ALERT! Orlando Airport Expects to BREAK RECORDS This Weekend. Here's What You Need to Know.

It’s vacation season, baby!!!

We’re ready to have some fun in the sun and experience the House of Mouse the best ways we know how. But, apparently — so is everyone else. Spring Break is here and as the weather heats up, folks are looking to get away. And, if you’re passing through the Orlando Airport soon, we’ve got a word of warning for you!

Orlando Airport (MCO) recently saw its busiest day of the year — but the worst isn’t over just yet. Easter Weekend, March 30th and 31st, is expected to also bring drastic crowds and travelers to MCO. It’s still spring break season, and hundreds of thousands of passengers will be passing through the airport — if you’re one of them, here’s what you need to know.

MCO is expecting a record 11% increase in passengers over the previous record set last year — so the airport is reminding people to follow the 3-2-1 rule. Arrive at the ticket counter at least 3 hours in advance, head to TSA at least 2 hours before your flight, and make sure you’re at your gate at least 1 hour prior to boarding.

So, just how many people does MCO anticipate passing through its doors this weekend? Let’s take a look:

Saturday, March 30th: 197,401
Sunday, March 31st: 189,946

It looks like Easter Sunday will have slightly fewer travelers than Sunday, but not by much. Saturday is also expected to be the second-busiest travel date at MCO for the entire year based on 2023 data.

If you’re traveling this weekend, we suggest packing your patience. TSA PreCheck and Clear+ can be great ways to skip a majority of the security line, but MCO also offers a free program called MCO Reserve that allows you to schedule a time to go through security, bypassing the regular line.

You can access MCO Reserve from 5:00AM to 5:00PM, and your flight is eligible if it’s between 6:30AM to 8:30PM. It’s important to note that MCO Reserve is not available for Clear+ or TSA PreCheck passengers.

If you’re looking for a travel agent to help with your vacation, we recommend our friends at Mouse Fan Travel. They’re experts in the field with over 20 years of vacation planning experience, and they can help take a bunch of the stress out of the entire booking process for you!

Don’t forget to stay tuned to AllEars for the latest travel tips, tricks, and news!