Walt Disney Global’s house airport is my least favourite on the planet. We’ve flown via many crowded airports–Chicago, Los Angeles, Paris, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and so forth. None of them, now not even ORD or LAX, are as difficult as MCO on a foul day. (Be aware: we don’t fly via NYC or Newark.)
Previous this month, we flew via CDG and LAX, and each have been more uncomplicated than MCO. In truth, I fly via LAX continuously–about as soon as monthly. It’s now not my favourite airport and I’d by no means counsel it to first-timers (there’s a explanation why it makes our listing of items to NOT do at Disneyland), but it surely’s environment friendly. (If most effective SNA/LGB had extra nonstop flights to MCO!)
That isn’t the case at Orlando World Airport. Of all airports we’ve flown, MCO is constantly essentially the most chaotic for departures. That is because of a confluence of cases: lengthy traces for check-in counters and safety, storms delaying flights, considerably upper traveler quantity with out infrastructure preserving tempo, overcrowded seating spaces, and the truth that that is most effective the second one flight many households have ever flown (the primary being the only to Walt Disney Global).
There’s so much I really like about MCO and the persona of the airport, however the true visitor enjoy has numerous doable friction issues. We’ve been “caution” readers about Orlando World Airport for the simpler a part of the decade. The ones are air quotes round caution as a result of there’s no cheap selection.
Certain, there’s Sanford or Tampa, however that provides additional time to the shuttle…even supposing possibly that may be offset by means of shorter waits on the airport? Suffice to mention, I’m very a lot taking a look ahead to Orlando World Airport’s Large $6 Billion Growth & Enhancement Plan coming to fruition. It’s badly wanted, and lengthy past due.
Our warnings in regards to MCO have extra been about adjusting expectancies and serving to readers get ready accordingly. Most significantly, arriving sufficiently early. There are many seasoned vacationers who would possibly arrive an hour ahead of their flights in other places, however that’s a recipe for crisis at MCO in positive cases. Those that subscribe to “Airport Idea” are enjoying with hearth. (When you’ve by no means heard of it, believe your self fortunate–it’s a dumb TikTok factor.)
One of the crucial issues at MCO is the traces for safety. That is continuously the largest sticking level, and posted wait occasions can once in a while exceed 45 mins throughout height go back and forth occasions. There are a number of causes for the longer traces, together with the above issues about customer quantity and it being most effective the second one flight many vacationers have ever flown.
Given the traveler demographics, there also are much more strollers and young children. As any individual with a child, I feel it’s most likely k for me to state the most obvious right here, which is that younger households with children in most cases take extra time to get via safety. That’s simply fact, now not a worth judgment. It doesn’t lend a hand that vacationers are incentivized to fly with carry-ons versus checking luggage.
It’s additionally totally chaotic, due to a few half-dozen other traces for ID examine, together with however now not restricted to MCO Reserve, TSA PreCheck, Transparent, Transparent with TSA PreCheck, and so forth. It additionally doesn’t lend a hand that TSA is ceaselessly understaffed, so it’s continuously the case that all the screening traces aren’t open when you get handed the ID verification checkpoint.
In the previous couple of months, TSA PreCheck Touchless ID has debuted at Orlando World Airport, including every other line to the combination. I’ve used this a couple of occasions in other places, and when it really works seamlessly, it’s like magic. I sought after to attend till having a flawless enjoy with it at MCO ahead of masking and recommending it, however alas. (Extra on that during a minute.)
For individuals who are unfamiliar with it, TSA PreCheck Touchless ID complements the safety screening procedure with facial comparability era for quicker, extra environment friendly identification verification. Enrolled vacationers with collaborating airways can transfer via devoted lanes comfortably, taking part in a smoother and extra handy airport enjoy—a simple option to get started your travels.
TSA PreCheck Touchless ID calls for:
- Energetic airline profile with a collaborating airline
- Present TSA PreCheck traveler
- Legitimate passport data uploaded for your airline profile
TSA PreCheck Touchless ID is now to be had at 65 airports. Right here’s a video from TSA explaining the way it works:
passengers will have to decide in with collaborating airways. Test along with your airline for TSA PreCheck Touchless ID places.
Upload the next data for your profile with a legitimate collaborating airline:
- Input Identified Traveler Quantity (KTN)
- Input legitimate passport quantity and nation
- Make a selection “OPT IN” in your profile or at airline check-in
Opting in is lovely merely and took me all of ~2 mins in my Delta and Southwest profiles. I suppose that TSA PreCheck Touchless ID is non-compulsory on account of passenger privateness, picture and knowledge considerations. On its web page, TSA provides an assurance about its dedication to passenger privateness, deletion of knowledge and pictures, so take that for no matter it’s price to you.
My viewpoint is that airports are already the use of facial popularity era and doing who is aware of what else. If one thing nefarious or dystopian goes to occur with privateness and knowledge, it’s going to occur both manner. I would possibly as neatly get advantages whilst they’re at it.
With a purpose to use the carrier, the TSA PreCheck Touchless ID indicator will have to seem in your cell boarding cross to go into the devoted TSA PreCheck Touchless ID lane. It’ll glance one thing like this:
As famous above, TSA PreCheck Touchless ID is now to be had at 65 collaborating airports serving dozens of main metro spaces. Right here’s an inventory of the airports that now make stronger TSA PreCheck Touchless ID as of Spring 2026:
- Albuquerque World Sunport (ABQ) – Albuquerque, NM
- Baltimore/Washington World Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) – Baltimore, MD
- Boston Logan World Airport (BOS) – Boston, MA
- Bradley World Airport (BDL) – Hartford, CT
- Buffalo Niagara World Airport (BUF) – Buffalo, NY
- Charleston World Airport (CHS) – Charleston, SC
- Charlotte Douglas World Airport (CLT) – Charlotte, NC
- Chicago Halfway World Airport (MDW) – Chicago, IL
- Chicago O’Hare World Airport (ORD) – Chicago, IL
- Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky World Airport (CVG) – Cincinnati, OH
- Cleveland Hopkins World Airport (CLE) – Cleveland, OH
- Dallas Castle Price World Airport (DFW) – Dallas-Castle Price, TX
- Dallas Love Box (DAL) – Dallas, TX
- Daniel Ok. Inouye World Airport (HNL) – Honolulu, HI
- Denver World Airport (DEN) – Denver, CO
- Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) – Detroit, MI
- Castle Lauderdale-Hollywood World Airport (FLL) – Castle Lauderdale, FL
- George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) – Houston, TX
- Harry Reid World Airport (LAS) – Las Vegas, NV
- Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta World Airport (ATL) – Atlanta, GA
- Indianapolis World Airport (IND) – Indianapolis, IN
- Jacksonville World Airport (JAX) – Jacksonville, FL
- John F. Kennedy World Airport (JFK) – New York, NY
- John Glenn Columbus World Airport (CMH) – Columbus, OH
- John Wayne Airport (SNA) – Orange County, CA
- Kansas Town World Airport (MCI) – Kansas Town, MO
- LaGuardia Airport (LGA) – New York, NY
- Lengthy Seaside Airport (LGB) – Lengthy Seaside, CA
- Los Angeles World Airport (LAX) – Los Angeles, CA
- Luis Muñoz Marín World Airport (SJU) – San Juan, PR
- Miami World Airport (MIA) – Miami, FL
- Milwaukee Mitchell World Airport (MKE) – Milwaukee, WI
- Minneapolis-St. Paul World Airport (MSP) – Minneapolis, MN
- Nashville World Airport (BNA) – Nashville, TN
- Louis Armstrong New Orleans World Airport (MSY) – New Orleans, LA
- Newark Liberty World Airport (EWR) – Newark, NJ
- Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport (OAK) – Oakland, CA
- Orlando World Airport (MCO) – Orlando, FL
- Palm Seaside World Airport (PBI) – West Palm Seaside, FL
- Palm Springs World Airport (PSP) – Palm Springs, CA
- Philadelphia World Airport (PHL) – Philadelphia, PA
- Phoenix Sky Harbor World Airport (PHX) – Phoenix, AZ
- Pittsburgh World Airport (PIT) – Pittsburgh, PA
- Portland World Airport (PDX) – Portland, OR
- Raleigh-Durham World Airport (RDU) – Raleigh, NC
- Rhode Island T. F. Inexperienced World Airport (PVD) – Windfall, RI
- Sacramento World Airport (SMF) – Sacramento, CA
- Salt Lake Town World Airport (SLC) – Salt Lake Town, UT
- San Antonio World Airport (SAT) – San Antonio, TX
- San Diego World Airport (SAN) – San Diego, CA
- San Francisco World Airport (SFO) – San Francisco, CA
- San Jose Mineta World Airport (SJC) – San Jose, CA
- Seattle-Tacoma World Airport (SEA) – Seattle, WA
- St. Louis Lambert World Airport (STL) – St. Louis, MO
- Tampa World Airport (TPA) – Tampa, FL
- Ted Stevens Anchorage World Airport (ANC) – Anchorage, AK
- Tulsa World Airport (TUL) – Tulsa, OK
- Ronald Reagan Washington Nationwide Airport (DCA) – Arlington, VA
- Washington Dulles World Airport (IAD) – Dulles, VA
- Austin–Bergstrom World Airport (AUS) – Austin, TX
- Birmingham-Shuttlesworth World Airport (BHM) – Birmingham, AL
- Boise Airport (BOI) – Boise, ID
- Westchester County Airport (HPN) – White Plains, NY
- William P. Passion Airport (HOU) – Houston, TX
On that listing are all the house airports that carrier Walt Disney Global and Disneyland. Since TSA PreCheck Touchless ID began rolling out, I’ve noticed the indicators for it, however by no means a devoted lane at SNA or LGB.
Possibly it’s simply the time of day I fly out of each (nearly solely early mornings or red-eyes when the already gradual airports are even slower), however it sort of feels like there’s little or no house at both airport so as to add every other screening line.
Orlando World Airport, however, has nearly the complete opposite drawback. A complete segment of its screening is devoted to TSA PreCheck (and Transparent), and there’s without a doubt a devoted lane for TSA PreCheck Touchless ID.
It’s been there since no less than Iciness 2026; possibly even final Christmas, however I don’t recall seeing it then. The issue is that it’s absolute chaos main to these traces, and the signage is small and complicated.
I’ve but to look any TSA or airport body of workers on the finish of the traces verifying eligibility for TSA PreCheck Touchless ID ahead of permitting vacationers to go into. The outcome is that it’s a loose for all, with TSA PreCheck passengers (understandably) simply stepping into whichever line.
None of them are materially shorter, and to the level that any transfer quicker, it’s in point of fact on the subject of warding off those the place Transparent cuts in entrance of. (Be aware that I just about most effective use the Gates 70-129 checkpoint; it may well be other on the others, particularly Terminal C.)
There’s additionally the truth, no less than in my enjoy, that the rate of the ID verification portion of the method at MCO is continuously dictated by means of backups in luggage screening. It’s quite common for TSA officials to carry the traces at ID examine for the reason that lanes at the back of them are see you later that there’s nowhere for any individual to move. The outcome is that, no less than in my enjoy with it to this point, TSA Touchless is needless at MCO.
This isn’t any individual’s fault. TSA has been understaffed for years, and that’s most effective gotten worse within the final ~6 months for causes which are most likely obtrusive should you’ve adopted the inside track. Even supposing totally staffed, the infrastructure hasn’t stored tempo with MCO’s expansion, in order that’s additionally a subject matter.
If the rest, the MCO enjoy remains to be in most cases higher than it has any proper to be regardless of all the above. The airport manages to conquer so much of “baked-in” problems and be lovely just right. Vacationers all do an incredibly just right task of maintaining issues in combination despite all of it, shrugging off the slowdowns and chaos. TSA officials are pleasant regardless of being combat hardened. MCO is an excellent organism, even supposing it may be irritating and time-consuming for all concerned.
When you fly out on a kind of exceedingly uncommon events when it’s now not busy, the method is shockingly easy–underscoring simply how most of the issues are because of infrastructure now not preserving tempo with traveler quantity. There were occasions after I’ve long past from the curb to the Delta terminal in ~10 mins. (In reality! I swear!) So even adherents to Airport Idea could be positive one of the vital time.
As for TSA PreCheck Touchless ID, I’m skeptical that it’ll be a large win to streamline the safety screening procedure at MCO till infrastructure upgrades are made, however it may be incredible at different airports the place the cases are other. Or most likely even at MCO when the traces are being controlled and are shorter. I’ve but to fly out throughout any slower occasions because it’s been to be had, so most likely different vacationers have had totally other studies.
I will be able to say that I’m constructive about the possibility of TSA PreCheck Touchless ID as a complete (past simply MCO or at smaller airports). This and different facial popularity era that’s been presented in the previous couple of years at airports is in point of fact, in point of fact spectacular. When the entirety is operating easily, it’s an absolute breeze! We lately had a an identical enjoy with International Access Touchless Portals when reentering the USA, and that was once natural magic. We slightly even needed to prevent for a photograph.
When you’re searching for a takeaway, it’s that we propose opting in to TSA PreCheck Touchless ID, however tempering your expectancies about the place it may well be helpful. I’m positive others have had higher success with it at MCO throughout slower or much less chaotic occasions, and I’m additionally positive it’ll recover over the years, particularly as soon as issues normalize with TSA pay.
On the similar time, the structure of the traces coupled with the backups at the back of ID verification at the true screening issues are the standard reason for lengthen and can most likely save you TSA PreCheck Touchless ID from attaining its complete doable in getting rid of friction at MCO safety.
TSA PreCheck Touchless will not be needless in the longer term at MCO, but it surely received’t be seamless till the airport overhaul is finished. At different airports with the right combination of infrastructure and crowds (LAX being a major instance), TSA PreCheck Touchless ID has the possible to hurry up the safety procedure.
Making plans a Walt Disney Global go back and forth? Find out about accommodations on our Walt Disney Global Inns Critiques web page. For the place to consume, learn our Walt Disney Global Eating place Critiques. To save cash on tickets or decide which kind to shop for, learn our Pointers for Saving Cash on Walt Disney Global Tickets put up. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys put up takes a singular have a look at artful pieces to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney Global Experience Guides will lend a hand. For complete recommendation, the most productive position to start out is our Walt Disney Global Travel Making plans Information for the entirety you wish to have to understand!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Have you ever used TSA PreCheck Touchless ID? What was once your enjoy with the method? Did it accelerate safety for you, or now not have a lot of an have an effect on? Suppose this era has the possible to streamline safety and build up potency at MCO or different airports? Agree or disagree with our evaluate? Any questions we will permit you to solution? Listening to your comments–even while you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please proportion your ideas beneath within the feedback!
