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 (Tel +1 877 872 6728)

Montreal/Dorval, Quebec / Toronto, Ontario

Avelo Airlines (Tel +1 346 616 9500)

Binghamton, NY / Brownsville, TX / New Haven, CT / Wausau, WI / Wilmington, DE / Wilmington, NC

Frontier Airlines (Tel +1 801 401 9000)

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 / Des Moines, IA / Detroit, MI / El Paso, TX / Grand Rapids, MI / Harrisburg, PA / Hartford, CT / Houston/Hobby, TX / Houston/Intercontinental, TX / Indianapolis, IN / Knoxville, TN / Las Vegas, NV / Long Island/Islip, NY / Los Angeles, CA / Nashville, TN / New Orleans, LA / New York/Kennedy, NY / Norfolk, VA / Oklahoma City, OK / Omaha, NE / Philadelphia, PA / Phoenix, AZ / Pittsburgh, PA / Ponce, PR / Portland, ME / Punta Cana, Dominican Rep. / Raleigh/Durham, NC / San Antonio, TX / San Francisco, CA / San Juan, PR / Santo Domingo, Dominican Rep. / St. Croix, Virgin Islands / St. Louis, MO / St. Maarten, West Indies / Syracuse, NY / Trenton, NJ / Washington/Dulles, VA

Southwest Airlines (Tel +1 800 435 9792)

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 / Grand Cayman, West Indies / Grand Rapids, MI / Hartford, CT / Houston/Hobby, TX / Houston/Intercontinental, TX / Indianapolis, IN / Jackson, MS / Kansas City, MO / Las Vegas, NV / Long Beach, CA / Long Island/Islip, NY / Louisville, KY / Manchester, NH / Memphis, TN / Milwaukee, WI / Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN / 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 / St. Louis, MO / Syracuse, NY / Tulsa, OK / Washington/National, VA

Spirit Airlines (Tel +1 801 401 2222)

Atlanta, GA / Atlantic City, NJ / Austin, TX / Baltimore, MD / Bogotá, Colombia / Boston, MA / Cancún, Mexico / Cartagena, Colombia / Charleston, SC / Charlotte, NC / Chattanooga, TN / Chicago/O'Hare, IL / Cleveland, OH / Columbia, SC / Columbus, OH / Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX / Detroit, MI / Ft. Lauderdale, FL / Guatemala City, Guatemala / Houston/Intercontinental, TX / Indianapolis, IN / Kansas City, MO / Las Vegas, NV / Latrobe, PA / Louisville, KY / Medellín, Colombia / Memphis, TN / Miami, FL / Milwaukee, WI / Montego Bay, Jamaica / Myrtle Beach, SC / Nashville, TN / New Orleans, LA / New York/LaGuardia, NY / Newark, NJ / Norfolk, VA / Pensacola, FL / Philadelphia, PA / Pittsburgh, PA / Punta Cana, Dominican Rep. / Richmond, VA / Rochester, NY / Salt Lake City, UT / San Antonio, TX / San José, Costa Rica / San Juan, PR / San Pedro Sula, Honduras / Santo Domingo, Dominican Rep. / St. Louis, MO / St. Thomas, Virgin Islands

Virgin Atlantic (Tel +1 800 862 8621)

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

Terminal B

Air Canada/Air Canada Rouge (Tel +1 800 247 2262)

Montreal/Dorval, Quebec / Toronto, Ontario

Alaska Airlines (Tel +1 800 252 7522)

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

Allegiant Air (Tel +1 702 505 8888)

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

American Airlines (Tel +1 800 433 7300)

Austin, TX / 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 (Tel +1 800 222 4262)

Freeport, Bahamas / Nassau, Bahamas

BermudAir (Tel +1 441 543 9200)

Bermuda

Breeze Airways (Tel +1 501 273 3931)

Akron/Canton, OH / Bangor, ME / 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 / Madison, WI / Manchester, NH / Mobile/Downtown, AL / New Bern, NC / New Haven, CT / New Orleans, LA / New York/Stewart, NY / Orange County, CA / Plattsburgh, NY / Portland, ME / Portsmouth AFB, NH / Providence, RI / Provo, UT / Raleigh/Durham, NC / South Bend, IN / Springfield, IL / Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, PA / Wilmington, NC

Delta Air Lines (Tel +1 800 221 1212)

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 (Tel +1 833 711 2333)

Toronto/Pearson, Ontario

LATAM (Tel +1 866 435 9526)

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

Sun Country Airlines (Tel +1 651 905 2737)

Eau Claire, WI / Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN

United Airlines (Tel +1 800 241 6522)

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

Viva (Tel +1 866 359 8482)

Mérida, Mexico / Monterrey, Mexico

Volaris (Tel +1 855 865 2747)

Guadalajara, Mexico / Mexico City, Mexico

WestJet (Tel +1 888 937 8538)

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

Terminal C

Aer Lingus (Tel +1 800 474 7424)

Dublin, Ireland / Manchester, England

Aeroméxico (Tel +1 800 237 6639)

Mexico City, Mexico

Air France (Tel +1 800 237 2747)

Paris/de Gaulle, France

Avianca (Tel +1 866 919 0081)

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

Azul Linhas Aéreas (Tel +1 888 587 2985)

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

British Airways (Tel +1 800 247 9297)

London/Gatwick, England

Caribbean Airlines (Tel +1 800 920 4225)

Port of Spain, Trinidad

Copa Airlines (Tel +1 800 359 2672)

Panama City, Panama

Discover Airlines (Tel +1 833 272 1446)

Frankfurt am Main, Germany / Munich, Germany

Emirates (Tel +1 800 777 3999)

Dubai, UAE

Gol Linhas Aéreas (Tel +1 855 862 9190)

Brasilia, Brazil / Fortaleza, Brazil

Iberia (Tel +1 800 772 4642)

Madrid, Spain

Iberojet (Tel +34 971 448 082)

Madrid, Spain

Icelandair (Tel +1 800 223 5500)

Reykjavik, Iceland

JetBlue (Tel +1 800 538 2583)

Aguadilla, PR / Albany, NY / Boston, MA / Buffalo, NY / Cancún, Mexico / Hartford, CT / Long Island/Islip, NY / Los Angeles, CA / 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. / Raleigh/Durham, NC / Richmond, VA / San José, Costa Rica / San Juan, PR / Santiago, Dominican Rep. / Santo Domingo, Dominican Rep. / Syracuse, NY / Washington/National, VA / Westchester County, NY / Worcester, MA

Norse Atlantic Airways

London/Gatwick, England

Porter Airlines (Tel +1 888 619 8622)

Ottawa, Ontario / Toronto, Ontario

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