I visited a popular lounge at the Orlando International Airport. It let me down, but I'll still visit every time I fly.
Amanda Adler
- I visited The Lounge at MCO, an airport lounge that can cost $50 a person to enter.
- The space offered ample seating and charging stations, but it felt a little outdated.
I travel frequently, and I like to visit airport lounges when I fly.
After paying out of pocket to access them for years, I recently switched to a new credit card, the Capital One Venture X. Through this card, I got access to Priority Pass, an airport-lounge membership program.
On my most recent trip, I was able to use my Priority Pass to visit The Club at MCO, a lounge located at the Orlando International Airport, for free.
Here's what my experience was like.
Two of MCO's terminals have their own version of The Club. I visited the one in Terminal B.
A sign leading to this lounge indicated the various memberships that could get you into it, including Priority Pass.
Non-members can purchase one-time access to The Club for $50 per person.
Inside, there were a variety of seating options, including many more plush than those found closer to the gate.
The seating options ranged from cushioned benches to loungers, office chairs, dinettes, and more.
Each seating area in the lounge had several TVs displaying sports, news, and upcoming flight information.
I appreciated that the televisions didn't have the sound up and instead used closed captioning.
The lounge had dedicated workstations designed for laptop use.
Although I was working during my visit, I found this business-traveler area to be a bit sterile, so I set up my computer in a part of the lounge with more natural light.
Fortunately, charting stations were present throughout the lounge.
I saw private stalls with doors, which seemed like a great spot for a conference call.
The lounge had two of these spaces, but it probably could've used more, as numerous travelers were hosting private calls in public areas during my visit.
I was only able to snatch a quick photo before these rooms were filled.
The space also had a room designed for children, but the amenities here seemed sparse.
Most screens in this room did not seem to be in use, and I didn't see any toys that would actually help keep kids occupied.
The Club at MCO has food and beverages, but offerings were limited during my visit.
Since my visit occurred during Hurricane Helene, The Club had multiple signs letting visitors know that the menu would be limited.
This sign was posted at the club's entrance, but similar ones were also placed near the food station.
The small food buffet featured mainly cold items.
I was able to get salads, fruit, and small snacks like gummy bears and animal crackers.
I didn't try any of the buffet items while in the lounge, but I did grab some snacks to enjoy during my flight.
There was also a station for hot food.
On my visit, this section was limited to one type of soup and crackers to go with it.
To be fair, during previous visits — not during a hurricane — I have seen a slightly broader selection of hot foods in this lounge.
I was also able to get food delivered directly to my seat.
I noticed that each table had a QR code that could be scanned and used to get food and drinks delivered right to your seat.
This menu had additional hot-food options, such as sliders, soft pretzels with cheese, and doughnuts.
The lounge's highlight was its full bar, which offered a variety of beer, wine, and cocktail options.
Alcoholic drinks are notoriously pricey at airports, so having cocktails included in my visit to the lounge felt like a good value.
I also enjoyed the specialty coffee machine and soda fountain.
Other drinks, including plain and flavored water, tea, and soda helped me stay hydrated.
On-site bathrooms were cleaner and calmer than those found in the terminal.
A great perk of the lounge was having access to nice, clean-looking bathrooms. There were also shower rooms, though they were locked during my visit.
However, some areas in the lounge seemed like they could use some love.
In my opinion, parts of the lounge felt a bit dingy or in need of an update.
The power outlets I saw looked a bit grimy, and some of the seating areas seemed dated and quite worn down.
Despite The Club at MCO's downsides, being here still beats fighting for seating at the terminal.
The plentiful, comfortable chairs found in the lounge make it a worthy alternative to plopping down on the carpet in the crowded terminal — an occurrence so regular at MCO that the airport even has a statue depicting this scene.
I was happy my access to the lounge didn't cost extra this time. The $50 entry cost feels pretty high unless you really plan to take advantage of the complimentary food and beverages.
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