Orlando's first new Gate Link tram is running to Gates 100-129, with Gates 70-99 up next

Travelers headed to Gates 100-129 at Orlando International (MCO) are now riding new trams. The airport put the first rebuilt Gate Link track into service on Oct. 1, according to the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority's release. The authority, known as GOAA, runs the airport.

It is the first big step in a $253 million project to replace the Gate Link trams to two of Orlando's four airsides. That project is part of a $6.9 billion plan to modernize the airport.

What Gate Link is

At Orlando, you check in and clear security in the main North Terminal, which holds Terminals A and B. Most gates are not in that building. They sit in four separate buildings, called airsides, out on the airfield. Driverless trams, which the airport calls Gate Link, shuttle you between the main terminal and each airside.

Each airside has two tram lines, side by side. This project covers two airsides:

• Airside 2 (Gates 100-129). Its Gate Link opened in 2000.
• Airside 4 (Gates 70-99). Its Gate Link opened in 1990, and its cars were last replaced in 2008.

The other two airsides, for Gates 1-29 and 30-59, got new trams in 2017. Terminal C, which opened in 2022, is a separate building.

Each line is about 2,000 feet long. GOAA says a one-way ride takes about 90 seconds, with a 40-second stop at each station.

What's new

The new trams carry up to 240 passengers per set of cars. The crews also replaced the running surfaces, power equipment, vehicle controls and communications. The platforms got new screen doors.

"Through our $6.9 billion Capital Improvement Program, we are building an airport for the future," said Lance Lyttle, GOAA's chief executive. "This Gate Link milestone brings that vision to life with a smoother, more dependable experience for passengers."

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries America is building the system and will also run and maintain it, according to GOAA's project page.

What comes next

Work now moves to the second line to Gates 100-129. The new line stays open while crews work. After that, the project moves to Gates 70-99. There, both lines, their trams and the systems behind them will be replaced.

The project page lists the Airside 4 work from December 2026 to October 2027, one line at a time. It projects the whole job to finish in late 2027. That page had listed July 2026 for the first line, so this milestone came a few months later than that timeline. The new release does not give updated dates.

While one line is down, the other keeps running. GOAA uses shuttle buses, called COBUS, at times, mostly overnight. The airport says most people should only lose a few minutes. It tells travelers to reach security at least two hours before departure. It also asks people picking up rental cars or rides to allow an extra 30 minutes.

What it means for lounges

This is where the next phase matters. Lounge Frog lists no lounge in Airside 2, so the first phase didn't touch any lounge trips. Airside 4, at Gates 70-99, is different. It holds two of Orlando's lounges, and both will be reached by the Gate Link lines due for work through most of 2027:

• The Club MCO (Airside 4) is near Gate 91. It rates 4.5 out of 5 and is the only lounge in the four airsides with a shower in our data. Priority Pass, LoungeKey and DragonPass members get in. Our listing shows $60 day passes and hours of 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• The Delta Sky Club is near Gate 71 in the center atrium. It rates 4.0 and takes Delta Sky Club members and eligible SkyTeam elites. Our listing shows entry within three hours of departure.

Orlando's other lounges are outside the project:

• American's Admirals Club, near Gate 55 in Airside 3, rated 4.0.
• The United Club, near Gate 43 in Airside 3, rated 4.0.
• The Club MCO (Airside 1), at Gates 1-29, rated 3.8, also on Priority Pass.
• The Plaza Premium Lounge in Terminal C, near Gate 241. It is our top pick at Orlando, at 4.7, with two showers.

Each lounge is past security in its own building. The airsides don't connect to each other, so pick a lounge in the airside your flight leaves from. If your gate is in Airside 4 during next year's work, leave a few extra minutes for the tram.

What we don't know

GOAA has not said when the second line to Gates 100-129 will open. It has not updated its dates for Airside 4. It has not said if Airside 4 trips will need shuttle buses more often than Airside 2 did. For more on Orlando, see Emirates' new A350 service there and every lounge we track on our Orlando airport page.