Orlando International Airport (MCO)
History, Facts and Overview

(Orlando, Florida - FL, USA)

Prior to the 1970s, the site where the spreading Orlando International Airport is situated was known as the McCoy (MCO) Air Force Base and owned by the US Air Force. In 1974 the airfield closed and the following year, this land and more was purchased by the city of Orlando and commercial chartered flights soon began.

The north terminal was completed in 1978 and this year was particularly significant, since annual passengers figures topped five million for the very first time, rising to more than ten million in just seven years. By the 1990s, more than $500 million had been spent on improvements, expansions and new runways.


Further upgrades were carried out in the late 1990s, costing a staggering $960 million and ensuring that Orlando International Airport (MCO) continued to lead the way in the world's aviation.

With around 70 different eateries and shopping outlets, Orlando International Airport offers exceptional choices for passengers and it is easy to see why Newsweek named it 'America's top airport for simply hanging around'. Gift shops are especially plentiful and include the Disney Earport, the Kennedy Space Center 'Space Shop', the Magic of Disney, the Orlando Gem Collection and the Schakolad Chocolate Factory.

Passengers in need of a bite to eat will be pleased to find an array of cafes and fast-food outlets clustered around all of the airport's gates, including Café Azalea, Carvel, Johnny Rivers, McDonald's and the Manateee Lounge.