I've Flown at Least 10 Airlines to Disney World — This One Is My Favorite Every Time.

I’ve been flying to Disney World for…longer than I care to admit.

Flying to Disney World

Let’s just say that while I wasn’t around on opening day in 1971, my first trip to Disney World was not long after that. And my first flight to Disney World? Well, it was on TWA — an airline that hasn’t been around for about 25 years.

I have flown into and out of the airports in Orlando hundreds of times — and I’m not exaggerating. For about 3 years, I flew into and out of Orlando 40 weeks a year for work, and I have flown dozens of other trips through the airports here, as well.

As you might imagine, I have some pretty strong opinions about Orlando’s airports and the airlines that fly into them — and I’m gonna guess they aren’t what you’re expecting. (I also have some pretty strong opinions about the Auntie Anne’s pretzels sold at Orlando’s airports — and those ARE what you’re expecting, I’m sure.)

Orlando International Airport

So here’s the airline I would choose every time: Allegiant. Yes, it’s a budget airline. And yes, it flies into Orlando’s secondary airport — Orlando Sanford Airport. Does it seem terribly inconvenient to you? Sure, on first glance. But hear me out.

©Allegiant Airlines

Allegiant is a budget airline that primarily flies out of secondary airports. That means, for example, that you won’t find an Allegiant flight out of, say, Lambert International Airport in St. Louis, but you can head 30 minutes away to Belleville, Illinois, and find Allegiant flights to Las Vegas, Orlando, Savannah, and other popular vacation spots.

And that airport in Belleville? It’s tiny. You’ll never find an hourlong security line here — or a full parking garage. So while it may be a bit of a drive out of your city, you’re going to make up that time by not waiting in security lines or waiting for a parking shuttle.

Allegiant at Sanford Airport

And yes, you will not be flying into or out of Orlando’s main airport. You’ll again be another 30 minutes further away from Disney World. But you will get in an out of the Orlando Sanford Airport with no hassle, as well. If you’re renting a car, you’ll have a great advantage here, as well, because rates are usually quite a bit cheaper.

As for Allegiant — yes, you do have to pay for your bags and for any extras, like many other budget airlines. But you will make up for those savings with the price of tickets. And that’s what I value — cheap tickets and an easy airport experience.

Allegiant

If you want to fly Allegiant, here are some things I’ve discovered over many years of flying with them:

There is generally one flight a day to your destination, and Allegiant doesn’t fly every route, every day. So, you may want to see what days of the week you can fly before you make your hotel reservations.
You can pack more in a personal bag than you think. If I am only traveling for 2-4 days, I can pack everything I need in my personal bag and not have to pay any airline baggage fees. Get creative and pack small!
Pay close attention to the measurements of your bags. Allegiant can be strict at the gate and will charge you and check your bag if you’re trying to roll something too large on board.
You don’t need to buy a seat. Now, if you’re picky about sitting at the front of the plane or sitting in an aisle seat or you must sit with your family, IGNORE ME. Please. But if the flight is short and you are on a budget, you can take your chances and be assigned a seat when you check in. The app will make you think you need to pay extra for your seat when you buy your ticket, but you can skip that part.
Think about whether you really need that flight insurance. Yes, I believe wholeheartedly in travel insurance. But sometimes you want to take your chances. Do you need to pay $59 for the privilege to change your ticket if your ticket only cost $118? Sometimes, we weigh the risks and take our chances.

Orlando Sanford International Airport

Now, are there some downsides to flying my favorite airline to Disney World. Yes. Absolutely. Let’s look at them.

Beware the luggage fees. If you must bring a lot of luggage, your fees may bring the price up to the price of flying Southwest, which includes checked bags. Be sure to do the calculations. Or let this be your challenge for packing lighter!
Allegiant doesn’t always work for my schedule. As I said earlier, Allegiant doesn’t fly every route, every day. If you MUST fly to Orlando on a Wednesday and home on a Friday, you may not find the flights you need.
When things go wrong, they can go very, very wrong. I will admit I have had a couple of very bad days with Allegiant. But then, everyone you know who flies regularly has had some very bad days. The biggest drawback to Allegiant for me is that if your plane needs maintenance, or there is bad weather, etc., you can be delayed a very long time. Several years ago, I was flying to Orlando from Owensboro, Kentucky, on December 20th. There was a problem with the plane and since it was the only flight out of Owensboro that day, there wasn’t another plane sitting around for them to switch to. We had to wait about 12 hours for Allegiant to have a break in the schedule to send another plane to Owensboro, and I missed a birthday party. Others missed holiday celebrations. It can and does happen. It also happens on other airlines, but the delays may not be as long if you’re flying a full-service carrier that has other planes in the vicinity. So, you’ll need to weigh the risks of that.

Orlando Sanford Airport

So there you have it. There are pros and cons of flying every airline but the prices and the smaller, simpler airports keep me flying Allegiant whenever it works with my schedule and destination. Have you flown Allegiant to Disney World? Let me know in the comments, and keep following us here at DFB for more travel news!

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