Orlando International AirportTravel to Orlando Florida by Air |
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Many cities are served by multiple airports. Larger airports have more flight options, especially direct flights, more facilities and more amenities such as shops and restaurants. But often times larger airports serve as hubs for the major carriers, and their presence there -and often dominance - means you often pay higher fares. Larger airports also tend to have higher parking rates, are more congested, and have more delays (due to aircraft traffic). On the other hand, if the closest airport you choose to fly to or from is a smaller regional airport, you might be rewarded with lower fares, fewer delays, and less traffic. That might even make it worthwhile - even if the nearest airport is a bit further of a drive.
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Orlando International Airport
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The airport serves as a mini-hub for Delta Connection carriers Chautauqua Airlines and Freedom Airlines and a focus city for AirTran Airways, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines and JetBlue Airways. The airport also hosts AirTran's corporate headquarters, though the airline maintains its main hub of operations at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta, Georgia. The airport will also be home to a JetBlue training facility. In 2006 it was visited by 34.8 million passengers, making it the 13th busiest airport in the United States and the 23rd-busiest in the World. It is the nation's 15th busiest international gateway, behind Philadelphia International Airport; JFK International in New York City ranks first. Floridians often joke that the airport code MCO stands for 'Mickey's Corporate Office' or 'Mickey and Co.' – Orlando being the location of the Walt Disney World Resort – but it actually stands for the airport's former name, McCoy Air Force Base, named for Colonel Michael N. W. McCoy, who died during an annual competition held at the base. The Greater Orlando area is also served by Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB), and more indirectly by Daytona Beach International Airport (DAB) and Melbourne International Airport (MLB). Before 1974, the land the airport now sits on was largely owned by the United States Air Force, which operated an airbase there. The base was known as McCoy Air Force Base and the civilian airport was known as the Orlando Jetport at McCoy. Commercial service to the Jetport began in 1962 as flights were migrated from the old Herndon Airport, now the Orlando Executive Airport. The airport was turned over to the City of Orlando in 1974, and in 1975 the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) was founded. Their mission was to manage and build 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 kept its old IATA airport code MCO and ICAO airport code KMCO. It became a U.S. Customs Service foreign trade zone in 1978, and an FAA large hub airport in 1979. MCO 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 FL GreeneWay), use these systems for automatic toll collection. Orlando International Airport has a single main terminal building, connected by people mover to four airside terminals. There are passenger check-in and baggage claim facilities on the main terminal building's north side (referred to as Terminal A), and on the building's south side (referred to as Terminal B). Airsides 1 and 2 use baggage claim A, while airsides 3 and 4 use baggage claim B. Unlike its smaller counterpart at Tampa International Airport, MCO's airsides are much larger in capacity. Arriving international passengers who require immigration and/or customs clearance are processed through those checkpoints in the airside terminal where they arrive. After clearing US immigration, passengers collect their baggage and clear US customs. They must then turn in their baggage to have it transported to the main terminal. International passengers then ride the people mover to the main terminal, where they can reclaim their baggage a second time in one of the main terminal's baggage claims. Because the people mover is located inside the secure part of the airport, international passengers must go through a security inspection upon leaving the customs area. |
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