What time do I need to be at MCO
 

Hi All, I have a 6 am flight. What time should I get to the terminal? Thanks, Paula

Are you being dropped off? Terminal A or B? Do you have Pre check or clear?

The lines can be long in the early hours with business people going out. I always plan 2 hours
before take off but I have CLEAR. That gives me time to get through CLEAR, take the trams, buy a water etc. There may only be one tram in service at that time. It can be a few minutes longer without CLEAR.

Now, Terminal C is a power walk to your gate! So plan for a Disney - rope drop walk.

Depending on where you live in the Villages, the drive TO the airport can be anywhere from 1-2 hours.

So leaving your house could be 3-4 hours before departure. In St Cats, I give it 3 hours.

Make sure your DL has that little star in the upper right corner.

Are you flying Domestic or International? If the latter, you should be there three hours before your flight.

Traffic on Florida turnpike can be stop at go at times during the day.

How important is the flight? Are you going on a cruise where if you miss the flight, you miss the cruise. Or are you going to visit friends where if you miss the flight, you can get on a later plane with no major problem.

Another question is what time should you leave from the Villages. I always plan for at least 90 minutes travel time from the Villages to MCO. On more than one occasion, I have been stuck in traffic jams for an hour or more on the Turnpike so I would leave home at 2 am. If you get there at 3 am, you are in great shape. If you get there are at 4, you should have time to make your flight. Are you checking luggage? Add at least 30 minutes for that. If you are pressed for time, the agents and TSA will usually move you to the front of the line. So if you get there at 4 and check your luggage, you should be able to make the flight.

My dad always told me that it is better to get to the gate 2 hours ahead of time rather than 2 minutes late.

If I had a 6 am flight from MCO, I would stay the night before at the Hyatt, which is right at MCO. Then I get to sleep for the time it would take to travel from the Villages to the airport. Get up, shower, get dressed, check in and go through security.

We have been stopped on the Turnpike for a hour getting to MCO early in the morning. The endless construction seems to never have a finish and cars won’t stay in their lane causing accident after accident. A few months ago we left The villages at 3:30 AM and barely made our 8:00 AM flight. Stop and go traffic on the Turnpike and very slow getting through security. It appears Turnpike construction could take another five years or so. Yikes!

LOL, many variables but I have walked into MCO in the very early hours and been surprised how busy it can be. You’re looking at a 3am departure from the Villages to account for the variable drive time and security wait times. Below can help but with an hour drive it could change significantly while in route. BTW, I recently saw the bag check line for Southwest nearly out the door so account for that variable to.
Orlando International Airport (MCO)

I always plan on walking through the door into the terminal two hours before flight departure. I have PrePass. Always end up at my gate with plenty of time before boarding begins.

Two hours before your flight, not counting the trip to the airport, the turnpike is always a crap shoot.

We usually get there 2 hours early but 99.9% of the time we get in fast. Curbside check our bags and we have TSA. Airline messed up once and I had to go thru regular lines at TSA. 45 minutes long. Most of the time takes us less than 30 minutes to get to the gate. Anyone traveling out of MCO needs TSA Pre or Clear

Airline desk might not be open 3 hours before a 6 am flight. If going that early I would check on this

even worse most of the road construction takes place when writer is going to the airport

Well, now you guys have all scared me. I was going to leave from a house near 470, but have lost that option. Can't check with Groome until tomorrow as their site is down. Thanks for all the info!

The person who suggested you stay at a hotel airport was spot-on. For any flight that requires me to get up before 5 in the morning, I'd just suck it up and spend the money for a sleep-over on site.

BTW, make sure your registered for your airlines text updates as the last thing you need is to get there and find you will be delayed or cancelled flight.

Recommend getting a hotel room night before your flight. I stayed at the Hyatt in the airport for an 8:20am flight. In the lobby at 5:3am & nearly missed our flight!

Early Flight
 

When we have that early of a flight, we always stay overnight at a close hotel. That takes the unknown traffic situation out of the equation. 2 hours is the usual amount of time I give it from check-in to gate.

Please check in at the airport when it tells you to on your ticket information. You ARE NOT guaranteed to get on your flight unless you are at the airport at the recommended time. For domestic it is usually 2 hours ahead, international is usually 3 hours ahead.

Most airlines overbook, this is how people get bumped. Also, airlines and airports have the right to take off early of they have the time to do so.

I used to be a flight attendant and I can't tell you how many people are bumped from their flights because they arrive later than they were advised.

Forget GROOME. Go with VIP transportation and pay the difference. Well worth it!!!

Hyatt
 

We did this once for an early flight. There was a fatal accident on the access road in the night and the road was closed for hours. The peace of mind was well worth the price.

These issues is why I spent the extra half hour driving to TPA instead of MCO. TPA is always quiet and quick.

4am

The earliest Groome trip gets you to MCO around 4:00AM. This is a bit close with not much room for error. If you absolutely have to be on that flight, I would consider other options. I typically leave for MCO 4 hours before my flight so I will normally get there 3 hours before my flight.

Agree, we have TSA and 2 hours is plenty of time. The last couple times flying I have noticed the special lines for people with Clear. What is Clear and how does it differ from TSA? Our TSA is up for renewal shortly and I’d like to make an informed decision as to which option best fits our needs?

I have wondered about that. If you check in on-line, the airlines won't know you are actually at the airport until you board, unless TSA shares information with the airlines as to who has cleared security, which I don't believe they do. If you check baggage then that is a different story.

From TV to MCO hour and half. Possible traffic jams. There are different routes. You can get off and on. I’m from Orlando. Map routes . Always get there two hours before my flight time.

I stay at the Hyatt at the airport for 6am or earlier flights. Yeah, it costs a few bucks but well worth the peace of mind. You relax much better when you KNOW that you won't have any problems getting to your flight on time.
Being stopped for hours on the turnpike can be brutal. Been there - done that. Be good to yourself .... stay at the Hyatt.

If you ever leave the country, sign up for Global Entry as it included TSA Pre-Check.

I wouldn’t book a flight that early, any $$$ saved on the early flight would more than get eaten up paying for the hotel.

I hate that drive to TPA. Miserable traffic and slowdowns.. stoppage if accident.

I would not stay at a hotel for an early flight. I take Groome, they pick me up at my house. If Groome advises a time for the pickup, I always pick an hour earlier than that.

It's nice to have options. The last time I booked a flight from Connecticut to Puerto Rico, there were lots of options, but only a few of them had short flight times with few stopovers. We took a 5AM flight, that got us to PR late that morning, in time to check in at our hotel, take a nap, be refreshed for dinner, and enjoy sunset from the pool. We stayed over at the hotel the night before.

Many of the options involved 2-4-hour stopovers at other airports, and connecting flights, starting at mid-morning and not getting to the hotel until well after midnight.

Thanks, but no thanks. The time your flight leaves is only one aspect of a trip. The overall travel time and how many times you have to rush to another terminal to get a connecting flight has a LOT to do with what you're willing to put up with. For me, an overnight at the airport hotel for an early departure is vastly superior to getting there in mid-morning, and spending the next 15 hours on a plane or at airports in multiple states, for what amounts to a 4-hour flight.

Hampton Gateway Inn
 

When we have early flights we often stay at the Hampton Gateway Inn just north of the airport. They have free shuttle service to the airport in the morning and if you use their Stay Park and Go package, you can leave your car at the hotel while you're gone. Just hop on their shuttle when you return and they'll take you back to the hotel to pick up your car. There are some limitations on the Stay Park and Go package (# of days etc), and the rate is higher than a standard room, but not exorbitant.

Several of the hotels will let you park your car there and shuttle you to and from for a slight upcharge. You can google "park and fly" to see the options.

Baggage to check?
 

I fly a lot in and out of MCO. For a 6am flight I plan to leave at 3. I do not ever check a bag. That takes sometimes an additional hour. I usually get there, walk through security ( I have TSA pre check) and get breakfast. Planes board 45-60 mins before the flight departs.