okay so im literally sitting here at mco just trying to chill before my next flight and honestly this airport is a whole thing especially if you have a connection and i wish someone had given me a heads up so im gonna vent a little and share what ive learned because maybe itll save someone else some grief or like a mad dash to their next gate and honestly its all about planning ahead and not just hoping for the best because mco is big and sprawling and those trams between terminals take time and sometimes you feel like youre on a never ending journey just to get to a food court and back.
first off when you land here its always a bit confusing because you get off the plane and you have to take a tram to the main terminal building which feels like forever and then you have to figure out where your next gate is and if its in the same airside or if youre changing terminals entirely which adds even more tram rides and its just a lot of walking and waiting so be prepared for that like seriously wear comfy shoes because its a marathon not a sprint and i literally saw a guy running with two carry-ons looking like he was about to miss his flight and i felt that deep in my soul.
The connection game plan
so for starters you really need to know your gates and terminals as soon as possible and checking the airport app or the screens is super important because gates change all the time and what looked like a quick hop can turn into a nightmare if you dont pay attention and you might even need to switch between the airside terminals which means more trams and more time so dont just assume its a straight shot because its often not and knowing if your flights are both domestic or if youre coming in internationally changes everything for your connection.
Do you have enough time?
this is honestly the most critical question when connecting at mco because those trams really eat into your layover time and if you have less than say an hour and a half for a domestic connection especially if youre switching airlines or terminals you might be cutting it really close and id honestly recomend at least two hours for any connection here just to be safe and give yourself some breathing room and if its an international arrival with a domestic connection you literally need at least three hours like minimum because customs and immigration can be a total crapshoot with wait times and its just not worth the stress of rushing and panicking.
heres the deal with your stuff and if you have to go through security again:
- if your bags are checked all the way through like on the same airline or a partner airline for a domestic connection you usually dont have to touch them which is a huge relief and saves so much time and effort honestly.
- but if its an international arrival and then a domestic connection you are definitely going to have to claim your bags after customs and then recheck them which is super annoying and adds a lot of time to your layover so plan for that like seriously it can be a slow process.
- also if you have separate tickets or like different airlines that dont partner up well you might have to claim and recheck even domestically which is just the worst and you gotta make sure you have enough time for that whole ordeal because baggage claim can be slow.
- if you just came in on an international flight youre absolutely gonna have to go through security again after you clear customs and immigration and recheck your bags so that’s another chunk of time you gotta factor in for sure and those lines can be long.
- for domestic to domestic connections if your boarding pass is all set and your gate is in the same airside terminal you probably wont have to clear security again which is a godsend honestly and saves a ton of time.
- but sometimes even domestic if you have to switch terminals and go landside for any reason like to change airlines or just because youre unlucky you might end up having to go through security again and that queue can be long like really really long so be ready for that possibility.
so basically my advice is to over-prepare and under-expect a smooth quick connection here because its mco and its always busy and just assume there will be delays or long lines and bring snacks and a good book or something to keep you busy because youll probably have some downtime and dont forget to charge your phone because you dont want to be stuck without maps or entertainment and honestly just be patient its the best way to survive a layover anywhere but especially here at orlando international airport.