengers a fast-track option for security screenings at no extra cost. Here’s how it works:
- Go online to the MCO Reserve website and provide your flight and security screening details.
- Book a specific time slot to pass through security.
- Arrive at your reserved time and skip the line entirely.
This service is available daily from 5 AM to 5 PM for flights departing between 6:30 AM and 8:30 PM. However, it is important to note that travelers already enrolled in TSA PreCheck or CLEAR+ are not eligible for MCO Reserve. For everyone else, it’s a seamless way to bypass the usual queues.
If your flight departs from Gates 1-59, take note: the security checkpoint for these gates has moved to the Terminal A entrance instead of the Terminal B side. Be sure to double-check your terminal to avoid confusion on your travel day.
Major Enhancements on the Horizon
MCO isn’t just about making security smoother; the airport is gearing up for an overhaul that promises to enhance the traveler experience with exciting dining, retail, and parking improvements. Here’s what’s coming:
Expanded Dining Options
MCO’s already robust lineup of over 150 restaurants and shops will soon welcome several new additions, highlighting local favorites from Central Florida. Upcoming eateries include:
- Stasio’s Italian Deli & Market
- Smoke & Donuts
- Kelly’s Ice Cream
- SoDough Detroit Pizza
- Milkhouse
- Jam-Eng
- 4 Rivers Smokehouse
These additions aim to provide a taste of the region’s culinary culture while supporting local businesses.
Terminal Upgrades
To keep up with its growing passenger numbers, MCO is investing in significant renovations:
- Airside 1 and Airside 3 will undergo $65 million in updates, including modernized flooring, improved bathrooms, and refreshed gate areas. Airside 1 serves Frontier, Silver Airways, and Spirit, while Airside 3 houses Alaska, Allegiant, American Airlines, Breeze, and United.
- Terminal C enhancements include a parking reservation system and a new Consolidated Rental Car Facility set to free up 4,500 parking spaces by 2032.
The construction phase for these projects is set to kick off in mid-2025, with work progressing in phases to minimize disruption.
Smarter Parking Solutions
Finding parking at MCO will soon be easier, thanks to a $13 million parking guidance system. Similar to the technology at Disney Springs, the system will display real-time availability of parking spaces across MCO’s garages. Key features include:
- Real-time parking spot counts for travelers.
- A camera-based license plate recognition system to assist those who have forgotten where they parked.
With 23,000 parking spaces currently available and plans for further expansion, these upgrades will make navigating MCO’s parking facilities less stressful. Installation begins in mid-2025 and will take about two years to complete, with all garages remaining operational during the process
Enhancing the Travel Experience
Orlando International Airport serves more than 60 million passengers annually, and these updates reflect the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority’s (GOAA) commitment to creating a world-class travel hub.
“We’re making strategic investments to ensure our guests enjoy seamless and memorable experiences at MCO,” said GOAA CEO Kevin J. Thibault. “From smarter parking systems to an array of exciting dining options, these changes are designed to elevate every aspect of the passenger journey.”
Looking Ahead
Whether it’s reserving your spot in the security line or exploring new local dining options, MCO is working to transform air travel into a more convenient and enjoyable experience. Keep these updates in mind as you plan your next trip through Orlando International Airport—and prepare to see even more enhancements in the years to come.
What do you think of this line-skipping option at for your next Disney vacation?
