Nov. 30 (the Saturday after Thanksgiving) is expected to be the most heavily crowded and traveled, with nearly 170,000 passengers passing through. The next day, Sunday, Dec. 1, should have 163,000 passengers.
The passenger security checkpoints at Orlando International Airport, particularly the west security checkpoint for gates 1-59, are among the busiest in the nation.
And If you’re traveling through this Thanksgiving holiday travel season, which begins Friday and lasts through the Tuesday after Thanksgiving (Dec. 3), you better pack your patience along with your checked bags and carry-ons.
Traffic at OIA (or MCO, depending on who you talk to) is expected to increase 6 percent, with more than 1.75 million travelers moving through the airport during the 12-day period.
“In anticipation of this historically busy holiday travel season, Orlando International has been upgrading the nation’s busiest TSA checkpoint,” Chief Executive Officer of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority Phil Brown said. “We have remodeled the West Checkpoint, maximized the use of space and added more lanes for TSA agents to process more passengers.”
According to the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, who oversees MCO operations, there’s been an increased focus on enhancing the overall travel experience, from clearer and more innovative wayfinding to entertainment throughout the terminal.
Animal lovers will enjoy the new “MCO Paw Pilots” program, where certified therapy dogs will be in the main terminal to help travelers smile and decompress.
Travelers at MCO will also notice an and the new , it is all incorporated with the customer in mind to help reduce holiday travel related stress.
