ORLANDO, Fla. – The 2024 spring break travel season has not yet concluded and Orlando International Airport is already seeing record numbers when it comes to travelers.
According to MCO, the airport had its busiest day ever on Saturday, March 16, with a record 102,064 departing passengers. With arrivals added in, the total was 204,128 passengers — the most the airport has ever seen in a single day. The previous MCO daily passenger record was set on Dec. 30, 2023, with 98,521 going through security at Florida’s busiest airport.
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The 2024 spring break travel period was projected to post an 11% increase in passengers over the previous year. That number was surpassed on Friday, March 15, a day before the new record was set.
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During busy travel times, MCO officials urge passengers to use the 3-2-1 rule: Arrive at the ticket counter at least three hours in advance, head to TSA two hours before departure, and be at your gate at least one hour before boarding.
Earlier this year, MCO introduced a new parking system to help alleviate the stress for passengers needing to park at the airport. The Reserve Parking initiative, currently available in Garage C on Level 4, allows passengers to log in via Reserved Parking at MCO or the MCO mobile app, input vehicle details, make a payment, and receive a QR code for swift access.
Below is a table of MCO’s growth over the past decade.
| Year | Total Traffic |
|---|---|
| 2013 | 34,768,415 |
| 2014 | 35,714,092 |
| 2015 | 38,809,337 |
| 2016 | 41,923,399 |
| 2017 | 44,611,265 |
| 2018 | 47,696,627 |
| 2019 | 47,696,627 |
| 2020 | 21,617,803 |
| 2021 | 40,351,068 |
| 2022 | 50,176,313 |
| 2023 | 57,735,726 |
Our airport recorded the busiest day in history on March 16th with over 200,000 travelers passing through!🙌 A big thank you to our airport employees & partners for smooth operations & to our travelers for choosing us to be part of their journeys.
— Orlando International Airport (@MCO) March 22, 2024
Details: https://t.co/rwfAcTSZeB pic.twitter.com/X4xjfd3yIe
It's #FridayFriday! Here's a friendly reminder to follow the 3-2-1 Travel Rule for a smooth experience!
— Orlando International Airport (@MCO) March 22, 2024
3⃣ Be at the ticket counter at least 3 hours before your flight
2⃣ Be at security 2 hours prior to departure time
1⃣ Be at the gate 1 hour prior to departure time
More tips:⤵️ pic.twitter.com/gKFr2DvJML
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