Guide to Airlines and Destinations at Orlando Airport (MCO)

Quick Questions about Flying from MCO

Which airlines have the most problems at MCO? According to reviews, low-cost airlines like Spirit and Frontier accumulate the most complaints for long check-in lines, poor customer service, and baggage issues.
What is the baggage service like in general? It is one of the airport's weakest points. Travelers consistently report long waits for baggage claim, damaged or lost luggage, and little help from some airlines.
Are delays frequent? Yes. In addition to weather-related delays, tarmac delays are common due to a lack of ground staff to guide planes to the gate.
Is the airline staff friendly? The experience varies greatly. While some travelers have found exceptional employees who saved their day, others describe the staff as rude, apathetic, and unhelpful.

The choice of airline can completely define your experience at Orlando Airport. Below, we summarize the key points that, according to hundreds of travelers, mark the difference between a smooth journey and one full of frustration.

Flying at MCO: Strengths and Weaknesses

👍 Strengths (The Good)
- Great Connectivity: The airport offers a huge variety of domestic and international destinations with over 40 airlines.
- Modern Terminals (in part): Terminal C, used by JetBlue and international airlines, offers a superior check-in and waiting experience.
- Unsung Heroes: There are airline employees who go above and beyond to help passengers in stressful situations.
👎 Weaknesses (The Bad)
- Inconsistent Service: The quality of service varies dramatically between airlines and even between employees of the same company.
- Poor Baggage Handling: This is a chronic problem that affects multiple airlines and generates frustration and long waits.
- Long Check-in Lines: Especially with low-cost airlines, a lack of staff creates significant bottlenecks.
- Poor Communication: During delays or cancellations, communication from airlines at the gate is often rated as non-existent or poor.

Orlando International Airport serves more than 170 domestic and international destinations, with over 1,000 daily flights operated by more than 40 airlines. However, behind these impressive numbers, the passenger experience can vary drastically depending on the chosen airline.

Inside a plane with all passengers seated

Image by Oxana Melis - Unsplash

The Real Experience with Airlines at MCO

Beyond the destinations, what truly defines the journey is the service. From check-in to baggage handling, these are the key points that travelers highlight about the airlines operating in Orlando.

Check-In and Security Process

User Experience: Here, the difference between airlines is vast. While companies like JetBlue (in Terminal C) or traditional airlines receive praise for their efficiency, low-cost carriers like Spirit and Frontier are a constant source of complaints due to a lack of staff, endless lines, and poor customer service. As for security, long TSA lines are a general problem at the airport, making services like TSA Pre-Check almost indispensable.

Baggage Handling

User Experience: This is one of the worst-rated aspects of the airport in general, but some airlines bear the brunt of the criticism. Waits for checked baggage are notoriously long, often exceeding an hour. Reports of damaged or lost luggage are frequent, and the lack of assistance from certain airlines aggravates passenger frustration.

Assistance and Special Needs

User Experience: The quality of assistance for passengers with reduced mobility is inconsistent. There are reports of very friendly and helpful staff, but also of long waits for a wheelchair and of employees who do not know how to properly handle passengers' needs. In contrast, family facilities, such as nursing rooms, are a consistently praised positive point.

Tips from Expert Travelers

Choose your airline wisely: Often, paying a little more on a traditional airline can save you hours of frustration compared to ultra-low-cost carriers.
Arrive with plenty of time to spare: The recommendation is to arrive at least 3 hours before your flight, regardless of the airline, to absorb potential delays in check-in and security.
Travel light if possible: Avoiding checked baggage will save you one of the airport's biggest headaches.

List of Airlines and Destinations

Below is a list of airlines operating at MCO and the destinations with direct flights to and from Orlando International Airport.

Terminal A

Air Transat

Montreal/Dorval, Quebec / Toronto, Ontario

Avelo Airlines

New Haven, CT / Wilmington, DE / Wilmington, NC

Frontier Airlines

Aguadilla, PR / Atlanta, GA / Austin, TX / Baltimore, MD / Boston, MA / Buffalo, NY / Burlington, VT / Cancun, Mexico / Charlotte, NC / Chicago/Midway, IL / Chicago/O'Hare, IL / Cincinnati, OH / Cleveland, OH / Columbus, OH / Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX / Denver, CO / Detroit, MI / Grand Rapids, MI / Guatemala City / Harrisburg, PA / Hartford, CT / Houston/Intercontinental, TX / Indianapolis, IN / Las Vegas, NV / Long Island/Islip, NY / Los Angeles, CA / Memphis, TN / Milwaukee, WI / Nashville, TN / New Orleans, LA / New York/Kennedy, NY / New York/LaGuardia, NY / Norfolk, VA / Oklahoma City, OK / Omaha, NE / Pensacola, FL / Philadelphia, PA / Phoenix, AZ / Pittsburgh, PA / Ponce, PR / Portland, ME / Punta Cana, Dominican Rep. / Raleigh/Durham, NC / Richmond, VA / San Antonio, TX / San Francisco, CA / San Jose, Costa Rica / San Juan, PR / San Pedro Sula, Honduras / Santo Domingo, Dominican Rep. / St. Louis, MO / St. Maarten, West Indies / Trenton, NJ / Washington/Dulles, VA

Southwest Airlines

Albany, NY / Albuquerque, NM / Aruba, West Indies / Atlanta, GA / Austin, TX / Baltimore, MD / Birmingham, AL / Buffalo, NY / Cancun, Mexico / Chicago/Midway, IL / Chicago/O'Hare, IL / Cincinnati, OH / Cleveland, OH / Columbus, OH / Dallas/Love Field, TX / Denver, CO / Detroit, MI / El Paso, TX / Ft. Lauderdale, FL / Ft. Myers, FL / Grand Cayman, West Indies / Grand Rapids, MI / Hartford, CT / Houston/Hobby, TX / Indianapolis, IN / Jackson, MS / Kansas City, MO / Knoxville, TN / Las Vegas, NV / Little Rock, AR / Long Beach, CA / Long Island/Islip, NY / Los Angeles, CA / Louisville, KY / Manchester, NH / Memphis, TN / Miami, FL / Milwaukee, WI / Montego Bay, Jamaica / Nashville, TN / Nassau, Bahamas / New Orleans, LA / Norfolk, VA / Oklahoma City, OK / Omaha, NE / Philadelphia, PA / Phoenix, AZ / Pittsburgh, PA / Providence, RI / Providenciales, Turks/Caicos / Punta Cana, Dominican Rep. / Raleigh/Durham, NC / Richmond, VA / Rochester, NY / Sacramento, CA / Salt Lake City, UT / San Antonio, TX / San Diego, CA / San Jose, Costa Rica / San Juan, PR / Sarasota/Bradenton, FL / St. Louis, MO / St. Maarten, Antilles / St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands / Tulsa, OK / Washington/National, VA / West Palm Beach, FL / Wichita, KS

Virgin Atlantic

Edinburgh, Scotland / London/Heathrow, England / Manchester, England

Terminal B

Air Canada / Air Canada Rouge

Montreal/Dorval, Quebec / Toronto, Ontario

Alaska Airlines

Portland, OR / San Diego, CA / San Francisco, CA / Seattle, WA

Allegiant Air

Allentown/Lehigh, PA / Appleton, WI / Asheville, NC / Knoxville, TN

American Airlines

Boston, MA / Charlotte, NC / Chicago/O'Hare, IL / Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX / Los Angeles, CA / Miami, FL / New York/LaGuardia, NY / Philadelphia, PA / Phoenix, AZ / Washington/National, VA

Bahamasair

Freeport, Bahamas / Nassau, Bahamas

BermudAir

Bermuda

Breeze Airways

Akron/Canton, OH / Atlantic City, NJ / Bangor, ME / Brownsville, TX / Burlington, VT / Charleston, SC / Charleston, WV / Erie, PA / Evansville, IN / Fayetteville, AR / Greensboro, NC / Greenville/Spartanburg, SC / Gulfport/Biloxi, MS / Hartford, CT / Huntsville/Decatur, AL / Key West, FL / Lancaster, PA / Lansing, MI / Lincoln, NE / Madison, WI / Manchester, NH / Myrtle Beach, SC / New Bern, NC / New Haven, CT / New Orleans, LA / New York/Stewart, NY / Norfolk, VA / Orange County, CA / Pensacola, FL / Portland, ME / Portsmouth AFB, NH / Providence, RI / Provo, UT / Raleigh/Durham, NC / Salisbury, MD / South Bend, IN / Springfield, IL / Tri-Cities, TN / Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, PA / Wilmington, NC

Delta Air Lines

Atlanta, GA / Austin, TX / Boston, MA / Cincinnati, OH / Detroit, MI / Los Angeles, CA / Miami, FL / Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN / New York/Kennedy, NY / New York/LaGuardia, NY / Raleigh/Durham, NC / Salt Lake City, UT / Seattle, WA / Washington/National, VA

Flair Airlines

Toronto/Pearson, Ontario

LATAM Airlines

Bogotá, Colombia / Santiago, Chile / Sao Paulo/Guarulhos, Brazil

Sun Country Airlines

Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN

United Airlines

Chicago/O'Hare, IL / Cleveland, OH / Denver, CO / Houston/Intercontinental, TX / Los Angeles, CA / Newark, NJ / San Francisco, CA / Washington/Dulles, VA

Viva

Mérida, Mexico / Monterrey, Mexico

Volaris

Guadalajara, Mexico / Mexico City, Mexico / Querétaro, Mexico

WestJet

Calgary, Alberta / Halifax, Nova Scotia / St. Johns, Newfoundland / Toronto, Ontario / Vancouver, British Columbia / Winnipeg, Manitoba

Terminal C

Aer Lingus

Dublin, Ireland / Manchester, England

Aeroméxico

Mexico City, Mexico

Air France

Paris/de Gaulle, France

Avianca

Bogotá, Colombia / Medellín, Colombia / San Salvador, El Salvador

Azul Linhas Aéreas

Belo Horizonte/Confins, Brazil / Campinas/Viracopos, Brazil / Recife, Brazil

British Airways

London/Gatwick, England / London/Heathrow, England

Caribbean Airlines

Port of Spain, Trinidad

Copa Airlines

Panama City, Panama

Discover Airlines

Frankfurt am Main, Germany / Munich, Germany

Emirates

Dubai, UAE

Gol Linhas Aéreas

Brasilia, Brazil / Fortaleza, Brazil

Iberia

Madrid, Spain

Icelandair

Reykjavik, Iceland

JetBlue

Aguadilla, PR / Albany, NY / Boston, MA / Buffalo, NY / Cancún, Mexico / Ft. Lauderdale, FL / Hartford, CT / Las Vegas, NV / Long Island/Islip, NY / Manchester, NH / Montego Bay, Jamaica / Nassau, Bahamas / New York/Kennedy, NY / New York/LaGuardia, NY / Newark, NJ / Ponce, PR / Providence, RI / Punta Cana, Dominican Rep. / Richmond, VA / Rochester, NY / San José, Costa Rica / San Juan, PR / Santiago, Dominican Rep. / Santo Domingo, Dominican Rep. / Syracuse, NY / Washington/National, VA / Westchester County, NY / Worcester, MA

❓ Quick Questions about Flying from MCO

⚖️ Flying at MCO: Strengths and Weaknesses