Orlando International (MCO): The Complete Layover Guide

How Orlando International is laid out

Ignore the letters, learn the airsides. A and B are one roof with four satellite gate buildings, and Terminal C is its own airport a mile south.

In the North Terminal, gates live in four airsides reached by automated trams: Airside 1 holds gates 1 to 29, Airside 2 holds 100 to 129, Airside 3 holds 30 to 59, and Airside 4 holds 70 to 99. The west checkpoint feeds Airsides 1 and 3, the east checkpoint feeds Airsides 2 and 4. Southwest, Delta, American, United, Spirit, and Frontier use A and B. Terminal C, opened as JetBlue's Orlando base, handles most international carriers and has its own ticketing, security, and baggage claim.

Transfers and timing

Once through security you can move between the two airsides on your own side without a new screening. Crossing from a west airside to an east one, or connecting to or from Terminal C, means exiting to landside and clearing TSA again. The Terminal Link people mover and a free shuttle bus connect Terminal C 24 hours a day; allow 10 to 30 minutes for the move plus the queue. One more wrinkle: the Gate Link trams serving the A and B airsides entered a 253 million dollar replacement project in December 2025, so expect occasional shuttle bus substitutions through about 2027.

International arrivals all clear immigration and customs on landing, because the US has no sterile transit, then recheck bags and pass security for any onward flight. Everyone transiting the US needs a visa or an approved ESTA where eligible. Verify before travel.

Getting into Orlando

Lynx buses 11 and 51 leave from Level 1 of Terminal A and reach downtown's Lynx Central Station in about 40 minutes for 2 dollars. Rideshares cover the same run in 20 to 30 minutes, fares vary. From Terminal C, Brightline trains head south to West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and Miami in about 3.5 hours, useful for onward travel but not for downtown Orlando. The theme parks sit 20 to 35 minutes west by road and are a realistic 8 hour layover play only with checked through bags and nerves of steel.

Sleeping and the overnight reality

Landside areas of both buildings stay open all night and staff leave sleepers alone, but checkpoints close in the small hours, so airside camping ends with the last departures. There are no sleep pods. The padded benches near the North Terminal food court are the established free spot. The real answer is the Hyatt Regency inside the terminal between A and B, lobby on Level 4, landside, which turns an overnight connection from an endurance event into a normal night. Details and quiet corners are in our MCO sleeping guide.

How I would play it

First move on any MCO connection: work out which checkpoint your departure gate sits behind, then stay on that side. Already airside at the right checkpoint, claim a lounge or a quiet gate and stay put. Need to cross sides or reach Terminal C, make the move immediately and relax afterward, never the other way around. Overnight, take the Hyatt if the rate is sane; an elevator from the food court to your room beats any airport shuttle in America. During the Gate Link tram replacement works, add 15 minutes to every A and B airside plan, because a substitute bus is never as quick as the train it replaces. And if a theme park dash tempts you, be honest about the return security queue before you commit.

MCO layover questions, answered

Can I connect between gates at MCO without going through security again?

Only sometimes. In the A and B building, the west checkpoint feeds Airsides 1 and 3 and the east checkpoint feeds Airsides 2 and 4, and you can move between the two airsides on your own side without a new screening. Crossing between west and east, or any transfer to or from Terminal C, means exiting and clearing TSA again.

How do I get between Terminal C and Terminals A and B at MCO?

Terminal C is a separate building about a mile south. Take the Terminal Link people mover to the Train Station and walk about 1,200 feet through Garage C, or use the free shuttle bus. Both run 24 hours. Allow 10 to 30 minutes landside, plus a fresh security screening on the other end.

Is there a hotel inside Orlando airport?

Yes. The Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport sits inside the North Terminal between A and B, with its lobby on Level 4 above the east security checkpoint. It is landside, so anyone can check in, and it is the easiest fix for an overnight connection at MCO.

Which lounges can I use with Priority Pass at MCO?

Three: The Club MCO in Terminal A at Airside 1, The Club MCO in Terminal B at Airside 4 with a 3 hour stay cap, and the Plaza Premium Lounge in Terminal C near gate C241 with a 2 hour cap. Pick the one behind the checkpoint your departure gate uses, because you cannot lounge hop across sides.

Can I sleep overnight at MCO?

The landside areas of both terminal buildings stay open 24 hours and staff tolerate overnighters, but the security checkpoints close in the small hours, so you wait landside. There are no sleep pods. Padded benches near the food court are the usual free option, the in terminal Hyatt is the comfortable one.

Do international arrivals at MCO need to clear immigration even when connecting?

Yes. The United States has no sterile airside transit, so every arriving international passenger clears immigration and customs, collects bags, and goes through security again, even for an onward connection. Everyone transiting the US needs a visa or an approved ESTA where eligible. Verify before travel.