How to Navigate from the Terminals to the Boarding Gate at Orlando International Airport (MCO)

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If you've ever been to Orlando before, you've potentially flown out of or through Orlando International Airport. Once you get inside the airport doors, navigating its long hallways and corridors makes things confusing. This article can explain how to navigate this airport, so things seem less tricky and get you to your gate without any major disasters occurring.

Arrive at the entrance to the terminals. Pick up your tickets from the ticketing agents if you don't have them just yet, or if your smartphone isn't able to provide them to you, or if you don't have access to these tickets. You'll need them to pass through the TSA lines later on.

Walk down the hallway until you see a turn-in that has a humongous and airy (tall) roomed area. You'll be on the third level of the airport. This area will have several display monitors that tell you your gate assignment for your flight if the flight's information has changed since your tickets were printed or if some other factor changed the flight pattern or flight gate.

Follow through this open and airy area until you notice the TSA lines. The TSA lines tend to be very long here, but if you have all your stuff handy and out, so you don't have to reach in, you can get through. Listen to the TSA agents as you walk through the aisles. These aisles will get you to the checked baggage lanes.

Although belts don't tend to trigger problems, be sure your belt comes off.
Place any loose items into a plastic square bin that is found off the edge of the rolling racks before the item's X-ray machines.

These newest scanners began the 100% screening installed, and 2007 following a firearms and marijuana smuggling case discovered at this airport. [1] X Research source Airport Business magazine, February/March 2015, pg 32(article on Closing an Airport Security Gap).

Continue walking on the path. Look at the large numbered signs above your head that lead you to the monorail/shuttle-to-gates. Once you start to see several square-tube-like items with a circular plastic piece (that may or may not have a fluorescent light that designates these transportation devices), make sure that the alleyway sends you to the gate containing your flight.

Be sure to check the gate boards right outside the monorail to ensure you travel to the gate area containing your specific gate.

Don't go too far down the alleyway if you'd like to ride going forward and be able to sit. The best place to sit (and rarely crowded) is the seat at the monorail's very back. The other monorail cars will tend to be crowded and almost always will have no seats going in the forward direction or no seats whatsoever.
Exit from the monorail car through the doors that open once the monorail stops. The doors that open should be the opposite-sided ones than those you entered through the last time.

Walk past the end of the monorail/shuttle and down the ramp that leads you to the airport gates. Find your gate and sit down.

Look up at the TV displays at the gate to ensure that your plane (flight number) is still available to be boarded from that exact gate. Most often, no other changes are needed, as most flights don't change gates that often. But be prepared if your flight changes gates.

Community Q&A

How far is it from terminal to gate? Christopher Top Answerer

Although most of the terminal building is long, the monorail train comes to pick you up and transport you to the gates, so you don't need to worry for the extra mileage on your feet. Just know your gate number to find which monorail you'll need to board to get you to the gate.

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Can you give specific airline company locations and instructions? Community Answer

No, because the locations change. You should be able to find your specific boarding gate on your boarding pass and navigate using the signs in the airport.