Orlando International Airport

For the other international airport serving the Orlando area, see Orlando Sanford International Airport.

Orlando International Airport
File:Orlando International Airport Logo.svg
View of a terminal as seen from an arriving plane with the control tower in the background
IATA: MCO ICAO: KMCO FAA LID: MCO WMO: 72205
Summary
Airport type	Public
Owner/Operator	Greater Orlando Aviation Authority
Serves	Orlando, Florida, U.S.
Location	Orlando, Florida, U.S.
Hub for	Silver Airways
Focus city for	Frontier Airlines JetBlue Airways Southwest Airlines
Elevation AMSL	96 ft / 29 m
Coordinates	28°25′46″N 81°18′32″W
Website	orlandoairports.net
Maps
FAA airport diagram
MCO Location of airport in Florida / United States MCO MCO (the United States)
Runways
Direction Length Surface ft m 17L/35R 9,001 2,743 Concrete 17R/35L 10,000 3,048 Concrete 18L/36R 12,005 3,659 Asphalt/Concrete 18R/36L 12,004 3,659 Concrete
Helipads
Number Length Surface ft m H1 44 13 Concrete
Statistics (2016)
Aircraft operations 316,981 Passengers 41,923,399
Source: Aircraft operations: Federal Aviation Administration Passengers: Airports Council International

Orlando International Airport (IATA: MCO, ICAO: KMCO, FAA LID: MCO) is a major public airport located six miles (10 km) southeast of Orlando, Florida, United States. It is the second-busiest airport in the state of Florida, as over 40.2 million passengers were handled at the airport as of 2015. This makes it the 14th-busiest airport in the U.S. by total passenger traffic. It is also notable for being one of the few U.S. airports with four parallel runways.

The airport serves as a hub for Silver Airways, as well as a focus city for Frontier Airlines, JetBlue Airways, and Southwest Airlines. Southwest Airlines is the airport's largest carrier by passengers carried. The airport also is a major international gateway for the mid Florida region, with flights by foreign air carriers.

The airport code MCO stands for the airport's former name, McCoy Air Force Base, a Strategic Air Command (SAC) installation, that was closed in 1975 as part of a general military drawdown following the end of the Vietnam War.

In terms of commercial airline service, the Greater Orlando area is also served by Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB), and more indirectly by Daytona Beach International Airport (DAB), Orlando Melbourne International Airport (MLB), Tampa International Airport (TPA), and St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport (PIE).

History

Military years

See also: McCoy Air Force Base

The airfield was originally constructed as a U.S. Army Air Forces facility and military operations began in 1942 as Orlando Army Air Field #2, an auxiliary airfield to Orlando Army Air Base, which is now known as Orlando Executive Airport. Orlando Army Air Field #2 was renamed Pinecastle Army Airfield in January 1943. At the end of World War II, Pinecastle was briefly used for unpowered glide tests of the Bell X-1 from B-29 aircraft before the program moved to Muroc Army Airfield in California– now Edwards AFB – for the world's first supersonic flight. With the establishment of an independent U.S. Air Force in 1947, the airfield was briefly placed in caretaker status, until being reactivated during the Korean War as a Strategic Air Command (SAC) facility for B-47 Stratojets and KC-97 Stratofreighters and renamed Pinecastle AFB.

In the 1950s, the base began hosting SAC's annual Bombing and Navigation Competition. A B-47 Stratojet crashed during the 1958 competition, killing Colonel Michael Norman Wright McCoy, commander of the 321st Bombardment Wing, which was the host wing for Pinecastle AFB. The following year the base was renamed for McCoy. The base later was home to the 306th Bombardment Wing operating the B-52 Stratofortress and the KC-135 Stratotanker. It was also used by EC-121 Warning Star early warning aircraft of the 966th Airborne Early Warning and Control Squadron, a tenant unit at McCoy assigned to the Aerospace Defense Command.

During the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962, McCoy AFB became a temporary forward operating base for more than 120 F-100 Super Sabre and F-105 Thunderchief fighter bombers and the primary base for U-2 reconnaissance aircraft flying over Cuba. One of these U-2s was shot down by Soviet-operated SA-2 Guideline surface-to-air missiles near Banes, Cuba. Its pilot, Major Rudolf Anderson, Jr., USAF, was the crisis' only combat death. Following the crisis, McCoy AFB hosted a permanent U-2 operating detachment of the 100th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing until 1973.

McCoy AFB was identified for closure in early 1973 as part of a post-Vietnam reduction in force. The following year, McCoy's 306th Bombardment Wing was inactivated, its B-52D Stratofortress and KC-135A Stratotanker aircraft reassigned to other SAC units and most of the McCoy AFB facility turned over to the city of Orlando by the General Services Administration (GSA) in late 1974 and early and mid 1975. USAF responsibility for the airfield's air traffic control tower was turned over to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the airport established its own crash, fire and rescue department, initially utilizing equipment transferred by the GSA.

Civil-military years

In the early 1960s, when jet airline flights came to Orlando, the installation became a joint civil-military facility.

Early jetliners such as the Boeing 707, Boeing 720, Douglas DC-8 and Convair 880 required longer and sturdier runways than the ones at Herndon Airport (now Orlando Executive Airport). Nearby lakes and commercial and residential development made expansion impractical, so an agreement was reached between the city of Orlando and the U.S. Air Force in 1962 to use McCoy AFB under a joint arrangement. The military offered a large AGM-28 Hound Dog missile maintenance hangar and its associated flight line ramp area in the northeast corner of the field for conversion into a civil air terminal. The city would then cover the cost of building a replacement missile maintenance hangar on the main base's western flight line. The new civil facility would be known as the Orlando Jetport at McCoy and would operate alongside McCoy AFB. This agreement became a model for other joint civil-military airports in operation today.

Airline flights to the Orlando Jetport began shortly after an agreement was signed by the city and USAF in October 1961. Over the next few years airline flights shifted from the old Herndon Airport (renamed in 1982 as the Orlando Executive Airport (IATA: ORL, ICAO: KORL, FAA LID: ORL)). In 1971 scheduled airlines were Delta Air Lines, Eastern Air Lines, National Airlines and Southern Airways.

When McCoy AFB closed in 1975, part of the facility stayed under military control to support Naval Training Center Orlando and several tenant commands.

There are only a few enclaves on the original McCoy AFB site that the military still uses such as the 164th Air Defense Artillery Brigade from the Florida Army National Guard in the former McCoy AFB Officers Club complex, an Army Reserve intelligence unit in the former SAC Alert Facility, the 1st Lieutenant David R. Wilson Armed Forces Reserve Center supporting multiple units of the Army Reserve, Navy Reserve and Marine Corps Reserve that was constructed in 2002, and a large Navy Exchange for active, reserve and retired military personnel and their dependents.

Civil-only years

Two Delta Air Lines Boeing 757-200s parked at MCO

In 1975, the final Air Force contingent departed McCoy AFB and the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) was established as a state-chartered local governmental agency and an enterprise fund of the city of Orlando. GOAA's mission was to operate, manage and oversee construction of expansions and improvements to both the Orlando International Airport and the Orlando Executive Airport. The airport gained its current name and international airport status a year later in 1976, but retained its old IATA airport code MCO and ICAO airport code KMCO.

The airport became a U.S. Customs Service Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) in 1978, said zone being designated as FTZ #42. In 1979, the facility was also designated as a large hub airport by the FAA based on flight operations and passenger traffic.

In 1978, construction of the current Landside Terminal and Airsides 1 and 3 began, opening in 1981. The original International Concourse was housed in Airside 1 and opened in 1984. Funding to commence developing the east side of the airport was bonded in 1986, with Runway 17/35 (now 17R/35L) completed in 1989. Airside 4 opened in 1990 and also contains an International Concourse for the processing of international flights. Airside 2, which filled out what will become known as the North Terminal complex, was completed in 2000, with the last additional gates added in 2006. Runway 17L/35R was opened in 2003, providing the airport with a total of four runways.

In 1978, the airport handled 5 million passengers. By 2000 that number had risen to 30 million. Today it covers 54 square kilometers (20.8 sq mi) and is the fourth-largest airport in the United States by area after Denver International Airport which covers 136 square kilometers (52.4 sq mi) of land area, Dallas-Fort Worth which covers 70 square kilometers (26.9 sq mi), and Southwest Florida International Airport (Fort Myers) which covers 55 square kilometers (21.2 sq mi). MCO has North America's second tallest control tower, replacing two earlier Air Force and FAA control towers.

Orlando was a designated Space Shuttle emergency landing site. The west-side runways, Runway 18L/36R and Runway 18R/36L, were designed for B-52 Stratofortress bombers and due to their proximity to NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center, were an obvious choice for an emergency landing should an emergency "return to launch site (RTLS) attempt to land at KSC have fallen short. The runway was also an emergency divert site for NASA's Boeing 747 Shuttle Transport Aircraft when relocating orbiters from either west coast modification work or divert recoveries at Edwards AFB, California or the White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico.

Eastern Air Lines used Orlando as a hub during the 1970s and early 1980s, and became "the official airline of Walt Disney World." Following Eastern's demise, Delta Air Lines assumed this role, although it later pulled much of its large aircraft hub operations from Orlando, and focused its service there on regional jet flights, specifically with Atlantic Southeast Airlines, Comair and Chautauqua Airlines – all part of the Delta Connection system. All Delta Connection service ended September 30, 2008. After the merger with Northwest Airlines, Delta Connection service to Grand Rapids started. Delta Connection service to Raleigh/Durham also started and service to Miami began on March 27, 2011, but service to Miami has since ended. In recent years, Delta Air Lines has increased its service at Orlando to many places around the U.S., as well as seasonal service to Cancun, Mexico.

On February 22, 2005, the airport became the first airport in Florida to accept E-Pass and SunPass toll transponders as a form of payment for parking. The system allows drivers to enter and exit a parking garage without pulling a ticket or stopping to pay the parking fee. The two toll roads that serve the airport, SR 528 (Beachline Expressway) and SR 417 (Central Florida GreeneWay), use these systems for automatic toll collection.

In October 2006, a 100-space Cell Phone Parking Lot for drivers to use while waiting for passengers to arrive was opened. The lot is set up as a free Wi-Fi Hotspot, enabling drivers to use their mobile devices to access the Internet, check e-mail, and monitor flight status. Around the same time an Express Pickup service at each terminal allowing drivers to park their vehicles temporarily at a secure location just outside the baggage reclaim area in order to meet their arriving party in person was opened. A fee is charged for this service and is only available to E-Pass and SunPass users.

The original terminal building, a converted hangar, was described as inadequate for the task at hand even when it was first opened as Orlando Jetport. After its closure in 1981, it passed through several tenants, the last of which was UPS. It was demolished in May 2006.

On February 1, 2010, Allegiant began operations at the airport. The company moved one half of its Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB) schedule to Orlando to test revenue at the higher cost airport. After evaluating the routes out of Orlando, the carrier decided to consolidate and return its Orlando area operations to Sanford citing an inability to achieve a fare premium at Orlando as anticipated, passenger preference for Orlando Sanford International Airport, higher costs at Sanford than expected and a more efficient operating environment at Sanford.

By the end of 2015, the airport handled 38.8 million passengers, surpassing its previous record of 36.4 million in 2007. In April 2016, the airport reached 40.2 million passengers, just 3 million less than Miami International.

Terminals and concourses

View of the East Atrium, showing the on-site hotel rooms of the Hyatt Regency

Atrium

Tramway

The Orlando International Airport has a hub-and-spoke layout with a large main terminal building and four airside concourses accessible via elevated people movers. The main terminal building is divided into two terminals; A and B. There are passenger check-in and baggage claim facilities on both the building's north side (Terminal A), and on the building's south side (Terminal B). Both terminals share two security checkpoints, one in the West Hall leading to Airsides 1 & 3, and another in the East Atrium, leading to Airsides 2 & 4, with a total of 129 gates. Unlike the similar setup used in Tampa, passengers are required to go through security before accessing the people movers.

Airsides 1 and 3, and later Airside 4, were designed by KBJ Architects, while Airside 2 was designed by Hellmuth, Obata and Kassabaum, Helman Hurley Charvat Peacock Architects, and Rhodes + Brito Architects. C.T. Hsu + Associates and Rhodes + Brito Architects designed renovations that were made to Airsides 1 and 3, which were completed by April 2010.

Airside 4 currently serves as the airport's primary international arrivals concourse; Airside 1 also handles some international arrivals. Arriving international passengers who require immigration and/or customs clearance are processed through those checkpoints in the airside terminal where they arrive. After clearing U.S. immigration, passengers collect their baggage and clear U.S. customs. After clearing customs, international passengers must ride the people mover to the main terminal. Airside 4 provides escalator access directly from the customs hall to the people mover platform. This has eliminated the requirement for arriving international passengers to go through a security inspection between the customs area and the people mover, and as a result they now have the option of bringing their checked baggage with them on the people mover. Alternatively, passengers also have the option of placing their baggage on a transfer belt in the customs hall for transport to the main terminal's baggage claim. Passengers who are connecting to a flight in Airside 4 or clearing customs in Airside 1, as well as airport employees, will need to go through security upon exiting customs.

The airport features an on-site Hyatt Regency hotel within the main terminal structure. The hotel is located on the East Atrium side of the terminal with a fourth floor lobby level and guest rooms beginning on level five and above. The airport features an expansive lobby area for guests awaiting flights, convention space, several bars, and two restaurants including a signature restaurant on the top level of the terminal building overlooking the airport facility and runways below.

Terminal A

Major domestic carriers based in Terminal A include Alaska Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines and Virgin America. Major international carriers include Aer Lingus, Aeromexico, Avianca, Azul Brazilian Airlines, Copa Airlines, Norwegian Long Haul and WestJet.

Airside 1

• Gates 1–29
• Secondary International Arrivals Concourse
• Part of original terminal, Opened in 1981

Airside 2

• Gates 100–129

Terminal B

United Airlines at Gate 41 getting ready to depart to Newark Liberty International Airport.

Major domestic carriers based in Terminal B include American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Spirit and United Airlines. Major international carriers include Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge, Air Transat, British Airways, Emirates, Icelandair, LATAM Brasil, Lufthansa, Thomas Cook Airlines and Virgin Atlantic which primarily operate out of Airside 4, the airport's main international arrivals concourse.

Airside 3

• Gates 30–59
• American Airlines Admirals Club
• United Airlines United Club
• Part of original terminal, opened in 1981

Airside 4

• Gates 70–99
• Primary International Arrivals Concourse
• The Club at MCO
• Delta Air Lines Sky Club

Notable services

Delta Air Lines was the first airline with jet flights, with DC-8 'fanjet' 'Royal Service' flights.

Eastern Airlines 'the wings of man', became the first 'official' airline of the Walt Disney World Resort, and sponsored an attraction in their 'Tomorrowland' called: 'If You Had Wings'. Later when Eastern closed Delta took the attraction over, it was called Dream Flight.

In the early 1970s Delta, National, and Eastern Airlines began 'widebody' flights to MCO, National with the DC-10-10 and −30 and Delta and Eastern Airlines with the L-1011. Eastern had wide-body, intrastate service with L-1011 flights to Miami.

Lufthansa's and Virgin Atlantic's Boeing 747-400 are currently the largest airliners at the airport. Virgin Atlantic has multiple daily flights from the UK, Lufthansa one daily flight to Frankfurt am Main in Germany. During peak seasons, up to five Virgin Boeing 747s may be at Orlando's gates at once. British Airways competes with Virgin to London Gatwick with ten Boeing 777s a week.

The inaugural Emirates flight at Gate 84, operated with an Airbus A380 aircraft (this was one-time as the flight is operated by a Boeing 777-200LR).

In March 2015, Emirates announced that they will begin daily service to the airport from Dubai International Airport beginning September 1, 2015. The airport had tried to attract Emirates for five years before the service was announced. Orlando International was the first airport in Florida served by Emirates. The airline expects three major markets for the flights: leisure and corporate travelers along with locals of Asian heritage traveling to Asia, which is well-served by the airline. Greater Orlando Aviation Association Chair Frank Kruppenbacher called the new service "without question the biggest, most significant move forward for our airport" and estimates that the local economic impact of the new service will be up to $100 million annually. The inaugural flight was made with an Airbus A380. Regularly scheduled flights will operate Boeing 777-300ERs.

Airlines and destinations

Passenger

Airlines	Destinations
Aer Lingus	Dublin
Aeroméxico	Mexico City
Air Berlin	Düsseldorf
Air Canada	Ottawa Seasonal: Halifax
Air Canada Rouge	Montréal–Trudeau, Toronto–Pearson Seasonal: Vancouver (begins December 20, 2017)
Air Transat	Montréal–Trudeau, Toronto–Pearson Seasonal: Halifax, Moncton, Québec City
Alaska Airlines	Portland (OR), San Diego, Seattle/Tacoma
American Airlines	Charlotte, Chicago–O'Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Miami, New York–JFK, New York–LaGuardia, Philadelphia, Phoenix–Sky Harbor, Washington–National
Avianca	Bogotá
Azul Brazilian Airlines	Belo Horizonte-Confins (resumes December 3, 2017), Campinas, Recife
Bahamasair	Nassau Seasonal: Freeport
British Airways	London–Gatwick
Caribbean Airlines	Port of Spain Seasonal: Kingston–Norman Manley
Choice Airways operated by Swift Air	Charter: Atlantic City, Havana
Copa Airlines	Panama City
Delta Air Lines	Amsterdam (begins March 30, 2018),Atlanta, Boston, Cincinnati, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York–JFK, New York–LaGuardia, Salt Lake City, São Paulo–Guarulhos, Seattle/Tacoma Seasonal: Cancún, Raleigh/Durham
Delta Connection	Birmingham (AL) (begins December 21, 2017), Indianapolis, Raleigh/Durham Seasonal: Cleveland, Columbus–Glenn, Grand Rapids, Hartford, Kansas City, Louisville, Memphis, Milwaukee, Nashville, Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Washington–National
Eastern Air Lines	Seasonal Charter: Guatemala City
Edelweiss Air	Zürich (resumes January 16, 2018)
Emirates	Dubai–International
Eurowings operated by SunExpress Deutschland	Cologne/Bonn
Frontier Airlines	Buffalo (begins December 10, 2017), Cancún (begins October 31, 2017), Cedar Rapids/Iowa City (begins December 17, 2017), Charlotte, Chicago–O'Hare, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Colorado Springs, Columbus–Glenn, Denver, Detroit, Grand Rapids (begins December 13, 2017), Indianapolis, Knoxville (begins October 5, 2017), Las Vegas, Long Island/Islip, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, Nashville, New Orleans, Oklahoma City (begins November 1, 2017), Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Providence, Raleigh/Durham, San Diego, San Francisco, St. Louis, San Juan, Trenton, Tulsa, Washington–Dulles Seasonal: Atlanta, Austin, Des Moines, Kansas City, Madison, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Omaha
Icelandair	Seasonal: Reykjavík–Keflavík
JetBlue Airways	Aguadilla, Albany, Atlanta (begins March 8, 2018), Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Bogotá, Buffalo, Cancún, Hartford, Havana, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Montego Bay, Nassau, New York–JFK, New York–LaGuardia, Newark, Newburgh, Ponce, Port-au-Prince (begins December 14, 2017), Providence, Richmond, Salt Lake City, San José de Costa Rica, San Juan, Santo Domingo–Las Américas, Syracuse, Washington–National, White Plains, Worcester
LATAM Brasil	Rio de Janeiro–Galeão, São Paulo–Guarulhos
LATAM Chile	Seasonal: Santiago de Chile
LATAM Perú	Lima
Lufthansa	Frankfurt
Norwegian Air Shuttle operated by Norwegian Long Haul	London–Gatwick, Oslo–Gardermoen Seasonal: Copenhagen, Paris–Charles de Gaulle
Silver Airways	Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Key West, Pensacola, Tallahassee Seasonal: Marsh Harbour, North Eleuthera
Southwest Airlines	Albany, Aruba, Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Birmingham (AL), Buffalo, Chicago–Midway, Columbus–Glenn, Dallas–Love, Denver, Fort Lauderdale, Grand Rapids, Hartford, Houston–Hobby, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Long Island/Islip, Louisville, Manchester (NH), Memphis, Milwaukee, Montego Bay, Nashville, Newark, New Orleans, Norfolk, Philadelphia, Phoenix–Sky Harbor, Pittsburgh, Providence, Raleigh/Durham, Rochester (NY), San Antonio, San Diego, San Juan, St. Louis, Washington–Dulles, Washington–National Seasonal: Albuquerque, Boston, Cleveland, Detroit, Flint, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Oklahoma City, Omaha, Portland (ME)
Spirit Airlines	Akron/Canton, Atlanta, Atlantic City, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago–O'Hare, Cleveland, Dallas/Fort Worth, Detroit, Fort Lauderdale, Hartford, Houston–Intercontinental, Kansas City, Latrobe/Pittsburgh, New Orleans, Newark, Niagara Falls, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Plattsburgh (NY), San Juan Seasonal: Minneapolis/St. Paul
Sun Country Airlines	Minneapolis/St. Paul
Sunrise Airways	Port-au-Prince (begins October 17, 2017)
Sunwing Airlines	Toronto–Pearson Seasonal: Halifax, Moncton, Winnipeg
Thomas Cook Airlines	Seasonal: Birmingham (UK), Glasgow, London–Gatwick, London–Stansted, Manchester (UK)
United Airlines	Chicago–O'Hare, Cleveland, Denver, Houston–Intercontinental, Los Angeles, Newark, San Francisco, Washington–Dulles
Virgin America	Los Angeles, San Francisco
Virgin Atlantic	London–Gatwick, Manchester (UK) Seasonal: Belfast–International, Glasgow
Volaris	Guadalajara, Mexico City
WestJet	Calgary, Halifax, St. John's, Toronto–Pearson Seasonal: Edmonton, Hamilton (ON), London (ON), Moncton, Montréal–Trudeau, Ottawa, Regina, Vancouver, Winnipeg

Cargo

Airlines	Destinations
ABX Air	Cincinnati, Miami, San Juan
FedEx Express	Fort Lauderdale, Indianapolis, Memphis, Newark
FedEx Feeder operated by Mountain Air Cargo	Tallahassee
UPS Airlines	Columbia, Dallas/Fort Worth, Louisville, Newark

Statistics

Domestic statistics

Top destinations

Busiest domestic routes
(April 2016 – March 2017)

Rank	Airport	Passengers	Airlines
1	Atlanta, Georgia	1,389,920	Delta, Frontier, Southwest, Spirit
2	Newark, New Jersey	897,390	JetBlue, Southwest, Spirit, United
3	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	808,460	American, Frontier, Southwest, Spirit
4	New York City–JFK, New York	745,950	American, Delta, JetBlue
5	Chicago–O'Hare, Illinois	729,910	American, Frontier, Spirit, United
6	Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas	627,720	American, Spirit
7	Detroit, Michigan	586,390	Delta, Frontier, Southwest, Spirit
8	Baltimore, Maryland	564,050	JetBlue, Southwest, Spirit
9	New York–LaGuardia, New York	532,800	American, Delta, JetBlue
10	Denver, Colorado	529,430	Frontier, Southwest, United

Airline market share

Largest Airlines at MCO (Apr 2016 – Mar 2017)

Rank	Airline	Passengers	Share
1	Southwest Airlines	10,340,000	29.08%
2	Delta Air Lines	5,549,000	15.60%
3	American Airlines	5,487,000	15.43%
4	JetBlue Airways	4,860,000	13.67%
5	United Airlines	3,605,000	10.14%

International statistics

Orlando International Airport was the 14th largest international gateway in the United States and second largest in Florida (behind Miami International Airport) for the year ending June 2013. The airport handled 3,694,774 arrivals on international flights during that period, of which 82.9% were carried by a foreign airline and 17.1% by a domestic airline.

Top destinations

Busiest international routes from Orlando(2016)

Rank	City	2016 Passengers	2014 Passengers	Top carriers
1	London (Gatwick), United Kingdom	767,105	678,159	British Airways, Norwegian, Thomas Cook, Virgin Atlantic
2	Toronto (Pearson), Canada	685,697	623,443	Air Canada Rouge, Air Transat, Sunwing, WestJet
3	Manchester, United Kingdom	493,713	429,979	Thomas Cook, Virgin Atlantic
4	Mexico City, Mexico	358,928	187,364	Aeromexico, Volaris
5	Panama City, Panama	373,990	349,755	Copa Airlines
6	São Paulo (Guarulhos), Brazil	337,382	278,297	LATAM, Delta
7	Montréal, Canada	212,268	215,499	Air Canada rouge LP, Sky Regional Airlines Inc.
8	Bogotá, Colombia	180,854	190,613	Avianca, JetBlue
9	Nassau, Bahamas	131,726	127, 185	Bahamasair, JetBlue
10	Cancún, Mexico	103,458	103,116	Delta, JetBlue

Airline market share

International Airlines at Orlando (2015 – 2016) by number of passengers flown

Rank	Airline	Passengers 2015/2016	Change	Destinations
1	Virgin Atlantic Airways	15: 820,688 16: 863,387	05.2%	London–Gatwick, Manchester (UK) Seasonal: Belfast-International, Glasgow–International
2	Air Canada1	15: 571,336 16: 648,950	013.5%	Montréal–Trudeau, Ottawa, Toronto–Pearson Seasonal: Halifax
3	Copa Airlines	15: 386,291 16: 393,334	01.8%	Panama City
4	WestJet	15: 337,068 16: 370,399	09.8%	Calgary, Halifax, St. John's, Toronto–Pearson Seasonal: Charlottetown, Edmonton, Hamilton (ON), Kitchener–Waterloo, London (ON), Moncton, Montréal–Trudeau, Ottawa, Regina, Vancouver, Winnipeg
5	British Airways	15: 291,673 16: 279,486	04.1%	London–Gatwick
6	LATAM Brasil	15: 338,123 16: 268,125	020.7%	São Paulo–Guarulhos
7	Thomas Cook Airlines	15: 141,825 16: 247,046	074%	Seasonal: Belfast–International, Cardiff, Glasgow–International, London–Gatwick, London–Stansted, Manchester (UK)
8	Lufthansa	15: 232,162 16: 233,220	00.45%	Frankfurt
9	Azul Brazilian Airlines	15: 194,609 16: 203,129	04.3%	Campinas, Recife
10	Aeroméxico	15: 198,871 16: 201,896	01.5%	Mexico City

• ^1 Includes Air Canada Rouge

Annual traffic

Annual traffic

Year	Passengers ('000)	Change from previous year
2000	30,823,509	05.6%
2001	28,253,248	08.3%
2002	26,653,672	05.7%
2003	27,319,223	02.5%
2004	31,143,388	014.0%
2005	34,128,048	08.4%
2006	34,640,451	01.5%
2007	36,480,416	05.3%
2008	35,660,742	02.3%
2009	33,693,649	05.5%
2010	34,877,899	03.5%
2011	35,356,991	01.4%
2012	35,214,430	00.4%
2013	34,973,645	00.8%
2014	35,714,091	02.7%
2015	38,727,749	08.4%
2016	41,923,399	08.0%

Terminal expansions and renovations

Airside terminals 1 and 3, both of which opened in 1981, recently underwent major renovations designed by architects C.T. Hsu + Associates. The new terminal designs incorporate modern architectural features that includes new skylights and expanded concession areas. In addition, the mechanical and electrical systems were completely overhauled in each terminal. The project was completed in both terminals in 2010. In 2012, British Airways announced the opening of a 'shared lounge' in Airside 4.

Rental Car Quick Turnaround Facility

Two state of the art car rental facilities were recently completed on both the north side Terminal A and south side Terminal B. Select car rental agencies currently operate on-site car rental pickup in the ground level of the main parking garages. The new facilities has relocated the car rental pickup process to the new facilities and has allowed additional space for off-site agencies to relocate to the on-site airport facilities.

South Airport Intermodal Terminal

Main article: Orlando International Airport Intermodal Terminal

The South Airport Intermodal Terminal is currently under construction approximately one mile due south of the main airport terminal. The new station, which is partially being funded by the Florida Department of Transportation, will serve as the Orlando station for the Brightline higher speed regional rail service, which will connect Orlando International Airport to downtown Miami via the Florida East Coast Railway. The station, which will be connected to the main terminal via an automated people mover (APM) system, is mostly reusing plans from the original Florida High Speed Rail Orlando Airport station, which would have been northern terminus of the initial Orlando-Tampa route along the Interstate 4 corridor. However, on February 16, 2011, Florida Governor Rick Scott formally announced that he would be rejecting federal funds and effectively killing the Florida High Speed Rail project. The airport authority had already invested considerably to accommodate the station and high-speed rail line, such as the extra length of the south taxiway bridges over the southern airport access road (which will now be used by Brightline). As part of the estimated $684 million price tag for the intermodal terminal complex, the airport authority is also building a new 2,500 space parking garage.

A future connection to the SunRail commuter rail service is also being explored. The 5.5 mile route currently under consideration would travel 3.5 miles from the existing SunRail line along a Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) rail spur, which runs along the southern boundary of the airport's property and is used exclusively by coal trains to serve the Curtis H. Stanton Energy Center in eastern Orange County. From there, two options are currently under consideration; one plan would have SunRail trains branch north off of the existing OUC line and onto a new 2-mile spur that would terminate at the planned South Airport Intermodal Terminal. The second option being explored would be to build a transfer station along the OUC line where passengers would transfer from SunRail trains onto light rail trains that would run along a dedicated 2-mile line between the transfer and airport stations.

In addition to Brightline and SunRail, the station will also serve one of two proposed rail connections to International Drive. The first option being considered is an elevated maglev train system that would be built by American Maglev Technology, which would connect the airport to the Orange County Convention Center, the Florida Mall, and the Sand Lake Road SunRail station. A second option being explored would be a light rail line that would most likely run along a similar route as the maglev alternative between the airport and International Drive.

South Terminal Complex

File:MCO South Terminal Concept Art.png

Proposed design for the South Terminal

In May 2015, the Board of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) voted unanimously to approve construction of the $1.8 billion South Terminal Complex (STC), which will be located directly south of the existing terminal. The STC will be built adjacent to the South Airport Intermodal Terminal, which is currently under construction, and both will be connected to the existing terminal via a new Automated People Mover (APM). Phase I (which will be known as "Terminal C") will encompass approximately 300 acres and will include new aircraft taxiways and aprons, a 2.7 million square foot terminal building with 16-24 gates, and a 6-story 5,000 space parking garage. Construction of the STC is expected to begin sometime in 2017 and will be operational by 2019.

Transportation

The Orlando International Airport is a major transportation hub for the Central Florida region and provides various ground transportation options including public transit, private transportation, and car rental.

Lynx

Lynx, the local metro area public transportation system operates a sub-station at the airport with public bus service to Downtown Orlando and other area routes.

Disney's Magical Express

Main article: Disney's Magical Express

A complimentary motor coach transportation service to all twenty four Walt Disney World resort hotels. The motor coach service is operated by Mears Transportation and is available to Disney guests with resort reservations. An agreement with BAGS Incorporated also provides checked luggage pickup and delivery system for Disney guests utilizing the Disney's Magical Express service.

Cruiseline transportation

The airport serves as a major inbound gateway for cruise line passengers departing out of Port Canaveral on lines including Royal Caribbean International, Carnival Cruise Lines, Disney Cruise Line, SunCruz Casinos, and Sterling Casinos, all operating motorcoach transportation to Port Canaveral, primarily with partnerships with Mears Transportation.

Helipad and other

A de facto helipad, referred to by GOAA as a "helistop" in view of its limited facilities, is located on the top level of the terminal top parking garage and is available landing space with proper clearance for private transportation via helicopter. It is often used for transportation of high-profile celebrities, elected officials, and business and governmental executives to and from the airport.

See also

• B-52 Memorial Park
• Florida World War II Army Airfields
• Innovation Way
• World's busiest airports by passenger traffic

External links

• Official website
• FAA Airport Diagram (PDF), effective October 31, 2024
• Resources for this airport:
  • AirNav airport information for KMCO
  • ASN accident history for MCO
  • FlightAware airport information and live flight tracker
  • NOAA/NWS weather observations: current, past three days
  • SkyVector aeronautical chart for KMCO
  • FAA current MCO delay information