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Record-breaking Thanksgiving travel expected at Orlando International Airport

Orlando International Airport. File photo: Isaac Babcock, WMFE
Orlando International Airport. File photo: Isaac Babcock, WMFE

 Pack your patience if you're flying out of MCO this Thanksgiving holiday.

The airport could welcome 1.75 million passengers between November 18th and the 29th.

That’s a ten percent increase over last year’s holiday rush, and the same number of passengers that used the airport during the record 2019 Thanksgiving holiday.

Officials say travelers should expect delays and for the parking garages to fill up quickly.

Anyone traveling out of MCO should arrive at least three hours before a flight, place IDs on luggage, and bring a leash for any pet or comfort animal. 

Check MCO’s Twitter, Facebook and Instagram pages for parking updates or download the free MCO app. 

Several Lynx routes go directly to the airport. That includes Links 11, 42, 51, 111, 407 and 436S. 

Here's a handy list of foods you can bring home with you through TSA:
Thanksgiving foods that can be carried through a TSA checkpoint

  • Baked goods: homemade or store-bought pies, cakes, cookies, brownies and other sweet treats
  • Meats: Turkey, chicken, ham, steak. Frozen, cooked or uncooked
  • Stuffing: Cooked, uncooked, in a box or in a bag
  • Casseroles: Traditional green beans and onion straws
  • Mac ‘n Cheese: Cooked in a pan or traveling with the ingredients to cook it at your destination
  • Fresh vegetables: Potatoes, yams, broccoli, green beans, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, beets, radishes, carrots, squash, and greens
  • Fresh fruit: Apples, pears, pineapple, lemons, limes, cranberries, blueberries, strawberries, bananas, and kiwi
  • Candy
  • Spices

Thanksgiving foods that should be carefully packed with your checked baggage

  • Cranberry sauce: Homemade or canned are spreadable, so check them
  • Gravy: Homemade or in a jar/can
  • Wine, champagne, sparking apple cider
  • Canned fruit or vegetables: It’s got liquid in the can, so check them
  • Preserves, jams and jellies: They are spreadable, so best to check them
  • Maple syrup

Danielle Prieur covers education in Central Florida.