It’s spring break season in Florida, and that means it is a POPULAR time to travel. There’s one airport in particular that seems to be especially crowded this time of year, and that’s the Orlando Airport. Whether you’re planning a trip to Disney World, stopping by Orlando Airport to catch a ride on the Brightline train to Miami, or flying home after a little vacation, you need to be prepared.
Orlando International Airport
We’ve seen the airport struggle with MAJOR delays and cancelations recently, mostly from Southwest Airlines, and it appears that the troubles are far from over.
According to the Orlando Sentinel, Orlando Airport was prepared to see about 198,000 spring break travelers in mid-March. As it turns out, their expectations were SHATTERED! On March 16th, the airport saw over 200,000 passengers in a single day for the first time ever. New estimations predict the airport will see about 202,000 visitors on March 23rd.
Disney Store in MCO Airport
Not only was March 16th the busiest day in the airport’s history, but the volume of people traveling through TSA beat out Los Angeles, New York, and Atlanta. If you’re traveling during this time, the airport recommends arriving three hours early for your flight; be ready to be patient.
Spirit Airlines at Orlando Airport
Additionally, if you’re flying in or out of the airport the weekend of March 23rd, you may want to anticipate delays. As of 1PM EST on March 23rd, Orlando International Airport reported 307 delays, 101 of which were Southwest Airlines flights, per FlightAware. 13 flights have also been canceled at the airport so far.
©FlightAware
The most important thing to remember if you’re traveling during this time is to BE PATIENT! We know traveling is incredibly stressful, but get to the airport early, have everything ready before you go through security, and be ready to just wait at your gate for a little while. It’s better to be way early than to be way late!
©Orlando International Airport
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