Get Ready for a Whole New Arrival at Orlando International Airport!

Orlando International Airport has long been the primary gateway to all Central Florida’s myriad attractions for the majority of our British visitors.

Its singular style, characteristics and quirks are well known to the many millions who pass through it every year, and there is something wonderfully reassuring about landing at MCO – to use its international airport code – and immediately hearing the traditional “Welcome” message from the Mayor on the automated tram to the main terminal.

But, from September 20, that arrival process (and, of course, the departure one in turn) will be extremely different.

That is the date when MCO opens its brand new, state-of-the-art, $2.8billion Terminal C, with British Airways, Aer Lingus and Lufthansa among the first airlines to use it.

What is Orlando International Airport's Terminal C?

Orlando’s current main terminal is split into A and B sides, with 2 satellite gates on each side to the various arrival/departure gates, linked by an automated tram. It was last expanded in 2000, but the basic design is fully 40 years old, and it has its drawbacks.

There are plenty of amenities, especially shops and restaurants, but the baggage system for international arrivals is decidedly cumbersome, and starting to creak at the seams with the steady increase in traffic (from 30.8 million in 2000 to 50.6 million in 2019).

However, some 20 years ago the airport drew up plans for a grand $4.2b expansion scheme to the south, including a station for the Brightline high-speed rail link to Miami, and gates to cater to an extra 15 million passengers a year at full capacity.

The station was complete in 2017 and will see its first train services in early 2023, but the new Terminal C is now ready, offering 12 new gates, with the ability to expand to 30.

To date, 11 airlines (see list below) have signed up for it – but not, notably, Virgin Atlantic or codeshare partner Delta – and it will make for a really dazzling airport experience, with a level of spaciousness and technology that make it absolutely state-of-the-art.

How Does Orlando’s New Terminal C Work?

Just to start with, the new arrivals process will be the reverse of the current situation at Terminal B. Instead of being directed into the bowels of the terminal, new arrivals will be in the bright, airy confines of Level 6 (the top level), underneath a huge skylight roof.

And, unlike B, the first thing international flight passengers will do is collect their baggage from an automated conveyor system. This system is largely hidden from view but includes the latest RFID technology to be able to trace every single bag at any time. Even better, it should deliver luggage much quicker than the existing terminals.

Once new arrivals have bags in hand, it will be time for Customs & Immigration, with new technology here, too, albeit there will still be the time-honoured use of passports and customs forms.

Visitors will then pass through into the domestic baggage hall on Level 6, with the option to be picked up by friends or family at the kerb outside (like Level 2 at Terminals A and B). Temporary car hire desks are on Level 4, with all the ground transportation located on Level 1.

Not all hire car companies and other transport options will be located at C to start with, hence some people will need to take the automated tram system on Level 4 back to either A or B, especially if you plan to use the Visitor Toll Pass system with your hire car, which will still be located only on Level 1 of Terminal A.

How Will it Work on the way out via MCO Terminal C?

Using the new terminal on the way home should be an absolute breeze, as the vast acres of the check-in section on Level 2 and the even larger security checkpoints are all geared towards processing passengers as quickly as possible.

The high-tech nature of the screening procedure aims to process up to 250 people per hour, as opposed to the 150/hour at A and B. Each station also has space for six people at a time to be loading their carry-on items into the screening bins, instead of just one at a time.

Once through security, passengers reach the glittering area that is the Palm Court, with most of the shops (eight of them, including Disney, Universal, SeaWorld and Duty Free) and 12 food and beverage outlets, notably Wine Bar George (from Disney Springs), Shake Shack and PGA Tour Grill.

There are another eight outlets spread through the departure gates area, with tempting options from the likes of Orange County Brewers, Orlando Brewing and Art Smith’s Sunshine Diner.

The Palm Court also boasts the most overtly high-tech element in the airport, a series of wraparound digital screens, 32ft high, that provide a mind-boggling sequence of videos. Called the Moment Vault, it offers an oasis of chilled out calm, as well as stunning 3-D visuals that include underwater views of manatees and the surface of Mars.

There is more high-tech involved at the departure gates themselves, with the extensive use of facial recognition technology to speed up the embarkation process.

Finally, the array of signage means you should always be able to find your way around. There are some 1,000 high-def informational displays throughout the terminal so you can always work out where you are, and where you need to be!

Which Airlines are Using Terminal C?

Not all British and European flights will use the new facility, at least to start with, so it’s important to know in advance which terminal you need on departure. The full list of airlines that will be based at C are:

Aer Lingus Azul (Brazil) British Airways Caribbean Emirates GOL (Brazil) Icelandair JetBlue Lufthansa Breeze Norse

For more details on Terminal C, visit OrlandoAirport.com.

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