MCO Predicts Record Breaking Passenger Numbers This Festive Season

Orlando International Airport, (MCO), is heading into what could be its busiest festive season ever, and if you're flying out to Walt Disney World or Universal Orlando this Christmas or New Year, it's something you'll want to keep in mind when planning your travel days.

Airport officials are forecasting nearly 3.1 million passengers travelling through MCO during the holiday period, which runs from Friday 19th December to Monday 5th January 2026. That's a 2.6% increase on last year, and it puts extra pressure on an airport that already handles some of the UK's most popular Florida flights. And this year MCO is also managing the Gate Link replacement work which began on 3rd December 2025.

When Will MCO Be At Its Busiest?

MCO have released a forecast for the busiest dates and the number of passengers they expect to pass through the doors. They are expecting a total of around 3,083,063 projected passengers between 19th December 2025 and 5th January 2026.

Here’s the key points:

• The busiest phase is expected to be the post-New Year return (2-5 January) is significantly busier than the pre-Christmas departure phase.

• The peak day for passengers travelling is predicted to be Saturday 3rd January 2026. Projections suggest a total of 196,212 passengers will go through departures and arrivals.

• The quietest day is predicted to be Christmas Day, (25th December 2025). 111,419 passengers are predicted to go through arrivals and departures, which is nearly 43% less traffic than on the peak day.

These dates line up with the end of UK school holidays and are likely popular Disney package return dates. So just brace for potentially longer queues for check-in, security, and car hire if you are travelling this festive season.

Difference between arrivals and departures

Both arrivals and departures at MCO are predicted to be busy during this period, so it doesn’t matter whether you are arriving for your holiday or heading back home. Take a look at the predictions in the graph below.

As you can see the two lines track very closely, meaning MCO will be equally busy in both arrivals and departures simultaneously. There isn't a massive imbalance where one direction is empty while the other is full.

The only anomaly to this rule of thumb is 1st January, (New Year’s Day) where departures (84,466) are noticeably higher than arrivals (79,270). This suggests that more people are leaving their holiday destinations on New Year's Day rather than flying in.

Both arrivals and departures peak simultaneously on 3rd January 2026, so if you are travelling on this day, it’s best to leave plenty of leeway in your plans forgetting in and out of MCO.

Construction Still Ongoing at MCO

Adding another layer of complexity, MCO is currently in the middle of a multi-year Gate Link Replacement project, which is currently affecting areas near Gates 100-129, mainly used by airlines including Southwest and Avelo. This means that fewer UK travellers will be affected at the gates unless catching domestic flights within the US.

While the airport says most passengers should see no more than 15 extra minutes added onto their travel times, overnight travellers or those using ground transport may experience diversions. This includes shuttle buses to replace the Gate Link tram between areas.

If you're picking up a hire car or arranging transfers, officials are also recommend allowing an extra 30 minutes just in case. This would be on top of allowing a bigger margin for higher crowds due to the busy festive period.

Why This Matters for UK Travellers

For many UK families, MCO isn't just another airport it's the final hurdle before and after a Disney holiday. So, whether its excitement or blues at the thought of heading home, a busy airport can be a little overwhelming especially when it is unfamiliar.

Airport officials are strongly advising travellers to:

• Arrive at least three hours before departure

• Be at the gate one hour before boarding

We would add that packing a little something extra to keep kids entertained off the plane is a good idea, whether that’s an activity book to reduce screen time, a game, or an extra show.

Considering using the MCO pre-clear app when landing as this usually does save some time getting through security when you land.

When you are coming home, there are also some things you can do to make security a little easier when it comes to your shopping purchases and hand luggage.

Smart packing tips

With suitcases often packed to the brim after a Disney trip, MCO and TSA have offered some tips to save time and surprises at security:

• Don't wrap gifts before flying as TSA may need to open them

• Stick to the 3-1-1 liquids rule in hand luggage

• Avoid ribbons or tags on checked bags

• Double-check bags for prohibited items, complete list here: What Can I Bring? | Transportation Security Administration

Magic in a Minute

If you're flying to or from Orlando this Christmas or New Year, expect crowds, plan extra time, and use every time-saving tool available as a little preparation can make the journey home much less stressful.