Our Review of Orlando Airport

Table of contents: Our Review of Orlando Airport Pros and Cons of Orlando Airport Mini-Guide of the Airport (2' Guide) How we calculate On Time Performance Some Stats

Our Review of Orlando Airport

At Plan Your Trips, we have analyzed hundreds of airports around the world, gaining a clear understanding of what users expect when visiting an airport. With this know-how, we have created this guide, placing passengers at the forefront of everything, aiming to simplify and enhance the airport experience.

In this guide, our goal is to present information in a manner that is both quick and reliable. Recognizing that passengers often have limited time and may be in a hurry, we strive to ensure that they do not waste time unnecessarily.

Another key focus of our guide is to highlight the strengths of the airport and also the weaknesses, and in some cases, offer recommendations to travelers. In alignment with this approach, we provide users with aggregated information on delays and on-time performance, analyzing both airlines and individual flights.

Other Reviews

Here’s a summary based on Skytrax ratings and real traveler feedback (including Google reviews and passenger-submitted reviews on Skytrax/AirlineQuality):

Sources of Review Information

To assess traveler opinions about Orlando International Airport (MCO), this summary draws from two main sources:

Skytrax / AirlineQuality passenger reviews — a collection of real user reviews and experiences submitted by travelers over time.
Skytrax official airport rating system — an independent industry rating that evaluates facilities, services, staff, comfort, and more.
Aggregated traveler data and general Google review trends — reporting from travel industry sources on overall traveler satisfaction across major U.S. airports.

Summary of Traveler Reviews

What Travelers Often Praise

Efficient Layout & Facilities
Many travellers appreciate MCO’s general organisation, clear signage, and overall cleanliness — especially in newer areas like Terminal C, which receives above-average comments for comfort and design.

Wide Range of Amenities
Passengers frequently highlight the selection of shops, restaurants, and services (including a hotel inside the terminal), making long layovers or waits more comfortable.

Transport Options & Connectivity
Reviewers often remark positively on the accessibility of ground transport, including shuttles, taxis, and automated people movers linking terminals.

Common Criticisms From Reviews

Security and Crowds
One of the most consistent complaints involves long security queues during peak travel periods. Some passengers describe waits and bottlenecks, especially at busy times.

Mixed Service Experiences
Staff interactions receive mixed reviews. Some travelers report helpful airport personnel, while others have described slow responses or less friendly interactions in terminal areas.

Restroom & Terminal Condition in Older Sections
Skytrax reviews indicate that restrooms and older parts of Terminals A and B have been cited as outdated or small by certain travellers, particularly compared with the more modern Terminal C.

Industry Rating (Skytrax)

According to the Skytrax airport rating system, Orlando International Airport holds an overall 3-Star rating. This assesses a range of factors including facilities, cleanliness, service, shopping and food & beverages.

The rating suggests that MCO offers a generally good travel experience that is above average but not in the top tier compared to the world’s highest-ranked airports.

Traveler Review Trends (Google/Aggregated Data)

Based on broader traveler review trends compiled by third-party indexes (relying in part on Google review aggregation), MCO often receives strong overall ratings, with a high proportion of 5-star reviews and a solid average score among U.S. airports — particularly for amenities and the overall traveler environment.

3.5 out of 5 stars

Rationale:

Strengths:

Efficient terminal layout, especially newer areas
Good range of shops, dining, lounges, and services
Decent transport connections and clear signage

Areas for Improvement:

Security wait times and crowd management during peak hours
Some inconsistent service experiences reported by travelers
Older terminal areas showing signs of wear and lower satisfaction

Overall, Orlando International Airport is considered a reliable and well-equipped airport for both domestic and international travel. Its modern spaces and amenities score well, but variability in passenger service and peak-time congestion prevent it from ranking higher.

Pros and Cons of Orlando Airport

PROS

Location: Orlando Airport is the biggest and busiest airport in the state of Florida, United States, and is located 6 miles (10 kilometers) southeast of Orlando, making it conveniently accessible for passengers to and from the city. It’s well located for people visiting Central Florida.

Airline Hub & Focus City: Orlando Airport is a hub for Silver Airways and a focus city for Avelo Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines and JetBlue Airways.

Modern Facilities: The airport’s amenities are modern and well-maintained, with a choice of food stalls, shopping stores, and lounges. It provides excellent amenities for both domestic and international tourists.

Transportation Options: MCO provides a variety of transportation alternatives, including rentals, taxis, shuttles, and ride-sharing services. The recent opening of the Brightline rail service enhances access to other sections of Florida.

Family-Friendly amenities: The airport is well-equipped for families, with features like as play areas and family toilets to make traveling with children simpler.

CONS

Crowding During Peak Times: During peak travel seasons, the airport can get quite busy, resulting in higher wait times at security and check-in desks.

Construction and Renovations: Ongoing work and renovations may disrupt passenger flow and provide temporary difficulties, such as diversions or restricted access to specific locations.

Distance Between Gates: Depending on your gate assignment, the distance between terminals and other gates may be large, necessitating additional time to navigate within the airport.

Security Checkpoints: During busy travel periods, security lines can become lengthy and slow-moving, causing delays.

Baggage Claim Delays: There have been occasional instances of baggage claim delays, particularly during peak travel seasons, which can result in lengthier wait times for bags.

Mini-Guide of the Airport (2' Guide)

There are three terminals: Orlando Airport now has three terminals: Terminal A, Terminal B, and Terminal C (the South Terminal Complex). It consists of a Main Terminal called the North Terminal Complex split into two terminals, Terminal A and Terminal B. Since September 2022, there is also the South Terminal Complex, formed by Terminal C. Be aware of which terminal your flight departs from.

Transport to and from Orlando: MCO has several transportation alternatives, including rental vehicles, taxis, ride-sharing services, shuttles, and public buses. Brightline trains link to various sections of Florida.

Check-in Areas: Check-in counters are located in the main terminal buildings.

Terminal A & B: Check-in level of terminal A & B are located at third level of the respective terminals.
Terminal C: Check-in area of terminal C is located in level 2.

Amenities and Facilities: MCO has a variety of food points, shopping locations, and lounges. Terminal A has a variety of eateries and businesses in both the pre- and post-security sections. Terminal B has comparable amenities. Terminal C, the new South Terminal, has modern amenities for dining, shopping, and it has new lounges.

Family-Friendly Features: MCO is meant to be family-friendly, with family restrooms, play spaces, and nursing rooms available in all terminals.

Lounges: Several lounges are located throughout the airport. These lounges provide comfy seats, beverages, and a calm atmosphere while you wait for your aircraft.

Navigating tips in Airport: The airport’s layout is wide, with excellent signs to help you navigate. However, to avoid confusion, use the airport’s interactive maps and information displays for help.

How we calculate On Time Performance

On various pages of our website, you will encounter a metric widely utilized in aviation and other forms of transportation known as OTP (On Time Performance). We believe that providing this metric assists passengers in planning their trips and exploring alternatives before purchasing their flight tickets.

We calculate the On Time Performance for all flights and airlines, when we have enough data to do so. In certain instances, it may not be feasible to accurately compute the On-Time Performance for a specific flight or airline due to inadequate or non-representative data, which could result in misleading conclusions.

Our calculation of On Time Performance and delay information solely relies on arrival times. This approach is chosen over calculating departure delays, as we consider arrival punctuality to be of primary concern to passengers.

The On Time Performance displayed on our website is calculated as follows:

On Time: Flights that arrive within 15 minutes of their scheduled arrival time, or earlier. In the absence of data for a specific flight, we assume the flight arrives on time, to avoid penalizing airlines for data unavailability.
Moderate Delay: Flights that arrive with a delay of 15 to 30 minutes.
Significant Delay: Flights that arrive with a delay of 30 to 60 minutes.
Major Delay: Flights that arrive with a delay exceeding 60 minutes.
Average Delay: The average delay is calculated by considering flights that arrive early as having a delay of 0 minutes. Early arrivals do not contribute to reducing the average delay calculation