Orlando International Airport

History

Military years

: 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, 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.

Orlando Jetport at McCoyEarly 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 United States 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). In 1971 scheduled airlines were Delta Air Lines, Eastern Air Lines, National Airlines and Southern Airways.

The 1971 opening of Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World led to a significant increase in air travel as Orlando became a major tourist destination. For much of the 1970s, Shawnee Airlines would directly link MCO with Walt Disney World using de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter commuter aircraft. These connecting flights flew from MCO to the Walt Disney World STOL Airport, a small, short-lived airfield near the Magic Kingdom's parking lot. Deregulation of the airline industry in 1978 also contributed to increases in air service to Orlando.

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 years

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 two Airsides on the west side of the terminal (known today as Airsides 1 and 3) began, opening in 1981. The terminal's layout was heavily based on the current terminal at Tampa International Airport, which opened a decade prior. In 1983 a small chapel was opened memorializing Michael Galvin who died during the construction of the airport's expansion. 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 2018, that number had risen to 47.7 million. Presently, it is the fifth-largest airport in the United States by land area after Denver International Airport, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, Southwest Florida International Airport, and Washington Dulles International Airport. MCO has North America's fourth tallest control tower at 345 feet, 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 focus city 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.

Delta Air Lines began operating a hub at MCO in 1987. Airside 4, which opened in 1990, was primarily designed for Delta's hub operation and it included a ramp tower, an international arrivals facility, and a wing for regional aircraft under the people mover guideway. Delta would later pull much of its large aircraft from its hub operations and focused its service there on regional flights via their Delta Connection affiliate Comair. Comair operated intra-Florida flights as well as flights to other southeastern cities and to the Caribbean. In 2002, Chautauqua Airlines replaced Comair as the primary Delta Connection carrier at MCO. Delta closed the Orlando hub entirely in 2007.

Orlando-based AirTran Airways also operated a hub at MCO from 1993 until the airline's merger with Southwest Airlines in 2014. After Delta closed their hub in 2007, AirTran relocated their hub to Airside 4, using some of Delta's former gates which allowed them to double their capacity. AirTran merged with Southwest Airlines in 2014, which is today the busiest carrier at MCO.

Saudi Arabian Airlines began service to Orlando in 1994. Its seasonal flights to Jeddah proved popular among Saudi tourists. Bookings declined after the September 11 attacks, however, so Saudi Arabian terminated the link.

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.

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 Air began operations at the airport. The company moved one half of its schedule from its operating base at nearby SFB to MCO 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 SFB citing an inability to achieve a fare premium at MCO as anticipated, passenger preference for SFB, higher costs at MCO than expected and a more efficient operating environment at SFB. Allegiant Air resumed operating some flights at MCO in 2024.{{cite web|url=https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/11/16/allegiant-will-begin-flying-out-of-orlando-international-airport-next-year/|title=Allegiant will begin flying out of Orlando International Airport next year

In March 2015, Emirates announced that they would 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 operate with Boeing 777-300ERs. Gate 90 was updated in the summer of 2018 with 3 jetways to be able to properly handle the A380, 3 years after the airplane first arrived at Orlando, docking at Gate 84.{{Cite tweet

In May 2016, the airport launched its own radio station, FlyMCO 105.1 HD2, a subchannel of WOMX-FM. FlyMCO 105.1 HD2 provides access to airport information, local weather, and music.

In 2017, the airport reached 44.6 million passengers, surpassing Miami International Airport to become the busiest airport in the state of Florida.

The Orlando International Airport Intermodal Terminal, which was partially funded by the Florida Department of Transportation, opened in November 2017 and is connected to the Terminal A/B complex by Terminal Link, an automated people mover. The $684 million station included a new 2,500 space parking garage (which would also be the parking garage for Terminal C), and the Orlando station for the Brightline higher speed regional rail service to South Florida which began service in 2023. The station reused some of the plans of the Orlando Airport station of the now defunct Florida High Speed Rail project.

In May 2015, the Board of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority voted unanimously to approve construction of the $1.8 billion South Terminal Complex. Construction of the first phase of the South Terminal Complex, Terminal C, began in 2017. Terminal C opened on September 19, 2022, with 20 gates. Terminal C is connected to the Orlando International Airport Intermodal Terminal, which provides a connection to Terminals A/B via the Terminal Link people mover.

Future

There are plans to add an additional terminal, Terminal D, to the South Terminal Complex east of the Intermodal Terminal when the airport reaches 70 million passengers annually. The final estimated capacity of the airport is set at 100 million passengers annually when completed. When fully complete, the South Terminal Complex will have 120 gates in both terminals C and D.

Currently, there are future plans in development to renovate the North Terminal in the Orlando International Airport, where Terminals A & B are located.

Additionally, other projects are also in development alongside the renovation of the North Terminal. A new CONRAC is planned in the future, upgrades to the baggage handling systems, and other future upgrades are planned.

The Orlando International Airport Intermodal Terminal was built to accommodate an extension of the SunRail commuter rail service. The route to the current SunRail line would travel along an Orlando Utilities Commission rail spur, before either branching off to the intermodal station, or have an intermediate transfer point on to light rail to complete the journey to this station. Additionally, a new vertiport is planned in the future into its multimodal hub.

Multiple options are being considered for a link to International Drive, either with elevated maglev train system, connecting the airport to the Orange County Convention Center, the Florida Mall, and the Sand Lake Road SunRail station, or a light rail link running along a similar route as the maglev alternative between the airport and International Drive.

Facilities

Terminals A & B

Terminals A and B are located on the north side of the airfield. The two terminals are located in the same building with Terminal A being the north side of the building and Terminal B on the south side. A food court and two atriums are located in the middle of the building between the two terminals. Terminals A & B collectively contain four airside concourses that are accessed through elevated people mover systems known as Gate Links:

• Airside 1 contains 29 gates (Gates 1–29)
• Airside 2 contains 30 gates (Gates 100–129)
• Airside 3 contains 30 gates (Gates 30–59)
• Airside 4 contains 30 gates (Gates 70–99)

Airsides 1 and 3 are located on the west side of the terminal building with a shared security checkpoint in the west atrium. Airsides 2 and 4 are located on the east side with a shared security checkpoint in the east atrium.

The west half of Terminals A and B, along with gates 1-59 (present-day Airsides 1 and 3) opened in 1981. The terminal was expanded with the east half in the late 1980s with present-day Airside 4 opening in 1990. Airside 2 opened in 2000.

Airlines operating from Terminal A are Air Transat, Avelo, Frontier Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines and Virgin Atlantic, meaning their check-in counters are located in this terminal, however some flights may arrive at terminal B.

The airlines which operated from Terminal B are Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge, Alaska Airlines, Allegiant, American Airlines, Bahamasair, BermudAir, Breeze, Delta, Flair Airlines, Latam Airlines, Sun Country Airlines, United Airlines, Viva, Volaris, Volaris Costa Rica and WestJet.

Terminal C

Terminal C, also known as the South Terminal Complex, contains gates 230–245. Terminal C accommodates all other international flights by non-US airlines and as well all JetBlue flights. The terminal is connected to the Intermodal Terminal by an elevated enclosed walkway and a shared parking garage. Terminal C is connected to the Terminal A & B complex by Terminal Link, an automated people mover at the Intermodal Terminal.

Intermodal Terminal

Main article: Orlando International Airport Intermodal Terminal

The Intermodal Terminal is connected to Terminal C. It serves as the Orlando station for Brightline, a higher speed regional rail service to South Florida. The Intermodal Terminal opened in November 2017 with Brightline service commencing in September 2023. The Intermodal Terminal and Terminal C are connected to the Terminal A & B complex by Terminal Link, an automated people mover.

Hotel

The airport features an on-site Hyatt Regency hotel within the main terminal structure. The hotel is located on the east side of the Terminal A/B complex with a fourth floor lobby level and guest rooms beginning on level five and above. The hotel 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.

Interfaith chapel

In 1981, an interfaith chapel was constructed behind the security for Gates 1-59. Prior to 2019, the chapel held religious services, but this moved to a nearby hotel because of an uptick in religious violence.

Airlines and destinations

Passenger

| Aer Lingus | Dublin, Manchester (UK) (ends March 31, 2026) | | Aeroméxico | Mexico City Seasonal: Guadalajara, Monterrey | | Air Canada | Toronto–Pearson | | Air Canada Rouge | Montréal–Trudeau, Toronto–Pearson Seasonal: Halifax, Ottawa, Québec City | | Air France |Paris–Charles de Gaulle | | Air Transat | Montréal–Trudeau Seasonal: Halifax, Québec City | | Alaska Airlines | Portland (OR), San Diego, San Francisco (ends May 12, 2026), Seattle/Tacoma Seasonal: Sacramento | | Allegiant Air | Allentown, Appleton, Asheville, Knoxville | | American Airlines | Charlotte, Chicago–O'Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Miami, New York–LaGuardia, Philadelphia, Phoenix–Sky Harbor, Washington–National Seasonal: Boston| | Avelo Airlines | New Haven, Wilmington (DE)| | Avianca | Bogotá Seasonal: Medellín–JMC | | Avianca El Salvador | Seasonal: San Salvador | | Azul Brazilian Airlines | Belo Horizonte–Confins, Campinas, Recife | | Bahamasair | Nassau Seasonal: Freeport | | BermudAir | Bermuda | | Breeze Airways | Akron/Canton, Bangor, Brownsville/South Padre Island (begins May 15, 2026), Burlington (VT), Charleston (SC), Charleston (WV), Erie, Evansville, Greensboro, Gulfport/Biloxi, Huntsville, Key West, Lancaster (PA), Lansing, Lincoln, Manchester (NH), Myrtle Beach (begins February 5, 2026), New Bern, Newburgh, New Haven, New Orleans, Norfolk,{{cite web |url= https://airlinegeeks.com/2025/07/08/breeze-adds-two-new-nonstop-routes-bringing-back-another/|title= Breeze Adds Two New Nonstop Routes, Bringing Back Another Seasonal: Fayetteville/Bentonville, Greenville/Spartanburg, Hartford, Madison, Ogdensburg,{{cite web |url= https://www.mymalonetelegram.com/top_stories/first-flight-from-nc-moves-through-ogdensburg-airport/article_99e705c5-9f9b-55da-9b32-29a780e08b45.html |title= First flight from NC moves through Ogdensburg airport | British Airways | London–Gatwick Seasonal: London–Heathrow (resumes July 21, 2026) | | Caribbean Airlines | Port of Spain | | Copa Airlines | Panama City–Tocumen | | Delta Air Lines | Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Cincinnati, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York–JFK, New York–LaGuardia, Raleigh/Durham, Salt Lake City, Seattle/Tacoma, Washington–National Seasonal: Amsterdam| | Delta Connection | Seasonal: Columbus–Glenn, Grand Rapids, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Louisville, Nashville, Pittsburgh | | Discover Airlines | Frankfurt Seasonal: Munich | | Emirates | Dubai–International | | Flair Airlines | Seasonal: Toronto–Pearson | | Frontier Airlines | Aguadilla, Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Buffalo, Burlington (VT), Cancún, Cedar Rapids/Iowa City, Charlotte, Chicago–Midway, Chicago–O'Hare, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Detroit, Grand Rapids, Harrisburg, Hartford, Houston–Hobby, Houston–Intercontinental, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, Little Rock (begins March 15, 2026), Long Island/Islip, Los Angeles, Montego Bay, Nashville, New York–JFK, New York–LaGuardia, Newark,{{cite web|url= https://airlinegeeks.com/2025/11/20/frontier-adds-two-new-routes-resumes-more/ | Gol Linhas Aéreas | Brasília, Fortaleza | | Iberia | Madrid | | Iberojet | Seasonal: Madrid | | Icelandair | Reykjavík–Keflavík | | JetBlue | Aguadilla, Albany, Boston, Buffalo, Cancún, Fort Lauderdale (begins May 21, 2026), Hartford, Las Vegas , Long Island/Islip, Manchester (NH), Montego Bay, Nassau, New York–JFK, New York–LaGuardia, Newark, Ponce, Providence, Punta Cana, Richmond, Rochester (NY) (resumes March 26, 2026), San José (CR), San Juan, Santiago de los Caballeros, Santo Domingo–Las Américas, Syracuse, Washington–National, White Plains, Worcester Seasonal: Portland (ME) | | LATAM Brasil | São Paulo–Guarulhos | | LATAM Chile | Seasonal: Santiago de Chile | | LATAM Colombia | Bogotá | | LATAM Perú | Lima | | Norse Atlantic Airways | London–Gatwick | | Porter Airlines | Ottawa, Toronto–Pearson Seasonal: Halifax, Hamilton (ON) | | Southwest Airlines | Albany, Aruba, Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Birmingham (AL), Buffalo, Cancún, Chicago–Midway, Chicago–O'Hare, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus–Glenn, Dallas–Love, Denver, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Grand Cayman, Grand Rapids, Hartford, Houston–Hobby, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Knoxville (begins March 5, 2026), Las Vegas, Long Island/Islip, Los Angeles, Louisville, Manchester (NH), Memphis, Miami, Milwaukee, Montego Bay, Nashville, Nassau, New Orleans, Norfolk, Oklahoma City, Omaha, Philadelphia, Phoenix–Sky Harbor, Pittsburgh, Providence, Providenciales, Punta Cana, Raleigh/Durham, Richmond, Rochester (NY), Sacramento, St. Louis, St. Maarten (begins April 7, 2026), St. Thomas (begins February 5, 2026), San Antonio, San Diego, San José (CR), San Juan, Sarasota, Washington–National, West Palm Beach Seasonal: Albuquerque, Boston, Des Moines, Detroit, El Paso, Jackson (MS), Long Beach, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York–LaGuardia, Portland (ME), Salt Lake City, Tulsa | | Spirit Airlines | Atlanta, Atlantic City, Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Cancún, Charlotte, Chicago–O'Hare, Columbus–Glenn, Dallas/Fort Worth, Detroit, Fort Lauderdale, Guatemala City, Houston–Intercontinental, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Latrobe/Pittsburgh, Louisville, Medellín–JMC, Memphis, Montego Bay, Myrtle Beach, Nashville, New Orleans, New York–LaGuardia, Newark, Norfolk, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Richmond, St. Thomas, San Antonio, San José (CR), San Juan, San Pedro Sula Seasonal: Bogotá | | Sun Country Airlines | Minneapolis/St. Paul Seasonal: Milwaukee | | United Airlines | Chicago–O'Hare, Cleveland, Denver, Houston–Intercontinental, Los Angeles, Newark, San Francisco, Washington–Dulles | | Virgin Atlantic | London–Heathrow, Manchester (UK) Seasonal: Edinburgh | Viva | Mérida, Monterrey | | Volaris | Guadalajara, Mexico City | |Volaris Costa Rica |San José (CR) | | WestJet | Calgary, Edmonton, St. John's, Toronto–Pearson, Vancouver, Winnipeg Seasonal: Halifax | | Zipair Tokyo |Charter: Tokyo–Narita (begins February 23, 2026)

Cargo

Statistics

Top destinations

Airline market share

Annual traffic

Accidents and incidents

• On January 18, 1985, Eastern Airlines Flight 403, an Airbus A300 en route from Newark International Airport to Miami International Airport, was hijacked by a lone male. The man emerged from a lavatory claiming to have explosives in a bag, and he poured gasoline on himself and the aircraft's floor while shouting in Spanish that he wanted to go to Cuba. The flight was diverted to MCO and, believing the plane landed in Cuba, the hijacker was overpowered by the flight crew. There were no injuries among the 132 passengers and crew.
• On June 23, 1996, a Comair Embraer EMB 120 Brasilia suffered a landing gear failure because of a loss of hydraulic pressure on approach to MCO. The aircraft performed a wheels up landing and slid 2,500 feet down the runway before the plane came to a complete stop. All 32 passengers and crew survived. The aircraft was substantially damaged, but it was repaired and placed back into service.
• On August 8, 2019, Frontier Airlines Flight 1187, an Airbus A321-200, suffered a tailstrike upon landing at MCO. The flight crew performed a go-around and landed successfully on their second attempt on runway 35R. There were no injuries among the 232 passengers and crew. There was reported windshear in the area at the time of the incident. The aircraft was repaired and resumed service four months later, on December 14, 2019.
• On October 22, 2021, an Embraer Phenom 100 operated by Scout About LLC experienced a runway excursion accident upon landing at MCO. The pilot's inadvertent application of the right brake during the landing roll caused a loss of directional control and a subsequent runway excursion. There were no injuries among the 4 occupants on board but the aircraft was substantially damaged and written off.
• On April 21, 2025, Delta Air Lines Flight 1213, an Airbus A330, experienced an engine fire on the tarmac while set to depart from the airport. There were no injuries among the 294 passengers and crew.
• On July 4, 2025, JetBlue Airways Flight 488, an Airbus A320, went off the taxiway and into the grass while taxiing for departure.
• On January 18, 2026, United Airlines Flight 2323, an Airbus A321neo, lost a nose wheel while landing due to a hard touchdown. causing a short ground stop at the airport.

Notes

References

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87. (March 11, 2025). "Breeze Adds 70th Destination".
88. (March 26, 2024). "Breeze Airways adding flights from Lancaster Airport to Orlando this fall".
89. (March 26, 2024). "Breeze Airways to land in Lansing with new routes out of Capital Region International Airport".
90. (July 29, 2025). "Breeze Airways Announces More New Cities, New Ancillary Product in Continued Trajectory of Unprecedented Growth".
91. (February 15, 2024). "Breeze Airways now offering nonstop flights from Manchester to Orlando, Charleston, and Fort Myers".
92. "Breeze Airways Oct 2025 – Mar 2026 Network Additions".
93. (February 20, 2024). "Breeze Announces 10 More A220s, 50th Destination, New Uniforms".
94. (August 13, 2024). "Breeze Airways to begin flying from Tweed-New Haven Airport".
95. (November 4, 2025). "Breeze Airways launches nonstop service from Orlando to Pensacola".
96. McMenemy, Jeff. (July 10, 2024). "Breeze Airways coming to Portsmouth airport at Pease, competing with Allegiant". Portsmouth Herald.
97. (October 1, 2024). "Breeze Airways unveils three new routes from Orlando".
98. (5 February 2025). "Breeze Airways announces new nonstops from RDU, including two more exclusive routes".
99. (May 7, 2025). "Breeze Airways to offer new flights from Salisbury, Maryland, to Orlando, Florida". [[Hearst Communications]].
100. (August 7, 2024). "Breeze Airways adds nonstop routes to Florida from South Bend".
101. (August 7, 2024). "ILM Gains New Airline, Four Nonstop Routes".
102. (February 6, 2025). "Breeze Airlines offers dozens of cheap options from 9 Florida airports. Where flights are going".
103. (January 23, 2024). "Breeze Airways to send travelers to 2 new destinations from Orlando with fares starting at $39".
104. (December 12, 2023). "Breeze Airways to offer seasonal flights from Bradley Airport to Orlando and Orange County, California".
105. "Breeze Airways Destinations".
106. "British Airways Launch 6-Week Summer Heathrow To Orlando Direct Flights: All Dates".
107. "Timetables". International Airlines Group.
108. "Caribbean Airlines Route Map".
109. "Flight Schedule".
110. (November 20, 2024). "Holidaymaker express: Delta starting London-Orlando flights".
111. "Flight Schedules".
112. (May 2, 2025). "Delta Air Lines Adds New Routes from Orlando, Austin, JFK and More".
113. (June 4, 2024). "DISCOVER AIRLINES MOVES FORWARD MUNICH – ORLANDO LAUNCH TO EARLY-MARCH 2025". AeroRoutes.
114. "Eurowings Discover to Maintain Orlando / Philadelphia Service in NS23".
115. "Dubai, United Arab Emirates DXB".
116. "Flight Schedules". Emirates.
117. "Flair expands winter schedule with more routes to Orlando".
118. "Where we fly". Flair Airlines.
119. "Frontier Airlines 1Q25 Various Network Resumptions".
120. "Frontier Airlines Announces 22 New Routes Launching in December".
121. (September 7, 2024). "Airline resuming service at Harrisburg airport after brief hiatus".
122. (December 4, 2025). "Frontier Adds 23 New Routes".
123. "Frontier Airlines Unveils New Routes for Fall".
124. (July 30, 2024). "Frontier Airlines Aug 2024 – Mar 2025 Suspended Routes Summary – 29Jul24". AeroRoutes.
125. (January 2025}} [[Hector International Airport). "Frontier Airlines, Orlando International Airport expand service with 14 new direct routes".
126. "Frontier Airlines NW25 Further Network Expansion".
127. "Frontier".
128. (March 1, 2024). "Aeroporto de Fortaleza-CE volta a ter voos para Orlando, além de ampliação para Miami, pela GOL Linhas Aéreas".
129. (November 15, 2020). "Essa é a programação atual da volta dos voos internacionais da GOL".
130. (March 15, 2025). "Iberia Launching New Flights to Orlando with A330, Two A321XLR Destinations in Brazil".
131. "Flight times – Iberia".
132. (December 6, 2023). "IBEROJET ADDS ORLANDO / SANTA CLARA IN NS24".
133. (December 6, 2023). "Our Destinations".
134. "Our Flight Schedule 2022 | Icelandair".
135. "JetBlue To Launch New Routes From Fort Lauderdale".
136. "JetBlue Expands Mint Premium Service to Orlando and Newark".
137. (June 11, 2024). "JetBlue Expands New York Metro Presence by Announcing it will Serve Long Island MacArthur Airport".
138. (July 24, 2024). "etBlue to begin service out of Manchester-Boston Regional Airport to Florida starting in 2025".
139. (November 12, 2025). "JetBlue Restores Route After 15-Year Hiatus".
140. (July 24, 2024). "Direct from Maine to Florida; New flight option takes off soon".
141. "JetBlue Airlines Timetable".
142. "Flight Status – LATAM Airlines".
143. "LATAM Chile Resumes Orlando Service in NS24".
144. (January 31, 2023). "LATAM to Increase Colombia-US Service". RoutesOnline.
145. "LATAM Peru Resumes Lima – Orlando in 4Q25".
146. "Norse Atlantic Airways".
147. "Ottawa, ON, Canada YOW".
148. "Toronto, ON, Canada YTO".
149. (June 26, 2024). "Porter More Than Doubles Capacity to Five Florida Destinations This Winter, Adds West Palm Beach Service".
150. (July 31, 2025). "Porter Adds Hamilton-Florida".
151. "Where We Fly".
152. (October 26, 2023). "Southwest Airlines Extends Flight Schedule With New International Options And Most-Ever Departures".
153. "Southwest Airlines August 2025 Network Additions".
154. (August 13, 2025). "'You've asked... A Lot!' | Southwest Airlines coming to McGhee Tyson Airport".
155. (December 17, 2024). "Southwest's 2025 Schedule is Here - and it includes a new cross country route". Travel and Leisure.
156. (September 26, 2024). "Southwest to Cut Select Atlanta Routes and Increase Service to Orlando".
157. "SMF Announces Nonstop Service to Orlando".
158. (August 26, 2025). "Southwest Adds New Caribbean Routes".
159. "Southwest Airlines Launching Nonstop Flights to St. Thomas from Baltimore and Orlando in 2026".
160. "Southwest Just Added New Routes to the Caribbean, Mexico, and More".
161. "Southwest Airlines 2023 Domestic Network Additions – 26JAN23".
162. "Southwest Airlines 1Q25 Network Changes – 29JUL24".
163. "Check Flight Schedules".
164. "Where We Fly". Spirit Airlines.
165. "Sun Country December 2023 Milwaukee Network Additions".
166. "Sun Country Airlines".
167. "Timetable".
168. "Interactive flight map".
169. (October 2023). "New Destinations from Mérida".
170. (September 2023). "Viva Aerobus announces the greatest growth in the aerial history of Monterrey".
171. "VivaAerobus Flight Schedule".
172. "Volaris Flight Schedule".
173. (February 2025). "Volaris Costa Rica launches new routes to the United States and Mexico".
174. "Calgary, AB, Canada YYC".
175. "St. Johns, NL, Canada YYT".
176. "Toronto, ON, Canada YTO".
177. "Vancouver, BC, Canada YVR".
178. "Winnipeg, MB, Canada YWG".
179. "Halifax, NS, Canada YHZ".
180. "Direct and Non-Stop Flights". WestJet.
181. (28 October 2025). "First nonstop flights connecting Orlando to Tokyo announced". WESH.
182. "US's Mountain Air Cargo begins Cessna 408F flight operations".
183. "Orlando, FL: Orlando International (MCO)". [[Bureau of Transportation Statistics]].
184. (2019). "International_Report_Passengers". [[United States Department of Transportation]].
185. "Orlando, FL: Orlando International (MCO)". U.S. Department of Transportation.
186. "MCO Airport Activity Data".
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188. "Accident description for N168CA at Aviation Safety Network".
189. "Accident description for N717FR at Aviation Safety Network".
190. "Accident description for N925DR at Aviation Safety Network".
191. (April 21, 2025). "Passengers evacuate Delta plane after engine fire". [[BBC News]].
192. "Accident description for N807NW at Aviation Safety Network".
193. (2025-07-04). "JetBlue flight deplanes after traveling off taxiway at Orlando International Airport".
194. Hogan, Brandon. (2025-07-04). "JetBlue flight ends up in the grass while taxiing at Orlando International Airport".
195. "Accident description for N521JB at Aviation Safety Network".
196. Derby, Kevin. (January 19, 2026). "United A321neo Loses Nose Wheel After Violent Landing at Orlando Airport".