The Facts About The Orlando Airport

By Chris Linch

The largest airport in Florida is located in Orange County. Known as MCO, the Orlando International Airport sits approximately 6.8 miles from Orlando. Located in the central business district, MCO is also the busiest airport in the state. In the year 2008, the Airports Council International ranked the Orlando International Airport as the 22nd busiest airport in the world. They received this award due to serving 35,622,252 passengers in 2008.

Serving as a hub for AirTran Airways, Orlando International Airport is a focus city of JetBlue Airways and Southwest Airlines. MCO also serves as the corporate headquarters and operations center for AirTran Airways. A total of 97 gates can be accessed through the four main passenger terminals at the Orlando International Airport. Many parking options are available, including topside terminal parking and two terminal parking garages, depending on the length of your airport stay. These parking options are located close to the terminals.

Short-term parking for passenger pick-up is available for free in the Cell Phone Lot. This lot allows for you to park and wait in your car for a phone call from passengers. You may then go to the curbside baggage claim area to pick them up.

For parking further from the terminal than the Terminal Parking Garages, parking is allowed in the Satellite Parking lots. A free shuttle service provided by the airport transports passengers between the satellite lots to the main terminals. Rates for parking in the satellite lots are $4 for the first three hours; after 3 hours, a rate of $10 for every 24-hour period is charged. However, parking in the Satellite lots for less than ten minutes is free. It is prohibited to park in the Satellite lots for more than 120 days.

A rate of $1 per twenty minutes is charged for Terminal Parking; A maximum limit of $17 per day can be assessed for this fee. Parking for 40 minutes or less is free of charge. A total 9,300 Terminal parking spaces is located within easy walking distance of the main terminals. These spaces are all in covered garages. Parking at the Terminal lots is permitted for up to 60 days.

For offsite parking access to the Orlando International Airport, there are many options for privately operated parking sites. These sites can range in price as low as $4.50 a day; this is a great option for those wanting to save a little money. Some may choose offsite parking due to not being able to find parking the airport. Most of these parking sites are located close to the airport and offer free shuttle services to their customers. - 30423

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