Remember prior to 9/11 when non-ticketed visitors to the airport could go all the way to the gate with a loved one, greet loved ones as they exit the aircraft, or even enter only to watch the planes take off?
Welcome back to yesteryear.
Orlando International Airport is joining a growing number of facilities implementing a new program that allows up to 50 people a day to go to the gate without a ticket. In fact, in the case of MCO, visitors can even go to the swanky new Terminal C, which opened in September 2022.
It is known as the Experience MCO Visitor Pass. Orlando joins, Pittsburgh and Tampa, among others, that have similar programs.
You can apply to be one of the 50 people to receive a pass online up to seven days prior to your visit, or take the gamble and show up on the day you would like to visit and hope for the best. You still need Transportation Security Administration-approved photo identification.
The TSA will review all applications and send an approval or denial notice via email on the night before you would like to visit. Or it will come within 15 minutes of your same-day application.
Officials at Orlando International Airport say they are excited for people to visit the new terminal and view this as a pilot program that could become permanent in the future. Terminal C features numerous restaurants, digital art displays, retail shops and more. They hope to someday graduate to a level where all non-ticketed passengers can roam any part of the airport.
For now, the high-tech Terminal C will have to do.
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