Why flights get delayed at MCO
Daily summer thunderstorms
Central Florida gets storms most summer afternoons. Lightning near the airport stops ramp work, so aircraft cannot be loaded or pushed back.
Florida airspace congestion
Traffic into and out of Florida is funnelled through limited routes, and the FAA regularly meters it at busy times.
Hurricane season
From June through November, tropical systems can shut the airport for a day or more and take several days to recover from.
Flying through MCO soon? How to prepare
- Time it well.
- Know your airline's commitments. Check what your airline has promised for delays and cancellations in our airline policy guides, or see how to check it yourself.
- Line up a backup. Note the next couple of flights on your route and the alternate airports below before you leave home.
- Connecting here? Keep both flights on one ticket and choose a layover with room to spare above the minimum connection time.
The full list is in our pre-trip checklist.
Airlines most affected
Orlando is a hub or major base for Southwest Airlines, Frontier Airlines and JetBlue. When the airport slows down, these airlines have the most flights to re-plan, but they also have the most later departures to rebook you onto. What you are offered during a delay depends on the carrier.
Check the live status
- The FAA shows current ground stops and delay programs for MCO at nasstatus.faa.gov.
- Departure boards, terminal and security information are on the official Orlando website.
If your flight is delayed or cancelled at MCO
- Find the real cause. Ask the gate agent, then compare it with the FAA status above. The cause decides what the airline owes you: see is it really a weather delay?
- Know your refund right. If the flight is cancelled, or delayed three hours or more (six for international), you can decline to travel and get your money back.
- Line up alternatives first. Look at later flights, other airlines and the alternate airports below before you reach the desk.
- Ask for what the airline has committed to. For delays within its control, that usually means a meal after three hours and a hotel overnight. Here is what to say.
The full walkthrough is in what to do when your flight is delayed.
Alternate airports near MCO
If flights out of Orlando are sold out or cancelled, these airports are within a realistic drive. Distances are approximate road miles. See how to switch airports without losing your booking.
| Airport | Code | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Orlando Sanford | SFB | about 30 miles |
| Melbourne Orlando | MLB | about 70 miles |
| Tampa | TPA | about 85 miles |