Weekday AM traffic Daytona Beach to MCO

[mark201235]

Will be returning Tuesday after Labor Day and working on booking flights. How bad (if at all) is commuter traffic from Daytona Beach to MCO? Looks like close to 1 1/2 hr. drive in normal conditions. Looking at a 9:45 AM flight, figured on returning car on airport the usual 1 1/2 hrs before flight (8:15 - 8:30 ish). Two of the nice afternoon flights arrive at BWI or DCA at 4 PM. I'm trying to avoid at all costs the usual Baltimore/DC afternoon traffic I go through to get home and an earlier flight would resolve this issue.

Thanks,

Mark

 

[MULTIZ321]

Will be returning Tuesday after Labor Day and working on booking flights. How bad (if at all) is commuter traffic from Daytona Beach to MCO? Looks like close to 1 1/2 hr. drive in normal conditions. Looking at a 9:45 AM flight, figured on returning car on airport the usual 1 1/2 hrs before flight (8:15 - 8:30 ish). Two of the nice afternoon flights arrive at BWI or DCA at 4 PM. I'm trying to avoid at all costs the usual Baltimore/DC afternoon traffic I go through to get home and an earlier flight would resolve this issue.

Thanks,

Mark

Hi Mark

Google Maps shows three possible routes - https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Day...d4ab9369411e16d!2m2!1d-81.308083!2d28.4311577

Note that the times listed are for normal traffic conditions. To be on the safe side, I would suggest adding at least an hour to each timeline. You will be in Rush-Hour Traffic.


Good Luck

Richard

 

[Gophesjo]

I made the trip in the morning hours two weekdays last week and then again on Saturday morning. One of the weekdays was horrible (just shy of two hours), the other was better than expected (about 90 minutes), and Saturday was about 80 minutes. My starting point was in Daytona Beach Shores. BTW, it took fully thirty minutes to get through the Airport Security lines, so I would be sure the day after a holiday to be at MCO at least two hours before my flight.

 

[Jan M.]

I agree with Richard about adding an hour. The traffic on I-4 is pretty much always fairly heavy but is worse in rush hour times. I've been on it when traffic slowed to a crawl for a good 30 minutes.

I also agree with Gophesjo about being there 2 hours early even if you aren't checking bags. MCO is the only airport of the at least a dozen airports I've flown out of in the last two years that I would say that about. They always seem to be having some kind of issue.

My husband is one of those people that no matter when he is flying or whether or not he has to check a bag wants to be at the airport 2 hours early and it wouldn't break his heart to arrive 10-20 minutes earlier than that. He was flying for a business trip last Fall on an early morning flight out of Fort Lauderdale and since I was up and ready to take him insisted on leaving 20 minutes earlier than we'd discussed. Fort Lauderdale is busier than you might think for the early morning flights. He likes to get there early and get a cup of coffee and read the paper so arriving early suits him to a t. I told him nothing would be open but he wouldn't listen. Of course there was no traffic that early so we made exceptionally good time getting to the airport so not only did he have to wait that 20 minutes earlier that we left but also that extra 10 minutes for no traffic for anyone to be at the counter to check his bag. And there was no place open for him to get his coffee so he had to wait until he got through security and even then the places to get coffee were just opening. I confess that I laughed at him and told him I told you so.

In the past when I'd be flying by myself, sometimes even checking a bag, most of the time I arrived only an hour to 45 minutes early, a few times a little less than that which made even me nervous. I made my flights and had time to get my bottle of water and stop at the restroom before I boarded. My husband would always be convinced that I would never make my flight. In case he had to come back for me because I missed my flight after he dropped me off he would wait somewhere close by before heading home until I called or texted him after I got to my gate. When we flew together I would agree to arriving 90 minutes early but sometimes stalled so it was only 75-80 minutes but then he drove me crazy fussing at me. That was before we had TSA pre-check too. Two years ago we paid to get TSA pre-check as we fly often enough to make good use of it. But since then even with pre-check we are finding we need to arrive at the airport earlier than we did in the past. I don't know what has changed but there always seems to be something at the big city airports slowing things down. Where before something slowing things down happened once in a while now that seems to be commonplace. Once in a while I can still check the bag and clear security quickly but it doesn't happen most of the time anymore. Our all time record at a big city airport is 12 minutes from the time we walked in the door of the airport until we got to our gate. That included checking our bag, going through security, and the hike to get to our gate. Now even I don't cut it closer than 90 minutes and try to arrive as close to 2 hours early as I can if we are flying out of a big city airport. However the airports in cities that aren't so big are still great for not needing to be there quite as early.

 

[mark201235]

Thanks all for the info. and advice. Very much appreciated.

 

[silentg]

I agree with the others, give yourself enough time to get thru Orlando. If you go I-4 traffic will be heavy in the downtown area. The road is a mess with construction barrels everywhere and sudden lane shortages. If you really want to avoid the rush, stay close to the airport the night before. If you have a rental car you can return it on Monday and take the hotel shuttle in the morning for your flight.
You could splurge and stay at The Hyatt in the airport too.
Just a suggestion.
Silentg