Disney and the theme parks
Sanford (SFB) vs Orlando (MCO): Which Airport Is Better for Disney?
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Short answer
Orlando International (MCO) is the better airport for most Disney trips: half the drive, about 40 airlines, Mears Connect, CLEAR and free MCO Reserve security slots. Sanford (SFB) wins if your city's only nonstop to Orlando is a Sanford flight, often on Allegiant, or if you want one small terminal where your ride waits across the street. From SFB, a private ride to Disney is $159 to $249 per vehicle; from MCO, $99 to $179.
Airport facts last checked October 27, 2026. Airlines change routes often; check yours.
Sanford vs Orlando airport, side by side
| Sanford (SFB) | Orlando International (MCO) | |
|---|---|---|
| Passengers boarding in 2025 | 1.55 million | 28.0 million |
| Terminals and gates | One terminal, 16 gates | Three terminals (A, B and C) |
| Airlines | Five; Allegiant flies almost every route | About 40 airline brands |
| Nonstop destinations | About 70 cities | More than 170 (118 in the US) |
| TSA PreCheck | Yes | Yes |
| CLEAR | No | Yes, at all three checkpoints |
| Free timed security slots | No | MCO Reserve, booked up to 7 days ahead |
| Gate to bags | Escalator down one floor | Gate Link tram to the main terminal (A and B), or straight down in C |
| Rental cars | Seven brands, across the street | Ten brands in the parking garages |
| Mears Connect to Disney | No | Yes |
| Drive to Disney World | About 43 miles, 55 to 60 minutes | 18 to 25 miles, 25 to 45 minutes |
Boardings from the FAA's calendar 2025 table; the rest from each airport's own pages.
Weighing the ride cost against a cheaper fare into Sanford? Our closest airport to Disney World guide has the break-even table by group size.
Airlines and cities: who flies where
Sanford is an Allegiant airport. SFB's destination list has about 70 cities, and Allegiant flies all but a handful of them; Arajet flies to Punta Cana, BermudAir to Bermuda and Belize, and Contour to Cape Girardeau, Missouri.
MCO lists about 40 airline brands and nonstops to more than 170 places, 118 of them in the US and 56 abroad. Allegiant flies into MCO from some cities too, including Allentown, Appleton and Asheville, so check both airports before you assume Sanford is your only option.
Cities we found on SFB's list with no nonstop on MCO's US list include Cedar Rapids, Lexington, Chattanooga, Fort Wayne, Fargo, Sioux Falls, Peoria and Traverse City. From cities like these, Sanford can be the only nonstop to Orlando.
Size, lines and security
MCO is a big airport and SFB is a small one. The FAA counted 28.0 million passengers boarding at MCO in 2025, 7th in the US, against 1.55 million at SFB, about 18 times as many.
- TSA PreCheck: both airports.
- CLEAR: MCO only, at all three checkpoints.
- MCO Reserve: MCO lets travelers without PreCheck or CLEAR book a free time slot through security for the whole party, up to 7 days ahead. SFB has no equivalent.
- Wait times: MCO shows checkpoint waits in its app and asks you to reach security 2 hours before departure. SFB asks for 2 hours before a domestic flight and 3.5 hours before an international one.
From the gate to your ride
At Sanford, all 16 gates are upstairs on Level 2 of one terminal. You take the escalator down to baggage claim on Level 1, then cross Red Cleveland Boulevard on one of four crosswalks to the pickup zone across from Baggage Claim 1 to 3. No train, no tram. International arrivals clear Customs and collect bags at Baggage Claim 6 to 8.
At Orlando International, Terminals A and B share one main building. Gates there are in four airside areas reached by the Gate Link trams; new trams to Gates 100 to 129 began running on October 1, 2026. Bags come out on Level 2. Terminal C is a separate building with bag claim and rideshare on Level 6, linked to the Train Station by a covered bridge with moving walkways. MCO suggests allowing at least 20 minutes after landing to reach baggage claim.
Landing at Terminal C? Our MCO Terminal C pickup guide walks through it level by level.
Flying with young children
- MCO has a Family Zone in every terminal (soft play in A and games in B, both before security; a reading nook near Gate 240 in C), nursing rooms or pods in every terminal, a sensory room in Terminal A and stroller rental on Level 1 of Terminals A and B.
- SFB has a children's play area, a nursing pod and free Hidden Disabilities Sunflower lanyards at the Information Booth. Landside it has one café, so eat after security.
Rental cars, taxis and rideshare
- Rental cars: MCO has ten companies in its parking garages, so you walk from the terminal to the car. SFB has seven on site, across the street in the Welcome Center or the Alamo building beyond it.
- Rideshare and taxis: SFB uses one zone across from Baggage Claim 1 to 3 for rideshares, taxis and pre-arranged rides. MCO picks up on Level 2 at Terminals A and B and on Level 6 at Terminal C.
- Shared shuttles: Mears Connect runs from MCO to the Disney resorts but does not serve SFB.
Getting to Disney World from each airport
From MCO, Disney is 18 to 25 miles, about 25 to 45 minutes. From SFB it's about 43 miles, and SFB puts the drive at 55 minutes to an hour. Our Sanford Airport to Disney World and MCO to Disney World pages cover both rides.
We charge one flat price per vehicle from either airport, tolls included: $159 to $249 from Sanford and $99 to $179 from MCO, from a minivan to a 14-passenger van. Pick your airport and vehicle on the booking form for your exact price.
Which airport suits your trip?
| If you... | Fly into |
|---|---|
| Want the shortest drive to Disney | MCO |
| Want the most flight times and airlines | MCO |
| Plan to use Mears Connect | MCO |
| Have CLEAR, or want a free security time slot | MCO |
| Live near a city with an Allegiant nonstop to Sanford only | SFB |
| Want one small terminal and a short walk to your ride | SFB |
| Found a much cheaper fare into Sanford | Check the break-even table first |
Why Disney families book JOB at either airport
- The same flat price per vehicle for the whole group, tolls included, at SFB or MCO.
- Inside the terminal with a name sign at MCO.
- Car seats and boosters on request, and 12- and 14-passenger vans for bigger groups.
- $1,000,000 in liability insurance and a family-run team: riders know Pedro and his family by name.
Thank you for the recommendation for Pedro. Picked us up at MCO today! Excellent service, we definitely recommend, he's a great guy!
Book your airport ride to Disney: met at Sanford or Orlando International, one flat price per vehicle. Pick your vehicle on the booking form for your exact price.