This Southern Airport Is The Absolute Worst For Layovers In The US

While they may be money savers or inevitabilities, layovers are stressful. Sprinting through hallways trying to make it to your gate on time is nerve-wracking and not a great way to start or end a vacation. And anyone who has been to Orlando International Airport (MCO) knows that this is not an airport for the faint of heart. In fact, it's regularly ranked as one of the worst in the country, especially for layovers. 

Thanks in part to its resident vacation hubs, Walt Disney World and Universal Studios Orlando, or even the nonstop flights to the Caribbean, MCO is always busy. It has also at times been the busiest airport in the country. On March 16, 2024, the airport even claimed to have had its busiest day ever with a whopping 102,064 departing passengers. 

Weaving through the crowds of people or navigating the trains to get between terminals is likely a big reason passengers hate connecting at MCO — besides the fact that you often have to go back through security if you change terminals, as one user on Tripadvisor noted: "This place is a complete disaster... Had to take 2 trains to connect from gate 5 to 80. None of which was marked on the train or loading area. The worst part, you have to leave TSA secured area to do this. [Thus] making it necessary to go [through] security just to change planes. Good luck if you have less than [a] 2hr layover."

Visiting Disney World and having to deal with the massive lines at MCO is a big personal reason for having TSA Pre-Check. No matter the time of year, it seems there are always backups and issues at this airport. That said, it didn't come as a surprise that MarketWatch named MCO the worst airport in the country for layovers. That rating is based on the amount of seat availability, cleanliness of public areas, charging station access, and food and beverage staff service. Having had to sit around MCO for delays before, for several hours at a time, we agree that all of those areas could use improvement. 

Delays are another big reason you don't want to have a layover in Orlando if you can help it. According to a study done on the delays reported by the Bureau of Transportation Services by Places to Travel (vis Business Traveler), MCO had the second most delays relative to flights with 2,766 between January 2023 and February 2024. The airport's average delay time was just over 90 minutes. 

That's at least seven delayed flights per day, so hopefully if you're connecting in Orlando it isn't to fly to another layover or a long delay could put a wrinkle in your travel plans. Though if you get really waylaid maybe you can get out of the airport and enjoy some of the timeless things to do in Florida while you wait.  

Outside of the notoriously long security wait times or potential delays, there is another obstacle to a layover at MCO: The huge airport itself. In terms of sheer size, MCO is the third largest airport in the United States. Although it only has 129 gates compared to Chicago O'Hare International Airport's 213 (O'Hare is the 7th largest airport), it is truly a behemoth. It takes up nearly 21 square miles. That's because it was originally the McCoy U.S. Air Force Base until it became a public airport in 1976. 

This enormous airport also sees its fair share of passengers — in 2023, the airport served more than 57.7 million people. For reference, O'Hare had 73.9 million passengers in 2023. Assuming the massive crowds, we highly recommend that you avoid flying on the worst days of the year out of a place like MCO. Needless to say, MCO is crammed with travelers coming and going as well as its over 150 shops and restaurants where folks can bide their time. 

Though, if worse comes to worse and you miss your layover, you can always stay at the Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport, which is inside the main terminal. MCO is an unbelievable transportation hub that can intimidate even the most flexible airport adventurer. Just don't let the eerily lifelike statue of The Traveler catch you by surprise — maybe he missed his layover, too.