On Saturday, March 16, 2024, the Orlando International Airport set a new record for the number of departing passengers in a single day. A total of 102,064 travelers departed from MCO, marking a significant achievement for the airport. When including arrivals, which logically would mirror the number of departures, the total number of passengers utilizing the airport on March 16 would be an astounding 204,128. This represents the highest volume of passenger traffic that Orlando International Airport has ever witnessed in its history.
Spring Break 2024 was projected to post an 11 percent increase in passengers over the previous year. The MCO daily passenger record was set on December 30, 2023, with 98,521 going through security at Florida’s busiest airport. That number was surpassed on Friday, March 15, 2024 – one day before the new record was set. For a breakdown of the 2024 Spring Break season, visit the Top 10.
As MCO continues to see high passenger numbers, we are preparing for this growth as well.
A new Reserved Parking program allows passengers to log in to Reserved Parking at MCO or use the MCO mobile app in advance of their arrival to the airport, punch in their vehicle information, make a payment and receive a QR code for easy access to Level 4 of Parking Garage C. Passengers can then access Terminal C or take a quick APM ride to Terminals A and B. Recently, MCO opened three new surface lots accessible with E-Pass and SunPass Plus. SunPass customers must be enrolled with Easy Pay, and a transponder must be used to enter and exit the lots.
In addition to being fully staffed and having more Customer Experience ambassadors available during critical hours, the 3-2-1 rule also can help ease travel. Arrive at your airline ticket counter at least 3 hours in advance. Head to security processing at least 2 hours prior to departure and arrive at your gate at least 1 hour prior to boarding. Also, always remember to pack your patience and never bring weapons through the security checkpoint.
