Plan from this airport signal
Choose a checkpoint and leave-time window
This planner uses the current MCO airport source response, your travel setup, and available history context. It keeps TSA arrival guidance as the floor and only adds buffers when the source signal calls for caution.
Trip type
Drive / curb time
30 minLane preference
Estimated leave target
Set flight time
Based on TSA floor, your drive time, and fallback source-check buffer.
Estimated airport arrival
Set flight time
Based on TSA floor, your drive time, and fallback source-check buffer.
No live checkpoint recommendation
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The airport source could not be read on the last attempt.
Last source read: Unavailable
Recommendation math
No reliable live source response is available in this view. The recommendation is conservative planning guidance, not a TSA or airline guarantee.
Historical context
Historical wait context is not available for this airport yet.
Treat this as planning help. Re-check the airport source, airline app, and current traffic before you leave, especially when the source is stale, hours-only, suspended, or unavailable.
Trust and planning
How to read MCO wait coverage
Live minutes
If the source shows ‘15 min’, plan for 15–20 min to account for variability between publish time and your arrival. Treat the number as a snapshot, not a guarantee.
Missing or stale data
If the freshness label reads ‘Stale’ or no wait is published, fall back to posted checkpoint hours, airport advisories, and the peak-window note below instead of assuming a short line.
Checkpoint counts
A count of ‘4 checkpoints’ reflects what the official source tracks, not every physical lane. A checkpoint serving your gate may be unpublished or closed for the day.
At a glance
MCO terminal and checkpoint facts
- Terminals
- 3
- Terminal A, Terminal B, and Terminal C (Orlando International's newest terminal).
- Checkpoints
- Main checkpoint banks in each terminal complex
- Terminal A/B share the main ticketing complex with west/east security; Terminal C has its own security.
- Operating hours
- Typical 3:30 AM opening; closing after last departure.
- Peak hours (local)
- 5:00-9:00 AM and 3:00-7:00 PM local time; heavy Saturday departure peaks.
- TSA PreCheck
- Available
- PreCheck in both the main ticketing complex and Terminal C.
- CLEAR Plus
- Available
Planning bullets
How locals actually plan MCO
At MCO, the correct side of the airport matters.
West-side and east-side security feed different gate ranges, so match your checkpoint side to your gate range first.
If you are parking, shuttling, or checking bags, MCO can feel slower than the raw TSA number suggests.
Early mistakes on the wrong side of the terminal are usually more expensive than picking the second-best line.
Checkpoint access
Which checkpoint reaches your gate?
At MCO, the west-side checkpoint feeds gates 1-59 and the east-side checkpoint feeds gates 70-129, so choose the side that matches your gate range.
Official checkpoint and terminal access sourceOfficial MCO resources
Every authoritative link for MCO
Every resource below is a first-party airport, Massport, Port Authority, or TSA page. Use them when you need the canonical answer for MCO rather than an aggregator interpretation.
TSA program references
National TSA and CLEAR references worth checking
Nearby airports
Straight-line distance to other covered airports
Distances are great-circle miles from MCO coordinates; use them as a regional comparison floor, not a drive estimate. Real drive time varies with traffic and metro layout.
- MIAMiami International Airport · Miami, FL193 mi
- ATLHartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport · Atlanta, GA405 mi
- CLTCharlotte Douglas International Airport · Charlotte, NC469 mi
- IADWashington Dulles International Airport · Dulles, VA760 mi
- DCARonald Reagan Washington National Airport · Arlington, VA760 mi
- BWIBaltimore/Washington International Airport · Baltimore, MD788 mi
Traveler intent
Keep planning MCO on TravelTSA
MCO TSA wait times today
Live checkpoint status, line coverage, and official airport updates for Orlando, FL.
Open guideHow early to get to MCO
Use live waits, bags, and terminal friction to choose a safer airport arrival window.
Open guideWhen to leave for MCO
Turn drive time, terminal access, and security conditions into a practical leave-now decision.
Open guideMCO TSA PreCheck wait times
See how TravelTSA handles published PreCheck coverage, lane availability, and checkpoint context for MCO.
Open guideFrequently asked questions
MCO answers from the facts above
How many terminals does MCO have?
Orlando International Airport operates 3 terminals: Terminal A, Terminal B, and Terminal C (Orlando International's newest terminal).
Does MCO have TSA PreCheck and CLEAR?
TSA PreCheck is available at MCO (precheck in both the main ticketing complex and terminal c.). CLEAR Plus is available.
When is MCO busiest?
Peak departure windows are typically 5:00-9:00 AM and 3:00-7:00 PM local time; heavy Saturday departure peaks. Build extra buffer during those windows and for holiday travel periods.
How often does TravelTSA refresh MCO?
TravelTSA refreshes the source airport wait-time page every 3 minutes and surfaces new checkpoint data as the airport publishes it.