Melbourne Fl Airport: Size, Scale, And Significance

Melbourne Orlando International Airport (MLB) is located in Melbourne, Florida, 70 miles (113 km) southeast of Orlando, in the middle of Brevard County, on Florida's Space Coast. The airport is 1.5 miles (2.4 km) northwest of downtown Melbourne and is served by major airlines, including Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, and Elite Airways. The airport offers a range of amenities, including shopping, dining, and convenient rental car options, and is home to a thriving 1,380-acre business and industrial park. In 2023, the airport reported nearly 747,691 passengers, generating over $3.1 billion for the Space Coast's economy.

Location and distance from the city centre

The Melbourne Orlando International Airport (MLB) is located 1.5 miles (2.4 km) northwest of downtown Melbourne, in Brevard County, on Florida's Space Coast. The airport is 70-77 miles (around 110km) southeast of Orlando and its two larger airports. It is also 90 miles from Daytona Beach International Airport.

The airport is conveniently located for access to NASA Boulevard (State Road 508) and Interstate-95. It is also easily reached from Cocoa Beach, being only 45 minutes away, and Orlando, which is just under an hour's drive. The airport is also an hour from Disney World, and a short distance from beaches in Cocoa Beach and Melbourne, as well as Port Canaveral.

The airport is governed by a board appointed by the Melbourne City Council and the private sector. It is part of the Melbourne municipal budget and does not receive local tax dollars. The airport is served by the Melbourne Airport Authority Police Department and the Melbourne Fire Department.

The airport is home to a thriving business and industrial park, with aerospace and aviation companies as tenants, including the headquarters of Harris Corp. The Florida Institute of Technology Research, Science and Technology Park covers 100 acres, with companies such as Northrop Grumman, GE Railway, and Rockwell Collins leasing property.

Renovation and expansion projects

Melbourne Orlando International Airport has undergone significant renovation and expansion projects to enhance its facilities and improve the overall passenger experience.

In 2019, a $20 million upgrade was proposed for the airport, with funding from the Federal Aviation Administration, the Florida Department of Transportation, and the airport itself. This investment aimed to transform the airport and position it as a convenient gateway to Florida's Space Coast.

The airport also unveiled a $72 million renovation and expansion project, adding over 86,000 square feet of new and improved facilities. This expansion included the addition of a welcome centre and new passenger boarding bridges, enhancing the airport's capacity and functionality.

Melbourne Orlando International Airport is committed to supporting tourism in the region and making travel more accessible. The expansion projects have played a pivotal role in achieving these goals, providing easy access to beaches, the Kennedy Space Center, and cruise ports.

Additionally, the airport has attracted companies like Embraer, which is constructing a business jet assembly facility expected to employ 200 workers. This development further underscores the airport's role as a thriving hub for business and industrial activities, complementing its role as a leisure gateway.

The airport's strategic location, just 1.5 miles northwest of downtown Melbourne and 70 miles southeast of Orlando, makes it an ideal gateway to Central Florida's Space Coast. With its renovation and expansion projects, Melbourne Orlando International Airport is well-equipped to accommodate the growing needs of both leisure and business travellers.

Economic impact and tenants

Melbourne Orlando International Airport (MLB) is a public airport located 1.5 miles (2.4 km) northwest of downtown Melbourne, in Brevard County, Florida. The airport is home to more than 60 tenants from various industries, including aerospace, defence, and manufacturing.

Economic Impact

The airport has a significant economic impact on the region, generating more than $3.1 billion annually for the Space Coast's economy, according to a 2023 study by the Florida Department of Transportation. The airport's operations support over 14,300 jobs, with an additional 43,000 indirect jobs relying on its functions. The economic impact is expected to grow, with the airport's employment figure projected to reach 23,000 by 2033. The key employment sectors associated with the airport include transport, postal and warehousing, retail, accommodation and food services, manufacturing, and wholesale trade.

The airport also attracts a substantial number of visitors to the area, with approximately 7.9 million visitors arriving in Melbourne annually through MLB. These visitors contribute significantly to the local economy, spending nearly $8.3 billion each year in the State of Victoria. This accounts for almost 50% of the total current tourism expenditure in the state.

In addition to the direct economic impact, the airport facilitates off-airport air cargo operations, supporting nearly 701,000 jobs and contributing $150 billion to the state's economic impact.

Tenants

The tenants of Melbourne Orlando International Airport include major companies such as Northrop Grumman, GE Railway, Rockwell Collins, DRS Technologies, and L3 Harris. The airport also leases property to two hospitals and one hotel. Additionally, the Florida Institute of Technology Research, Science and Technology Park covers about 100 acres (40 ha) adjacent to the airport.

The airport has undergone recent renovations and expansions, including an 80,000-square-metre warehouse construction in the Melbourne Airport Business Park, which is expected to generate approximately 700 jobs. A new Embraer Business Jet Assembly Facility is also under construction, intending to employ 200 workers.

Melbourne Orlando International Airport serves as a vital economic hub for the region, contributing significantly to job creation, tourism, and the success of its diverse tenants.

Airlines and destinations

Melbourne Orlando International Airport (MLB) is located 1.5 miles (2.4 km) northwest of downtown Melbourne, Florida, and 70 miles (113 km) southeast of Orlando. The airport is a convenient gateway to Florida's Space Coast and is close to the NASA Kennedy Space Center.

The airport is served by major airlines such as Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, and Elite Airways, which provide direct flights to destinations within the United States. These include:

• Atlanta, Georgia: Delta Air Lines offers several daily nonstop flights to Atlanta, which is one of the airline's largest hubs.
• Charlotte, North Carolina: American Airlines offers several daily nonstop flights to Charlotte, another one of its largest hubs.
• New York: Elite Airways operates flights to Washington Dulles International Airport, providing connections to New York.
• Cincinnati, Ohio: There is a twice-weekly nonstop service to the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport.
• Minneapolis, Minnesota: Sun Country Airlines operates twice-weekly nonstop seasonal service to Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport.

In addition to these, there are an average of 9 passenger flights scheduled to depart from Melbourne every day to 6 nonstop destinations across 5 US states. Historically, the airport has also had direct flights to other destinations, including Seattle, Los Angeles, Miami, Tampa, and Washington, D.C.

Amenities and services

Melbourne Orlando International Airport (MLB) is a full-service airport that serves as a gateway to Florida's Space Coast. The airport is located 1.5 miles (2.4 km) northwest of downtown Melbourne, in Brevard County, Florida, and is easily accessible from Interstate-95. The airport offers a range of amenities and services to enhance the passenger experience.

For dining, MLB offers a variety of options, including donuts, quick-service bites, and a restaurant featuring local brews. The airport also provides convenient on-site rental car options from major companies, with a rental car area located just off the baggage claim. MLB's parking is conveniently located just steps away from ticketing and the security checkpoint.

The airport is home to a thriving 1,380-acre business and industrial park, featuring the Florida Tech Research Park. Tenants include prominent aviation and aerospace companies, such as Harris Corp, Northrop Grumman, GE Railway, Rockwell Collins, DRS Technologies, and L3 Harris. The park also leases property to two hospitals and one hotel.

MLB offers easy check-in and nonstop service to destinations throughout North America, the Caribbean, and the world. Major airlines serving the airport include Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, Elite Airways, and Porter Airlines. The airport provides convenient access to nearby attractions such as Cocoa Beach, Orlando, Walt Disney World, and Cape Canaveral.

In recent years, the airport has undergone significant upgrades and renovations, including a $72 million expansion project that added more than 86,000 square feet of new and improved facilities and amenities. The airport is served by the Melbourne Airport Authority Police Department for law enforcement and the Melbourne Fire Department for fire and rescue services.

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