The average security line time at Orlando International Airport (MCO) is 30-45 minutes (or longer) during peak hours, holidays, and periods of disruption, and 10-20 minutes during off-peak hours. MCO recommends arriving at the security checkpoint 2 hours before domestic flights and 3 hours before international flights.
Theme parks in central Florida and the year-round tourist trade are responsible for much of Orlando International Airport’s heavy traffic. The volume can vary significantly from day to day, terminal to terminal, and even hour to hour, making security lines very volatile. If you are flying out of MCO anytime soon, here’s a fact-based breakdown of what to expect, the organization of the checkpoints, and tools to make the wait a little less terrible.
Why MCO Security Lines Vary So Much
MCO is not just one security gate, but multiple security gates, distributed by different terminal and gate ranges with their own traffic flows. Terminal A and B share a West checkpoint for gates 1-59, an East checkpoint for gates 70-129, and Terminal C has its own Level 2 checkpoint for gates 230-245. This will depend on the airline you are flying with, so you should check your terminal before planning your arrival time.
Passengers generally go through the security checkpoint on the A side of the terminal, while those flying with Southwest, Frontier, and Delta generally go through the one on the E side of the terminal. JetBlue, British Airways, Emirates and other international airlines are served at Terminal C. As flights come from different combinations of planes and destinations, wait times for flights at one checkpoint can be very different from those at another on the same Saturday. On a busy March weekend, real-time coverage from one of the airport’s checkpoints was read in the mid-30-minute zone, while another checkpoint, just a short walk away, was in the under-10-minute zone at the same moment.
Typical Wait Times by Time of Day
According to several sources tracking the airports, MCO is on a consistent trend:
- Early morning (5–7 a.m.) and late evening (8 p.m. and later): roughly 10–15 minutes
- Mid-morning and early afternoon (off-peak): about 10-20 minutes.
- Peak windows (5–9 a.m. and 3–7 p.m.): roughly 20–45 minutes, sometimes longer
Waits can be much longer than 45 minutes at certain checkpoints during certain holidays, spring break, and major event weekends.
Orlando’s wait times generally range from 10 to 20 minutes, exceeding 30 minutes or more during peak hours or holidays. However, there are times when there are spikes. Wait times became more erratic, however, during one particularly busy travel weekend, when at one checkpoint early on Monday morning, TSA had to wait up to 55 minutes before the projected wait fell back to about 30 minutes by 7 a.m. during periods of lower staffing levels, including one that saw officers working without pay during a previous federal shutdown. One midday shot revealed one checkpoint at 37–41 minutes, whereas a second gate range at that airport was just 13–16 minutes.
How Construction Is Affecting Wait Times
MCO is undergoing a significant infrastructure upgrade, which may cause delays. The $253 million Gate Link Replacement Project is now underway, which will impact Airside 2, gates 100-129, with Southwest and Avelo passengers choosing to allow additional time, as only one tram will be in service rather than the usual two. Phase 2 (Airside 4: gates 70–99) will operate from December 2026 to October 2027. If you are flying from these gate ranges, set aside additional time buffers for the automated people moving system, beyond the checkpoint.
Also note that if you are going from Terminal C to the North Terminal, you are going to have to pass through security again, and this will take a minimum of 60-75 minutes – something that many connecting passengers aren’t aware of.
Three Ways to Cut Your Wait Time
1. TSA PreCheck
MCO has established TSA PreCheck lanes at all three terminals, typically available from approximately 4 a.m. until approximately 8:30 p.m., depending on the TSA checkpoint and demand. PreCheck lanes are usually 5-10 minutes regardless of the time of day, and during peak hours, could save 20-30 minutes compared to standard lanes. The enrollment center is located on the second level of Terminal B, and an in-person appointment, ID check, and fee are required for enrollment (the fee covers five years’ membership).
2. CLEAR
The CLEAR lanes are provided at Terminal A/B East and West checkpoints and Terminal C; CLEAR will verify your identity biometrically and get you directly to the front of the screening line, where you will still undergo the normal TSA screening process (or the PreCheck lane if you are also enrolled in PreCheck). It’s a paid membership, but frequent flyers who use MCO regularly may find it redeems itself in the time they save alone.
3. MCO Reserve (Free)
MCO provides an alternative to PreCheck and CLEAR – it’s free! MCO Reserve allows travelers to reserve a specific time of day for airport security, and each of the three terminals, A, B, and C, have their own MCO Reserve lanes with a limited number of slots per day. You have the option of booking your slot up to seven days ahead of time; on the day of travel, simply use the MCO Reserve QR code at the slot and go directly to TSA to have your boarding pass and ID scanned before going through the rest of the screening process.
How to Check Wait Times Before You Leave
Travelers will be able to find MCO wait times on the MyTSA app, on flymco.com/security, or on third-party tracking sites. The official MCO app also adds step-by-step terminal navigation, which displays both the security time and walking time to your gate. MCO’s checkpoints are independent of each other, so the wait time for your particular gate range is more important than a blanket “MCO average”, as one good checkpoint does not mean the others are.
Conclusion
The security wait time at MCO Airport is not a fixed time, but it is a moving average that depends on the terminal, gate range, time of day, season, and even the number of TSA staff members. The baseline is 10-20 minutes off-peak and 30-45 minutes (or longer) during peak hours, on holidays, on high-volume weekends, and at times during unusual disruptions. Fortunately, MCO has provided travelers with actual tools to deal with that uncertainty: register for TSA PreCheck or CLEAR (if you fly frequently); reserve an MCO slot (free); and check the current wait times for your specific checkpoint before you go to the airport.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are varying wait times at every checkpoint and at different times during the day. It takes about 10-20 minutes during non-rush hour times (usually out of school hours) and 30-45 minutes during peak travel times (early morning and late afternoon, holidays). The best way to get the most accurate number is to check flymco.com/security or the MyTSA app before you leave, as the checkpoints are monitored separately by gate range at MCO.
Arrive 2 to 3 hours before domestic/2 to 3 hours before international flight. At peak holiday periods, or on particularly busy weekends, the airport has recommended that you arrive at the airport 3 hours earlier; 2 hours of which is specifically for security.
MCO Reserve is a complimentary service that enables you to reserve a dedicated time slot to be screened for TSA on the day of travel at Terminals A, B or C without joining the regular queue. Make sure you try to reserve your slot as soon as possible, particularly during holidays.
Yes. TSA PreCheck lanes are in each terminal and are open to travelers, usually for passengers arriving at 4 a.m. and leaving at 8:30 p.m., which usually reduces TSA lines to 5-10 minutes. CLEAR lanes are provided at Terminal A/B East and West checkpoints and in Terminal C, where instead of passing through the standard lane, members can use biometric verification to check in.
This will depend on the airline and gate. The West checkpoint (Terminal A side) is connected to gates 1-59 through Airsides 1 & 2, the East checkpoint (Terminal B side) is connected to gates 70-129 through Airsides 3 & 4, and Terminal C has its own dedicated Level 2 checkpoint for gates 230-245. Check your boarding pass or airline app for confirmation of your terminal; wait times may vary between checkpoints at the same time.