Part of the cost of a vacation is the flights to get there, and with the number of airlines and flights per day, there are A LOT to choose from, which can be quite overwhelming. But don’t worry, we’re here to help you both plan your vacation and save you money!

When you’re flying to Disney World, it may seem like the Orlando International Airport (MCO) is the obvious choice to fly into since it’s only about 20 minutes from the resorts (without traffic, of course). But what if I told you there is a better option that can save you over 57%? Let’s check it out!

The Orlando International Airport (MCO) is an extremely popular option for guests traveling to Disney World. There is a plethora of airlines that fly into MCO from a TON of different cities with multiple flights each day. It’s also easy to find transportation to and from the airport with Mears Connect. This service will pick you up at the airport and drive you to your hotel and vice versa for $16 per adult (10+), $13 per child (ages 3 to 9), and free for children under 2, per way.

And this all sounds great until you hear the price. Because of its close proximity, it tends to cost more than other airports. Which poses the question: Is the close proximity worth the cost, or would you rather fly into an airport that is a little further away for nearly half the price? While that’s ultimately up to you, we think it’s extremely worth the cost to fly into an airport that’s just 40 minutes away from the resort.

We’re talking about the Sanford International Airport (SFB). There may not be as many flights and airlines at this airport as at MCO, but there are still flights offered from a slew of cities, including Boston, Atlanta, Baltimore, San Francisco, Chicago, and more! To compare the cost of flights between both airports, we’re going to be looking at a vacation from January 10th to January 17th, 2027, from Asheville, North Carolina.

Starting with MCO, we’re going to be taking a round-trip flight on American Airlines. Our flight there will leave at 10:18 AM and get us to Orlando at 1:59 PM, meaning we’ll still be able to take advantage of a night at Disney! And on the way back, we’ll be taking a 2:57 PM flight, which will get us back to Asheville at 6:35 PM. Both flights have one connection. We’ll be going for the cheapest option in terms of flight tier, so we’ll be choosing to fly Main Economy. With this ticket, we’ll get one personal item and one carry-on item. This roundtrip base fare costs $339.

We will need to pay for our seats, which will cost $60 for both flights on the way down to MCO and $41 for both flights on the way back to Asheville. After base fare, seat selection, and taxes and fees, the total for the flight to MCO from Asheville is $439.39.

Now, let’s look at the numbers for a flight into SFB. For this flight, we’ll be taking Allegiant Air. Our flight there will leave at 12:50 PM and get us to Sanford at 2:26 PM, meaning we’ll still be able to take advantage of a night at Disney! And on the way back, we’ll be taking an 8:30 AM flight, which will get us back to Asheville at 10:04 AM. Both of these flights are nonstop. We’ll be going for the cheapest option in terms of flight tier, so we’ll be choosing to fly Basic. With this ticket, we’ll get one personal item, one carry-on item, and free seat selection. This roundtrip base fare costs $132.37.

The base fare includes a $20 discount, which Allegiant gives when you book certain flights roundtrip. While you can pay for upgraded legroom or seats closer to the front of the plane, we will be choosing seats included with our ticket to save money. These seats are in rows 15 and back. After base fare and taxes and fees, the total for the flight to SFB from Asheville is $188.50.

By flying into SFB instead of MCO, you’ll be saving 57.1%! How crazy is that?! Keep in mind that these are the prices as of writing, and they could change. If you want the best deals, our recommendation is to book as soon as possible! You can always change your flight if you see a bigger discount, but you can’t change it if you don’t book.

Now, let’s look at getting from the airports to the resort. For this, we’re going to be booking an Uber from the airports to Disney’s Contemporary Resort. From SFB to the Contemporary, it would cost $57.95 when you book in advance. On the way back to SFB from the Contemporary, booking an Uber ahead would cost $47.95. Both are the UberX option, holding up to four people per car.

When traveling to and from MCO, you can either take Mears Connect for $16 per adult (10+), $13 per child (ages 3 to 9), and free for children under 2, per way, or you can take a rideshare. When looking at Uber again, the ride from MCO to the Contemporary will be $40.95, while the ride to MCO from the Contemporary will cost $34.95. Both are the UberX option, holding up to four people per car.

For more tips and tricks on traveling to Disney World, stay tuned to the Disney Food Blog!

Now it’s time for vacation! Check out the video below for a full 5-day itinerary!

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Are you headed to Disney World any time soon? Let us know in the comments below!