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Orlando Airport Warns of Heavy Memorial Day Travel Surge

The May 21–26 surge coincides with Walt Disney World’s major summer openings, risking strains on security, baggage, local transport.

Overview

  • Orlando International Airport forecasts nearly 902,000 travelers for the May 21–26 Memorial Day window with about 165,000 passengers expected on Memorial Day itself.
  • Airport officials are urging travelers to follow the 3-2-1 timeline and to use tools such as the Orlando MCO app, flymco.com, MCO Reserve and Queue Meters for real-time parking and TSA wait updates.
  • Social media and local reports already show crowded terminals, longer waits and congestion at rideshare and rental-car areas as the holiday travel rush builds.
  • Estimated departures are about 451,081, roughly 4% below 2025’s record, a shift officials attribute to airline schedule changes even as overall passenger movement remains very large.
  • Travelers should build extra time into itineraries because airport delays can ripple into longer rental-car waits, higher rideshare prices and later park arrivals, and this weekend will act as an early test of how Orlando handles summer demand.