Ruth Haines
Orlando, Florida is served by several airports, including the Orlando International Airport (MCO), which is the primary international airport located 6 miles southeast of downtown Orlando. Orlando International Airport is the busiest airport in Florida and the seventh busiest in the United States, with over 19 million passengers in 2021. Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB) is another option, located 27 miles from Orlando and serving as the area's secondary commercial airport. Other nearby airports include Orlando Executive Airport (ORL), Walt Disney World Airport (DWS), and Kissimmee Gateway Airport (ISM).
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the airport | Orlando International Airport |
| Airport code | MCO, KMCO, FAA LID: MCO |
| Former name | McCoy Air Force Base |
| Location | 6 miles from downtown Orlando |
| Area | 47 sq. km |
| Height of control tower | 345 feet |
| Airlines | Breeze Airways, Frontier Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines, JetBlue, Silver Airways, Allegiant Air |
| Number of enplanements in 2021 | 19,618,838 |
| Number of enplanements in 2018 | 47 million |
| Number of enplanements in 2017 | 44,611,265 |
| Roads | SR 528 (Beachline Expressway), SR 417 (Central Florida GreeneWay) |
| Nearby airports | Orlando Sanford International Airport, Daytona Beach International Airport, Tampa International Airport, Melbourne International Airport |
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What You'll Learn
Orlando International Airport (MCO)
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 following the end of the Vietnam War. When McCoy AFB closed, part of the facility remained under military control to support the Naval Training Center in Orlando. Today, only a few enclaves on the original site are still used by the military, such as the Florida Army National Guard in the former McCoy AFB Officers Club complex.
Orlando International Airport has North America's fourth-tallest control tower at 345 feet, replacing two earlier Air Force and FAA control towers. The airport is conveniently located near most major tourist destinations, and two toll roads, SR 528 (Beachline Expressway) and SR 417 (Central Florida GreeneWay), provide easy access. MCO is also known for its unique art installations, with the airport authority investing a percentage of its revenue into its art programme, showcasing local and international artists.
In the past, Shawnee Airlines linked MCO with Walt Disney World using de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter commuter aircraft. These flights operated from MCO to the Walt Disney World STOL Airport, a small airfield near the Magic Kingdom's parking lot, during the 1970s. Allegiant Air also began operations at the airport in 2010, but later returned its Orlando area operations to Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB), citing higher costs at MCO and passenger preference for SFB.
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Orlando Executive Airport
The airport is owned and operated by the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA), which runs all publicly owned airports in Orange County, Florida. Orlando Executive Airport is used for general and corporate aviation, and is considered a 'minor' airport, as commercial airline flights operate from Orlando International Airport (MCO).
The airport was originally opened in 1928 as Orlando Municipal Airport, the first commercial airport in central Florida. The following year, airmail service to Orlando began. In 1940, the United States Army Air Corps took control of the airport and renamed it the Orlando Army Air Base, using it as a training facility and, later, for flying antisubmarine patrols. The airport was renamed again in 1982 to Orlando Executive Airport, and then in 1998 to its current name, Executive Airport.
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Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB)
The airport was built as Naval Air Station Sanford, a Master Jet Base for carrier-based attack and reconnaissance aircraft, and was used by the U.S. Navy until 1969. After the U.S. Navy ceased operations at the base in 1969, the City of Sanford assumed control of the facility, renaming it Sanford Airport. For the next 25 years, the airport was a general aviation facility, hosting civilian and military air shows and static displays.
The airport has undergone several name changes over the years, including Sanford Regional Airport, Central Florida Regional Airport, and Orlando Sanford Regional Airport, before becoming the Orlando Sanford International Airport we know today. The oldest Navy buildings were demolished in the 1980s and 1990s, while those constructed in the 1950s and 1960s were renovated for civil use. New buildings and hangars were also added during this time.
Orlando Sanford International Airport provides fast and affordable air travel, with easy navigation and quick security lines. It serves as an operating base for Allegiant Air, and since 2008, the majority of its passenger traffic has been domestic.
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Walt Disney World Airport
Orlando, Florida, is served by several airports, including Orlando International Airport (MCO), Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB), and Walt Disney World Airport (DWS).
Also known as Lake Buena Vista Airport and Lake Buena Vista STOLport, Walt Disney World Airport is a former small airfield owned by The Walt Disney Company. It is located within Walt Disney World, just across World Drive from the Transportation and Ticket Center, in Bay Lake, Orange County, Florida.
The airport was built in 1971 to serve as an airfield for Walt Disney World guests and employees, with scheduled passenger airline service to Orlando Jetport at McCoy (now Orlando International Airport) and Tampa International Airport. The runway was only 2,000 feet long and could accommodate small commuter planes with STOL ("Short Take-Off and Landing") capabilities.
However, the airport is no longer active and, as of December 2017, serves as a storage lot for Walt Disney World. There has been no scheduled or unscheduled commercial service to this airport since the early 1980s, and most Walt Disney World guests now arrive through Orlando International Airport or, to a lesser extent, Orlando Sanford International Airport or Melbourne Orlando International Airport.
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Daytona Beach International Airport
The airport was formed on a 740-acre plot of land in 1930, just a few hundred feet from International Speedway Boulevard (formerly Volusia Avenue). It was originally named Sholtz Field, after the then-Governor of Florida, who was from Daytona Beach. The airport initially featured two gravel runways, one measuring 2,100 feet (640 m) and the other 1,800 feet (550 m). It was soon renamed Daytona Beach Municipal Airport.
During the 1980s and early 1990s, American Airlines operated several daily flights to Raleigh–Durham International Airport from Daytona Beach International Airport. However, the service ended in 1994 when American closed its Raleigh–Durham hub. The airline resumed flights to the airport after merging with US Airways in 2015.
In 1992, a new, larger two-level terminal was constructed, and the previous terminal was converted into an international arrivals facility. These developments, along with the extension of two runways, led to the airport's name change to Daytona Beach International Airport.
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Frequently asked questions
The major airports in Orlando, Florida, are:
- Orlando International Airport (MCO)
- Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB)
- Orlando Executive Airport
Orlando International Airport (MCO) is the busiest airport in Orlando and the entire state of Florida. In 2017, it handled 44,611,265 passengers.
Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB) is the secondary commercial airport in the Orlando area.
The airport code MCO stands for the airport's former name, McCoy Air Force Base, which was closed in 1975.
Orlando International Airport (MCO) is the closest major airport to downtown Orlando, located just 6 miles (9.7 km) southeast of the city.
