Orlando International Airport (MCO) is expecting a record increase in passengers during the Spring Break season, a 44-day stretch that is currently underway and runs through Sunday, April 7.
“We expect to set a new Spring Break benchmark with more than 7.6 million passengers,” said Kevin J. Thibault, Chief Executive Officer of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority. “This growth is actually a continuation of what we saw in 2023. For the year, we shattered all passenger records with more than 57.7 million travelers.”
According to the airport, around 7 million of its passengers traveled internationally in 2023, while the rest boarded domestic flights.
With the arrival of the 2024 Spring Break season, MCO anticipates an 11% increase in passengers over the previous record-setting year. In a press release, the airport listed the upcoming “Spring Break Days” that are projected to be the busiest for travel:
Easter Sunday falls early this year, on March 31, and the holiday is expected to be the 8th busiest travel day of the season.
As more passengers are expected to travel through the airport in the coming weeks, the airport recommends that travelers follow the “3-2-1” rule: 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.
Due to the airport’s record number of travelers, parking at MCO has been at a premium. A portion of this passenger increase is attributed to local residents, since Central Florida’s population growth means that more residents are using the airport.
In December of 2023, MCO opened three new surface lots to provide more parking for travelers. These lots are accessible with E-Pass and SunPass Plus. According to MCO, SunPass customers must be enrolled with Easy Pay, and a transponder must be used to enter and exit the lots.
The airport’s new Reserved Parking program is also available, and it allows passengers to log in online or on the MCO mobile app prior to arriving at the airport. After entering their vehicle information and making a payment, travelers will receive a QR code for easy access to Level 4 of Parking Garage C.
Currently, the Reserved Parking program is only operational in Garage C on Level 4. Space is limited, and approximately 715 parking spots are available on a first-come, first-served basis during the rollout of this program. The cost is $32 per day.
For more information on flights and parking, visit the Orlando International Airport online.