When did OIA become MCO?

In 1958 it was renamed McCoy Air Force Base after Colonel Michael McCoy, who was killed during a bombing competition. The airport was designated MCO after the base name, and even though the military base closed in 1975, those letters haven't changed. The airport became Orlando International in 1976.



Orlando International Airport officially adopted the "MCO" code and its current name in 1976. The code "MCO" is a legacy of the site's history as McCoy Air Force Base, which was named in honor of Colonel Michael N.W. McCoy, who was killed in a B-47 crash in 1958. After the base was closed in 1975 following a post-Vietnam military drawdown, the land was deeded to the city of Orlando for civil aviation use. While the airport had operated as "Orlando Jetport at McCoy" for several years, the 1976 renaming to Orlando International Airport signaled its transition into a major global hub. In 2026, as the airport celebrates its 50th year as an international facility, the "MCO" code remains a permanent tribute to the site's military heritage, even though most travelers now associate it with theme parks and Florida sunshine. The airport has grown from a quiet military landing strip into the busiest airport in Florida, recently reaching a record of over 57 million annual passengers.

People Also Ask

Orlando Executive Airport - Orlando International Airport (MCO)

MORE DETAILS

Yes Orlando has two airports. It has the Orlando International Airport (MCO) and the Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB). SFB is the smaller of the two airports.

MORE DETAILS

Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport remains the busiest airport in the world with 5.2 million seats in September 2023. The composition of the Global Top 10 Busiest Airports is also the same as last month but there are a few changes to the rankings.

MORE DETAILS

The X in LAX
With the rapid growth in the aviation industry, in 1947, the identifiers expanded to three letters and LA received an extra letter to become LAX. The letter X does not otherwise have any specific meaning in this identifier.

MORE DETAILS

At 11,605 acres (4,696 ha), MCO is one of the largest commercial airports in terms of land area in the United States. In addition, the airport is home to a maintenance base for United Airlines.

MORE DETAILS

Oia, also known as Pano Meria, is considered the most picturesque village of Santorini and holds the position of the most visited spot for sunset viewing, as it provides an excellent view of the well-known sunset, probably the most famous sunset in the world.

MORE DETAILS

(C) YYZ – Toronto Pearson International Airport As for the 'YZ' part, that dates all the way back to the Morse Code railway stations along the Canadian National Railway, which had two-letter identifiers. The code for the station in Malton, Ontario, was YZ, which is where Pearson sits today—hence YYZ.

MORE DETAILS

Denver International Airport Situated in Denver, Colorado, USA, Denver International Airport covers an area of 135.69 square kilometres, making it the second-largest airport in the world.

MORE DETAILS

The driving distance between Santorini Airport and Oia village is approximately 16.3 km / 10.1 miles. There are options to suit all budgets and needs, whether for an airport transfer or a trip around the island.

MORE DETAILS