Ruth Haines
Orlando International Airport, also known as Orlando Airport or MCO Airport, is a large commercial airport located 6 miles southeast of downtown Orlando, Florida. Covering 47 square kilometres, it is the fifth-largest airport in the United States by land area. The airport's IATA code, MCO, is derived from its former name, McCoy Air Force Base, a Strategic Air Command installation that closed in 1975 following the end of the Vietnam War. Orlando International Airport has a rich history, initially serving as a U.S. Army Air Forces facility during World War II, and later becoming a hub for both civilian and military flights. Today, the airport is a significant gateway for international travellers, offering over 1,000 daily flights to more than 170 destinations worldwide.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Airport Code | MCO |
| Former Name | McCoy Air Force Base |
| Current Name | Orlando International Airport |
| Location | 6 miles (9.7 km) southeast of downtown Orlando, Florida |
| Area | 47 sq. km (18.1 sq. mi) |
| Ranking | 5th largest airport in the U.S. by land area |
| Passengers | 57,211,628 (in 2024) |
| Ranking by Passengers | 9th busiest airport in the U.S. |
| Ranking by Passengers in Florida | 1st busiest airport |
| Operating Base | Breeze Airways, Frontier Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines |
| Focus City | JetBlue |
| Number of Terminals | 3 |
| Facilities | Free Wi-Fi, Food, Drink, Retail, Information Desk, Luggage Storage, ATMs, Currency Exchange, Pet Relief Area, Chapel, Duty-Free Stores, Spa, Showers |
| Control Tower Height | 345 feet (4th tallest in North America) |
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What You'll Learn
Orlando International Airport's official code is MCO
The MCO designation originates from the airport's former name, McCoy Air Force Base, a Strategic Air Command installation that closed in 1975 following the end of the Vietnam War. The airport's IATA code, MCO, specifically comes from Colonel Michael Norman Wright McCoy, a former pilot who was killed during a bombing and navigation competition. The airfield was renamed in his honour in 1958, and although it has since been renamed, the airport code has remained the same.
The airport has embraced the MCO acronym as part of its marketing strategy, aiming to establish a unique identity for the airport. Despite this, some people still refer to the airport as OIA, which stands for Ourilândia do Norte Airport in Brazil. However, to avoid confusion, the airport has been encouraging the use of its official code, MCO.
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MCO comes from McCoy Air Force Base
The airport code MCO comes from the airport's former name, McCoy Air Force Base, a Strategic Air Command (SAC) installation. McCoy Air Force Base was named for Colonel Michael Norman Wright McCoy, a hugely popular figure in Central Florida. In 1957, McCoy was killed in the crash of a B-47 Stratojet of the 447th Bombardment Squadron, 321st Bombardment Wing.
McCoy Air Force Base was closed in 1975 as part of a general military drawdown following the end of the Vietnam War. The final Air Force contingent departed McCoy AFB in 1975, and the site was redeveloped and is known today as Orlando International 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's MCO designation is rooted in its military past. Orlando International Airport was originally a military base dating as far back as the 1940s when it was Pinecastle Army Airfield. Tributes to Colonel McCoy and McCoy AFB at and near the airport include: The airport's ICAO, FAA, and IATA airfield identifiers, as well as all airline tickets and baggage tags, continue to read "MCO". The FAA also has an established standard instrument departure (SID) for aircraft departing MCO known as the MCCOY ONE Departure. A portrait of Colonel McCoy hangs in the airport's main landside terminal near the airport chapel. One of the restaurants in the airport's Hyatt Hotel is named McCoy's.
The airport code is designated by the International Air Transport Association, a trade group for the air travel industry that governs a number of airport policies. These location identifier codes are supposed to make communication easier for pilots, air traffic controllers, and other parts of the travel industry. Each three-letter designation is unique to the airport for convenience reasons.
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MCO is also used in marketing
Orlando International Airport (MCO) is the primary international airport located 6 miles (9.7 km) southeast of downtown Orlando, Florida. The airport code MCO comes from the airport's former name, McCoy Air Force Base, a Strategic Air Command (SAC) installation that was closed in 1975. The airport became Orlando International in 1976 but retained its old IATA airport code MCO.
Although the airport's official designation is MCO, some people refer to it as OIA. This acronym already stands for Ourilândia do Norte Airport in Brazil, which is now closed. As airport codes are unique for convenience reasons, changing the code for Orlando International Airport would require a lot of coordination. Therefore, the airport has made MCO part of its marketing to get people to associate the airport with those letters.
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OIA is a popular nickname, but it's confusing
OIA is a popular nickname for Orlando International Airport, but it is not the airport's official designation. The official code for Orlando International Airport is MCO, which comes from the airport's former name, McCoy Air Force Base. The airport code was established when the airfield was a Strategic Air Command installation, and it has been retained despite the base closing in 1975.
Although OIA is a convenient and popular nickname for the airport, it is confusing as it already stands for Ourilândia do Norte Airport in Brazil. This airport is now closed, but the code still exists and is in use. With nearly 9,000 airport codes in use, changing the designation for Orlando International Airport would be a complex process requiring a lot of coordination.
The use of MCO in marketing for the airport aims to encourage people to associate the letters with the airport. However, the preference for the nickname OIA among people in Orlando and the fact that a Google search for "OIA" brings up Orlando International Airport as the first result indicates that the nickname is firmly established and widely used.
The airport's official designation, MCO, is rooted in its military past. The airfield was originally constructed as a U.S. Army Air Forces facility, and it became an active military base in the early 1940s, known as Pinecastle Army Airfield. In 1958, the airfield was renamed McCoy Air Force Base after Colonel Michael Norman Wright McCoy, a former pilot who was killed during a bombing and navigation competition.
In summary, while OIA is a popular and convenient nickname for Orlando International Airport, it is confusing due to the existence of a closed airport in Brazil with the same code. The official designation of MCO is a remnant of the airport's military history, and changing it would be a complex process.
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MCO is one of the US's largest airports
Orlando International Airport, also known as MCO, is one of the largest airports in the United States in terms of land area. Covering 11,605 acres (4,696 hectares) or 47 square kilometres (18.1 square miles), it is the fifth-largest airport in the country by land area. MCO is also the primary international airport located just 6 miles (9.7 km) southeast of downtown Orlando, Florida.
The airport's history dates back to the 1940s when it was a military base known as Pinecastle Army Airfield. In 1976, it became Orlando International Airport, retaining its old IATA airport code MCO, which comes from its former name, McCoy Air Force Base.
MCO has seen significant growth in passenger traffic over the years. In 1978, the airport handled 5 million passengers, which increased to 47 million in 2018 and 57 million in 2024. This made it not only the busiest airport in Florida but also the ninth busiest airport in the United States.
The airport serves as a major international gateway for the Florida region, with over 1,000 daily flights on more than 40 airlines serving over 170 domestic and international destinations. It is also home to a maintenance base for United Airlines and was a hub for Delta Air Lines until 2007.
In addition to its size and passenger volume, MCO has North America's fourth-tallest control tower, standing at 345 feet. The airport was also a designated Space Shuttle emergency landing site, and its west-side runways were designed for B-52 Stratofortress bombers.
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Frequently asked questions
Orlando International Airport is officially designated MCO, which comes from the airport's former name, McCoy Air Force Base. The airport code has remained the same even though the military base closed in 1975. Some people refer to it as OIA, but that stands for Ourilândia do Norte Airport in Brazil.
The MCO code is derived from the airport's former name, McCoy Air Force Base, a Strategic Air Command installation that closed in 1975. The airport was renamed in 1976 but retained its old IATA airport code.
Orlando International Airport's code, MCO, is rooted in its military past. The airport was originally a military base dating back to the 1940s, when it was known as Pinecastle Army Airfield. After World War II, it was briefly reactivated during the Korean War.
The official designation of Orlando International Airport is MCO instead of OIA to avoid confusion with Ourilândia do Norte Airport in Brazil, which is already designated as OIA. Changing the code now would require a lot of coordination.
