Orlando International Airport to welcome nearly 1.9 million travelers this Thanksgiving Travel Season

Six million Americans are expected to fly this Thanksgiving dtravel period with nearly 1.9 million traveling to and from Orlando.

As the airlines resume normal flight operations following the FAA’s Emergency Order, Orlando International Airport may see a slight increase in passenger traffic for the Thanksgiving travel season with nearly 1.9 million travelers.

“Orlando is usually one of the nation’s hottest travel destinations for the holiday season, and Orlando International Airport is ready,” says Lance Lyttle, Chief Executive Officer of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority. “We’ve enhanced our Customer Experience Ambassador program, have parking reservations available, and offer a variety of food and retail concessions for our guests to make their airport experience as enjoyable as possible.”

MCO kicked off the 12-day travel period on Friday, November 21 and runs until Tuesday, December 2. The busiest day is expected to be Sunday, November 30, with more than 177,400 passengers moving through MCO, followed by Saturday, November 29, with 175,855 passengers.

Top 5 Projected Busiest Days:

1:  Sunday, Nov 30 – 177,400 travelers

2:  Saturday, Nov 29 - 175,855 travelers

3:  Monday, Dec 1 - 173,384 travelers

4:  Sunday, Nov 23 - 169,728 travelers

5:  Friday, Nov 21 - 163,553 travelers

For parking, passengers may use the North, South, and West lots. Surface lots Atlantis, Discovery, and Endeavour, across from the Train Station, will also be open.

As we enter the busy holiday travel season, MCO reminds travelers to observe a few simple travel rules:

Remember 3-2-1:

• Be at the ticket counter 3 hours before departure.

• Be at the TSA security checkpoint 2 hours before departure.

• Be at the gate 1 hour before boarding.

Other important travel tips:

• Download the Orlando MCO app for the latest parking information and TSA checkpoint times.

• Take advantage of MCO Reserve to secure a time to go through the checkpoints when available.

• Please use our Travel Plaza and the North and South free cell phone areas while waiting for friends and family members. Do not park on the shoulder of our airport roadways.

• Check with your airline for the latest flight status prior to arriving at the airport

• Double check your carry-on luggage to make sure there are no weapons in your bags

• Pack as lightly as possible.

• Pack your patience

• Make sure your personal identification is updated with Real ID for easier screening and processing at the TSA checkpoint

For more information: https://flymco.com

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