Orlando International Airport Braces For a Record Number of Holiday Travelers
Orlando International Airport is buzzing with holiday cheer this year, as millions of travelers are expected to pass through there in the coming weeks.
The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, which oversees all of Orlando’s airports, expects nearly 3.9 million passengers during the 23 days that make up the Christmas/New Year’s travel period.
That number would be 3.43 million more travelers than the same period last year, a 13.5% increase.
Because both Christmas and New Year’s Day fall on Mondays this year, the travel period started on December 16 and runs through January 7.
What Day to Avoid
If you are planning on taking a trip in or out of Orlando, you may want to try and avoid December 30.
Orlando International Airport expects to welcome 187,069 passengers on that day, making for the busiest travel day of the season.
“The holiday season is a joyous time of year, and our staff is focused on providing passengers with a frictionless journey,” said Kevin J. Thibault, CEO of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority.
“We ask that passengers help the process by following our 3-2-1 guidelines upon arrival at the airport and by practicing patience throughout their travels. With this, we are confident our systems will meet the record demand at Orlando International.”
The “3-2-1” guidelines ask passengers to arrive at the airport ticket counter three hours before their flight, head through security two hours before, and reach the boarding gate an hour before departure.
Other Busy Dates
Outside of December 30th, the next four busiest travel days will be:
- Saturday, December 23- 186,768 passengers
- Sunday, January 7- 182,393 passengers
- Tuesday, January 2- 180,073 passengers
- Saturday, January 6- 179,782 passengers.
Overall, it has been a busy year for Orlando International Airport. In the 12-month rolling period ending in October 2023, the airport welcomed more than 56.4 million passengers. Of that total, 49.7 million were flying domestically, while 6.8 million were international. Overall, the airport saw an increase of 14.5% in overall travelers.
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