Orlando Airport Work Cuts Tram Capacity, Tightens ID Rules for 2026 Travelers

Overview

• MCO’s $253 million Gate Link Replacement, underway since December 3, 2025, leaves only one tram serving gates 70–129 at Terminals A and B, with 24/7 shuttle buses supplementing service and impacts for Air Canada, Avelo, Delta, Frontier, LATAM, Southwest, and Virgin Atlantic.
• Travelers without REAL ID or other acceptable identification must pay a $45 fee and complete TSA’s ConfirmID process starting February 1, 2026, with prepayment online advised to reduce checkpoint delays.
• A $26 million Concession Master Plan will add 40-plus dining and retail locations in three phases from summer 2026 through late 2028, creating construction zones, detours, and temporary closures this year.
• Passengers are urged to budget significantly more time for gate-to-terminal transfers and security, with recommendations to arrive 2.5 to 3 hours before domestic flights and to add buffers for connections.
• The “Families on the Fly” program offers dedicated TSA lanes for travelers with children 12 and under, reporting about a 10-minute average wait-time reduction and providing discounted TSA PreCheck options.