City of Orlando receives deed for surplus land for airport facility use following closure of McCoy Air Force Base in 1974; Special State of Florida legislative act creates the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA).

Received international status; renamed Orlando International Airport (MCO).

Completion of a new $300 million MCO Terminal Complex, ranked 25th in passenger traffic in U.S. with 6 million passengers and 13 signatory airlines.

British Airways and Air France Concorde aircraft land at MCO to celebrate the opening of British and French pavilions at Walt Disney World's EPCOT.

B-52 Memorial Park is dedicated; first million-passenger month in March; total 10 million for the year.

Runway 35L/17R, MCO's third parallel runway, opened in preparation for the start of operations on gates 60-99.

Opened third airside terminal (gates 60-99); new FIS concourse increased capacity to 2,000 international passengers per hour.

Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport opened in Terminal A & B.

Rated No.1 Airport in North America by J.D. Power & Associates; fourth airside terminal (gates 100-129) opened.

Opened 345-foot Air Traffic Control tower (tallest in U.S. at the time, now ranked 5th).

Fourth parallel runway (17L/35R) added; Orlando ranked 2nd best airport in US, and 5th best in the world by Conde Nast Traveler Magazine; Flight Safety International Simulation facility opened.

World’s largest passenger plane, the A380, makes its first southeast U.S. landing.

$470 million Automated People Mover (APM) Complex proposed; installation of Veterans Memorial.

The Col. Joe Kittinger Award introduced to honor U.S. Veterans; $1.1B Capital Improvement Plan announced.

Construction begins on new APM South Complex & Intermodal Terminal Facility (ITF); Customer Service Department/Program starts; passenger traffic record 38.8M; Board approves initiating design of South Terminal.

GOAA Board approves construction of Terminal “C” Phase 1; new USO opens in Terminal “A” first level; annual passenger traffic record hits 41.9 million; MCO ranks 14th in nation & 43rd in world in passenger volume.

New Intermodal Terminal Facility (ITF)/APM complex opens; 2,400 space parking garage “C” opens; Annie the Astronaut digital ambassador introduced; annual passenger traffic surpasses 44 million; MCO hosts Puerto Rico Hurricane Maria relief center; MCO ranked by J.D. Power Highest in Customer Satisfaction for Mega Airports.

MCO becomes first airport in nation to employ entry-and-exit facial recognition biometric technology for international travelers; MCO wins second consecutive J.D. Power Highest in Customer Satisfaction for Mega Airports award; GOAA signs 50-year land use deal.

MCO becomes first Florida airport to surpass 50 million passengers; Paw Pilots comfort dog program begins; MCO is first airport in world to receive EMAP Accreditation for emergency planning.

MCO rebounds from COVID-19 global pandemic with 40.3 million annual passengers.

$2.8B Terminal C opened with 15 gates and a unique, top-level customer arrival experience that showcases the essence of Central Florida; 100% automated screening lanes in TSA Checkpoint; fully integrated Rail-Air-Ground transportation; state-of-the-art amenities; a variety of dynamic shops, restaurants, and club lounge facilities; MCO Reserve launched, allowing passengers to book a time to clear security.

Brightline launches passenger services from MCO, the only high-speed intercity rail service to operate from an airport in the U.S. connecting Orlando to Miami and South Florida. MCO hits record passenger traffic of 57.7 million passengers.

MCO wins the Routes Americas Marketing Award in the over 20 million passengers category; parking reservation system goes live for Garage C.

New brand launches for MCO, ORL, GOAA, and ARFF; new website and mobile app debut.