Owais Crawford
Orlando International Airport and Miami International Airport are two of the biggest airports in the United States. Orlando International Airport is the third-largest airport in the US and North America, covering 12,264 acres, or 53.83 square kilometres, and serving over 57 million passengers in 2023. On the other hand, Miami International Airport is the busiest airport in Florida, serving as a major hub for American Airlines and offering direct services to Central America and the Caribbean. While the exact size of the airport is not known, it is smaller than Orlando International Airport.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Orlando Airport's Ranking in the US | Third largest airport |
| Orlando Airport's Ranking in North America | Third largest airport |
| Orlando Airport's Area | 12,264 acres or 53.83km² (20.8 square miles) |
| Number of Runways at Orlando Airport | 4 |
| Number of Terminals at Orlando Airport | 2 |
| Miami Airport's Ranking in Florida | Busiest airport |
| Miami Airport's Ranking in the US | N/A |
| Miami Airport's Ranking in North America | N/A |
| Miami Airport's Area | N/A |
| Number of Runways at Miami Airport | N/A |
| Number of Terminals at Miami Airport | N/A |
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What You'll Learn
Orlando International Airport is the third-largest airport in the US
Orlando International Airport is a mecca for tourism and is the third-largest airport in the US and North America. It covers 12,264 acres of land, which makes it bigger than Los Angeles International Airport, JFK, and Miami International Airport combined. The airport has four runways and a hub-and-spoke design. Orlando Airport provides a range of transportation options, such as shuttles, taxis, ride-sharing services, and car rentals, making it easy for travellers to reach their destinations, including Disney World.
Orlando International Airport was first opened as McCoy US Air Force Base in 1942, which is how it got its IATA code, MCO. It became an international airport for public use in 1976 and was designated a large hub airport in 1979, having handled five million passengers in 1978. The airport served more than 57 million passengers in 2023, with 405,925 aircraft movements. To handle growing passenger traffic, MCO expanded to a South Terminal Complex (STC) that features Terminal C and a connection to an intermodal transport hub to link the airport with the Florida High-Speed Rail Line. Orlando Airport's new Terminal C has an undulating roof designed by Fentress Architects, reminiscent of Florida's natural landscapes.
The airport's main landside building has two terminals, A and B. Terminal A is on the northern side of the building and leads to Airside 1 and Airside 2, while the southern Terminal B links to Airsides 3 and 4. Orlando International Airport offers a wide range of dining and shopping options for travellers with layovers, including over 50 restaurants and 150 shops, including official merchandise stores for Disney, Sea World, Kennedy Space Center, and Universal Studios.
Orlando International Airport's large size is not unique among US airports. Due to the immense size of the United States, economic centres are often far apart, and air travel is the easiest and quickest way to travel between them. As a result, US airports regularly appear among the world's largest, and it is estimated that they handle half of the world's air traffic.
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Orlando Airport covers 12,264 acres
Orlando International Airport (MCO) is a major international gateway for the Florida region. The airport covers 12,264 acres, making it bigger than Los Angeles International Airport, JFK, and Miami International Airport combined. To put it into perspective, that's more than 4,696 hectares or 18.1 square miles. Orlando International Airport is one of the largest commercial airports in the United States, ranking as the third-largest airport in the country and in North America. With its vast size, the airport provides a wide range of transportation options, including shuttles, taxis, ride-sharing services, and car rentals, ensuring easy access to popular destinations such as Disney World.
Orlando International Airport's history dates back to its opening as McCoy US Air Force Base in 1942, which is the origin of its IATA code, MCO. In 1976, it transitioned into an international airport for public use. The airport is strategically located just 6 miles southeast of downtown Orlando, Florida, contributing to its popularity among travellers. Orlando's prominence as a tourist destination, particularly with the opening of the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World, has significantly increased air travel to the city.
The airport's infrastructure includes four runways and a hub-and-spoke design. Its North America's fourth-tallest control tower, standing at 345 feet. Orlando International Airport also boasts an impressive range of dining and shopping options. Passengers can choose from over 50 restaurants and explore more than 150 shops, including official merchandise stores for well-known attractions such as Disney, Sea World, Kennedy Space Center, and Universal Studios.
Orlando International Airport's size and significance in the aviation industry are noteworthy. Its expanse of 12,264 acres highlights its importance as a key transportation hub, accommodating the high volume of air traffic associated with tourism and business travel to and from Orlando, Florida.
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Miami International Airport is the busiest airport in Florida
In terms of land size, however, Miami International Airport is smaller than Orlando International Airport, which is the third-largest airport in the US and North America. Orlando International Airport covers 12,264 acres, while Miami International Airport serves as a hub for American Airlines, connecting Florida to the rest of the world.
Orlando International Airport, with its four runways and a hub-and-spoke design, provides a range of transportation options, including shuttles, taxis, ride-sharing services, and car rentals. The airport served more than 57 million passengers in 2023, with 405,925 aircraft movements. The site features a main landside building with two terminals: Terminal A, which leads to Airside 1 and Airside 2, and Terminal B, which links to Airsides 3 and 4.
Miami International Airport, despite being smaller in size, handles a significant volume of passenger traffic and plays a crucial role in connecting Florida to the world, making it the busiest airport in the state.
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Orlando Airport has four runways
Orlando International Airport, located 6 miles southeast of downtown Orlando, is the primary international airport in the area. It is a major international gateway for the Florida region, with over 1,000 daily flights serving over 170 domestic and international destinations. The airport features four runways, with Runway 17L/35R being the latest addition, opened in 2003. The west-side runways, Runway 18L/36R and Runway 18R/36L, were designed for B-52 Stratofortress bombers and served as an emergency landing site for NASA's missions.
Orlando Airport's four runways contribute to its ranking as one of the largest airports in the United States. Covering 12,264 acres, it is bigger than Los Angeles International Airport, JFK, and Miami International Airport combined. The airport's vast size is due in part to its history as McCoy US Air Force Base, which was closed in 1975 and converted into an international airport for public use in 1976.
The four runways at Orlando Airport accommodate a high volume of air traffic, with the airport handling 57,211,628 passengers in 2024, making it the busiest airport in Florida and the ninth busiest in the United States. The airport serves as a base for several airlines, including Breeze Airways, Frontier Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and Spirit Airlines, with Southwest being the largest carrier by passenger numbers.
In addition to its four runways, Orlando Airport offers a range of transportation options, including shuttles, taxis, ride-sharing services, and car rentals. The airport also features an on-site Hyatt Regency hotel within the main terminal structure, providing convenience and comfort for travellers. The hotel is located on the east side of the Terminal A/B complex, with guest rooms starting on level five, offering stunning views of the airport facility and runways below.
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Orlando Airport has a range of transportation options
Orlando International Airport is one of the biggest airports in the US and in North America. It covers 12,264 acres of land, making it bigger than Los Angeles International Airport, JFK, and Miami International Airport combined. The airport has four runways and a hub-and-spoke design. Orlando Airport also provides a range of transportation options, making it easy to reach your destination. These include:
Shuttles
Shuttle services are available to and from Orlando International Airport. SuperShuttle, for example, offers a variety of flexible transportation options for the airport and the surrounding areas. They provide meet-and-greet services at the baggage claim and will pick you up and drop you off right at the airport terminal. Mears Connect is another shuttle service that operates 24/7 and offers plenty of luggage space and legroom.
Taxis
Taxi services are also readily available to and from Orlando and Sanford International Airports. Mears Taxi Service is one such option, providing transportation to and from the airports, hotels, resorts, restaurants, and various attractions in Central Florida.
Ride-sharing services
Ride-sharing services like Uber are also available in Orlando. However, some sources suggest that booking a shuttle in advance may be preferable to avoid issues with wait times, surge pricing, and luggage space.
Car rentals
Car rental services are also an option at Orlando Airport. You can rent a car upon arrival at the airport or opt for a private car service with a professional chauffeur, such as the Mears Luxe service.
Buses
Orlando also offers bus charters for large groups traveling to and from the airport. These are ideal for corporate events, conventions, trade shows, sports teams, and other special events.
With these various transportation options, passengers arriving at Orlando Airport can easily select the choice that best suits their needs and begin their journey in a comfortable and convenient manner.
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Frequently asked questions
No. Orlando International Airport is bigger than Miami Airport. Orlando International Airport covers 12,264 acres, while Miami International Airport is only bigger than Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport.
Orlando International Airport has four runways and one helipad.
Orlando International Airport served more than 57 million passengers in 2023.
Orlando International Airport is the third-largest airport in the US.
