How a Cold War bomber base became a global gateway for millions of travelers

Countries & Cities · Published 10 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Orlando International Airport, known by the code MCO, began as a military installation for B-47 Stratojets. Today, it is a massive civilian hub that handles over 57 million passengers annually. Its transformation from a Strategic Air Command base to a premier international gateway reveals the evolution of modern air travel.

The site of Orlando International Airport was originally established in 1942 as Orlando Army Air Field #2, later serving as Pinecastle Air Force Base. During the Cold War, it functioned as a Strategic Air Command facility, hosting bombers like the B-52 Stratofortress. The airport code MCO is a direct legacy of its former identity as McCoy Air Force Base, named after Colonel Michael Norman Wright McCoy, who died in a 1958 crash during a bombing competition. During the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, the base served as a critical forward operating site for fighter bombers and U-2 reconnaissance aircraft.

The transition to a civil facility began in the 1960s as jetliners required longer runways than those available at the city's older Herndon Airport. In 1962, the City of Orlando and the U.S. Air Force reached a joint-use agreement, converting a missile maintenance hangar into a civil terminal. This arrangement became a blueprint for other joint-use airports. By 1975, the military presence had largely departed, and the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority was formed to manage the site. The airport officially gained its international status in 1976, though the MCO code remained.

The airport's growth accelerated with the 1971 opening of Walt Disney World, which transformed Orlando into a major tourist destination. In 1979, the FAA designated the facility as a large hub. Today, the airport spans 11,605 acres, making it one of the largest commercial airports in the United States by land area. It features four runways and a complex terminal system, including the recently opened Terminal C. Future plans include further expansion of the South Terminal Complex and the integration of advanced transit systems, such as the Brightline higher-speed rail service, which began operations at the airport's Intermodal Terminal in 2023.

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