MCO Plaza Premium Lounge Review: Overcrowded Priority Pass Option
It's excellent if the crowds are light — but that's a big if.
Many or all of the products on this page are from partners who compensate us when you click to or take an action on their website, but this does not influence our evaluations or ratings. Our opinions are our own.
Published · 4 min read
Written by
Lead Writer/Spokesperson 
Edited by
Managing Editor 
Orlando International Airport (MCO) Terminal C’s Plaza Premium Lounge is big, bright and ambitious — but it doesn’t always live up to the promise. Located in the airport’s newest Terminal C, this 10,000-square-foot space was designed with thoughtful amenities including luxury bathrooms.
The lounge's popularity is also its biggest drawback. When it’s packed, it can feel more crowded than the Magic Kingdom in the summer. Here’s what travelers should know before deciding whether this Priority Pass-eligible lounge is worth a stop.
The Plaza Premium Lounge is located airside in Terminal C, on Level 2 near Gate 241. This terminal serves airlines including Aer Lingus, British Airways, Emirates, Icelandair, JetBlue and Lufthansa.
The lounge isn’t connected airside to Terminals A or B, so lounge hopping isn’t practical unless you're flying out of Terminal C.
Access to the Plaza Premium Lounge at MCO is available via:
- Priority Pass (offered as a complimentary perk on many travel credit cards).
- Plaza Premium Lounge Pass Americas, a lounge membership product that includes U.S. locations.
- Day passes (prices vary by demand, but hover around $70).
Top cards with Priority Pass
Annual fee
$895.
$395.
$650.
Priority Pass benefits
Priority Pass Select membership. Enrollment required. No restaurants.
Terms apply.
Priority Pass Select membership. No restaurants.
Priority Pass Select membership. Enrollment required. No restaurants.
Terms apply.
Learn more
Design
This lounge is designed with a green and blue color palette intended to reflect Central Florida’s springs and waterways. Maximalist wallpaper and large art pieces evoke the spirit of Florida.
Floor-to-ceiling windows overlook the tarmac on one side (great for plane spotting) and Terminal C’s Palm Court concourse on the other.
Places to sit range from custom-designed couches to semi-private workspaces with international charging ports. There’s also a dedicated quiet zone.
Complimentary luggage storage is convenient and low-key necessary, given the lounge’s usual crowds.
One of the lounge’s most charming features is an interactive family zone, where touch screens on the wall make for a fun activity. The interactive “Tasty Turtle Treats” game, which you play by standing in front of a giant screen, is a must-try (at least if you’re around age 10).
It's LEED Certified, meaning the space was built to meet certain sustainability standards.
Food and drinks
Compared to the majority of other Priority Pass lounges in the U.S., the Plaza Premium Lounge’s food selection is a cut above.
Items at the buffet feature globally inspired options, including:
- Cuban-style ground beef.
- Chicken and vegetable stir fry.
- Assorted pasta dishes.
- Pastries, including cakes and cookies.
Then there is a separate area where you can order items that are made fresh for an additional fee. These include cheeseburgers, chicken tenders and fries.
Adults can sample cocktails curated by the lounge’s mixologists — including three drink recipes exclusive to Plaza Premium guests. But aside from house beers and wines, most alcohol costs extra.
For what it’s worth, drinks were pretty affordable by airport standards, with some cocktails under $10.
Bathrooms and showers
There are showers (which cost extra) and bathrooms, which Plaza Premium’s marketing materials promote as “luxury washrooms with spa-like shower facilities.”
But I can’t vouch for them. Every time I’ve gone to the lounge, there’s been a line down the hallway just to use them, so I never have.
I was too impatient to wait — especially with no-line bathrooms in the public areas of the terminal — and felt awkward blocking the hallway as people passed with plates of food.
The crowd factor
Here’s the catch: this lounge gets crowded. Usually, the dining area has the energy of a cheap hotel breakfast buffet right before closing.
It’s not just the buffet area that’s packed, but seating throughout the lounge. During one visit, a traveler politely asked to share a cocktail table with me because there were no other spots available (I said yes).
Arrive at the wrong time, and you may end up inhaling a rice bowl and some cookies while standing.
I’ve never seen the lounge use waitlists to manage crowds, though I think it might help. A spokesperson for Plaza Premium confirmed that they do not have a formal waitlist system in place, but is currently exploring options to better manage capacity.
Although they sometimes post signs outside saying the lounge is full and seats are not guaranteed, they keep letting people in.
The Plaza Premium Lounge at MCO is a legitimate upgrade over most other Priority Pass lounges in the U.S., and it’s definitely the best of MCO’s Priority Pass lounges. The food is good, but only stick around if crowds are light.
And it's probably not worth paying for a day pass. Lounges are supposed to be a respite from the hectic terminal.
Terminal C at MCO is already calm and well-designed. Ironically, it’s the Plaza Premium Lounge that feels more chaotic.
I’ll generally take the free food over paying for a meal. But if I see a mob outside the Plaza Premium check-in desk, I head to Sunshine Diner or Wine Bar George instead. Then I kill time making pressed pennies and taking photos with Hagrid’s motorbike replica at the Universal Orlando store instead.
(Top photo by Sally French)
To view rates and fees of the American Express Platinum Card®, see this page.
To view rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, see this page.
To view rates and fees of the Hilton Honors American Express Card, see this page.
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2026:
- Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
- No annual fee: Wells Fargo Autograph® Card
- Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®
- Luxury perks: American Express Platinum Card®
- Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Article sources
NerdWallet writers are subject matter authorities who use primary,
trustworthy sources to inform their work, including peer-reviewed
studies, government websites, academic research and interviews with
industry experts. All content is fact-checked for accuracy, timeliness
and relevance. You can learn more about NerdWallet's high
standards for journalism by reading our
editorial guidelines.
Airport Lounge Cards from our Partners
Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
Rewards rate 1x Miles
Intro offer 70,000 Miles
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Rewards rate 1x-8x Points
Intro offer 125,000 Points
More like this
Related articles
