The Numbers Are In: Orlando International Airport Was Still the Busiest Airport in January Despite Coronavirus Surge

Photo: Lukas Souza


Orlando International Airport is still the busiest airport in Florida according to the latest January numbers, that’s despite the impact of the pandemic on travel.
It’s another busy #SpringBreak travel weekend. 🧳 Please remember to:
Arrive 2 hours prior to your domestic flight ⏰
Wear a face mask/covering 😷
Practice social distancing 🚶♀️↔️🚶♂️
Download our app for security wait times & more: https://t.co/IlcYns2pzL 📱Safe travels! 🛫 pic.twitter.com/uhW4BsPoa5
— Orlando International Airport (@MCO) March 26, 2021
In January, domestic travel at the Orlando International Airport declined by 51 percent while international traffic dropped by 86 percent.
That means that even with some 1,950,641 passengers using the airport, overall traffic was still reduced by 55 percent at the airport compared with the same time last year.
The stark contrast between this January and last January was expected. January 2020 was the last strong month the airport had before the start of the pandemic.
Even with fewer travelers using the airport in January, MCO was still the busiest airport in Florida. And Spring Break travel has already exceeded projections.
More than 452,000 people departed from the airport between March 17 through March 25 to fly to their Spring Break destinations.
As air travel surges at the airport, so have coronavirus cases among TSA officers. More than 200 have gotten sick with COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic.
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