Flights to Orlando for golf: MCO, Sanford or Tampa, and driving down

For flights to Orlando for golf, Orlando International (MCO) is the airport for almost every trip: 28 minutes from downtown and 29 from Disney Springs, with nonstops from Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Calgary, London, Manchester, Dublin and the big US carriers. Orlando Sanford (SFB) suits Allegiant cities and north-side stays. Tampa works only for a much better fare.

This guide to flights to Orlando for golf compares the three airports by drive time and airline, lists the Canadian and UK routes, covers the drive down from Ontario, Quebec and the Midwest, and points to the golf and hotels closest to each airport. Airline details come from Wikipedia's airline tables read November 4, 2026; drive times are OSRM free-flow estimates and ignore traffic.

Quick facts

• Main airport: Orlando International (MCO); 57,675,573 passengers in 2025.
• MCO to downtown Orlando: 28 min, 14.5 mi. To Disney Springs: 29 min, 18.5 mi.
• Second airport: Orlando Sanford (SFB), 38 min to downtown, 60 min to Disney Springs.
• Canadian nonstops: Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, Calgary, plus seasonal routes.
• UK and Ireland: London-Gatwick, London-Heathrow, Manchester, Dublin; seasonal Edinburgh.
• Time zone: Eastern, the same as Ontario and Quebec.

Flights to Orlando for golf: the three airports

OSRM ignores traffic. I-4 through downtown and the attractions corridor, the park exits and Sand Lake Road and International Drive routinely add 15-45 minutes at rush hour and around park opening and closing.

MCO is the main airport for the whole area. Terminal C, opened in September 2022, handles international flights by non-US airlines and all JetBlue flights; Terminals A and B handle the rest, linked by a people mover. Rental cars are on site. The largest US carriers from June 2025 to May 2026 by passenger share were Southwest (24.0%), Delta (12.7%), Frontier (10.6%), Spirit (10.1%) and JetBlue (10.1%); a reference on the Wikipedia page reports that Spirit shut down in May 2026, which we did not check independently.

SFB is smaller and easier, with 3,166,417 passengers in 2025. Allegiant flies to about 59 US destinations, mostly smaller Midwest, Northeast and Southern cities, with seasonal Boston and Providence from February 13, 2027. No Canadian or UK service appears in its current table.

TPA is about an hour and a half from Disney on I-4, so it makes sense only for a much cheaper fare or a combined Tampa and Gulf coast trip. The Disney, ChampionsGate and Davenport side of the area is the closer end from Tampa.

Canadian flights to Orlando

For Canadian golfers, flights to Orlando for golf are easy to find from the big cities:

Source: Wikipedia's MCO airlines table, read November 4, 2026. Air Transat appears in the page's busiest international routes on Montreal but not in its airline list. Winter 2026-27 frequencies and season dates were not confirmed with the airlines, so check before you plan a season around a route. Snowbirds should also read Canadian snowbirds in Orlando for stay limits.

UK and Irish flights to Orlando

For UK golfers, the nonstop flights to Orlando for golf in the MCO table are these: British Airways flies from London-Gatwick, Virgin Atlantic from London-Heathrow and Manchester (seasonal Edinburgh), and Aer Lingus from Dublin. TUI Airways and Jet2 were not found in the MCO table; TUI moved its UK Orlando flights to Melbourne Orlando International (MLB) from 2022. UK visitors normally travel under the Visa Waiver Program with an approved ESTA, which allows up to 90 days per visit. The UK is 5 hours ahead of Orlando most of the year.

Driving down from Canada and the US

OSRM estimates, queried November 4, 2026; OSRM tends to run long, and Disney Springs adds about 10-20 minutes. Ontario drivers usually cross at Windsor-Detroit or Sarnia-Port Huron and take I-75 south, then Florida's Turnpike south-east into Orlando from Wildwood. Quebec, eastern Ontario, New York and New England drivers usually come down the east coast to Daytona Beach and take I-4 west, which brings you in past Sanford and Lake Mary. Snow on I-75 in Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee or on I-81 in Virginia can slow December and January trips. Auto Train runs from Lorton, Virginia to Sanford for east-coast drivers who want their car (schedule and fares not verified).

Once here, much of the road network is tolled: SR 417, SR 429, SR 528 and Florida's Turnpike are mostly all-electronic or cash-free, and rental-car toll programs add daily fees.

Golf near the airports

An arrival or departure day is a good time for a nearby round:

• Eagle Creek is about 15 minutes from MCO, a big, well-bunkered Garl and Swan public course with a proper clubhouse. The Eagle Creek course guide has the details.
• North Shore Golf Club at Lake Hart is close to MCO and fits an arrival or departure day.
• Ventura Country Club is 11 minutes from the airport Hampton Inn, with GolfNow times from $31.99 for November 5, 2026.
• Lake Nona Golf & Country Club is the closest golf to the terminal, but it is private: members' guests only.
• Mayfair is about 10 minutes from SFB, with clear rates such as $32.95-$35.95 from 2 pm (from November 15, 2026). See the Mayfair course guide.
• The Tooth at Orange County National is a $15 walking nine that works as an add-on before a flight out of MCO.

For more on the east side, read Lake Nona golf; for the north, Lake Mary golf courses.

Airport hotels for first and last nights

• Hampton Inn Orlando International Airport: a first-night or last-night airport stay; Ventura is 11 minutes and Eagle Creek 18.
• Courtyard Orlando Lake Nona: close to the airport and Lake Nona's restaurants; Eagle Creek is 10 minutes and North Shore 11.
• Holiday Inn Express & Suites Sanford - Lake Mary: a budget base by SFB, 9 minutes from Mayfair.
• Courtyard Orlando Lake Mary/North: a north-side base that also works for SFB flights.

For a whole-trip base, see where to stay in Orlando for golf.

Flying with clubs

Most resort and higher-end daily-fee courses here rent sets in the pro shop; check a course's rental fleet before flying without clubs, especially in February and March. Third-party club delivery services were not researched for this guide. Golf Galaxy has a store in Lake Nona near the airport if you need balls or gloves on arrival.

For a four-day plan from landing to take-off, see the Orlando golf trip itinerary, and for the bigger picture, the Orlando golf trip guide. Comparing with the Gulf coast? Read flights to Fort Myers for Naples golf.

Plan it on the map

Open the Orlando golf map to see every course by drive time from your arrival airport. The plan starts and ends your trip near the right airport and fits rounds around park days.