Officials from Orlando International Airport at Routes Americas 2026.
Orlando International Airport (MCO) is accelerating its push for new long-haul routes and additional infrastructure capacity following the launch of its first Asia-Pacific passenger service and a wave of recent international route growth.
Speaking at Routes Americas 2026, Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) CEO Lance Lyttle and MCO Executive Vice President and CCO Vicki Jaramillo told Routes how the airport is positioning itself for the next phase of network expansion. MCO’s route development efforts were recognized during the event, where the airport was named Overall Winner at the Routes Americas 2026 Awards.
A key milestone came with the recent launch of service between Orlando and Tokyo Narita by Japan-based LCC Zipair—the first nonstop passenger flight linking the central Florida gateway with the Asia-Pacific region. Although the service is currently operating as a limited charter program, Orlando sees it as a step toward securing scheduled service between Central Florida and Asia.
Jaramillo said the Japan market has been a long-term objective for the airport. “I've been at the airport for 32 years and it's always been on the priority list,” she explained. “The eight flights basically all sold out.”
Beyond Orlando’s tourism appeal, Jaramillo pointed to the region’s aerospace, defense and simulation industries as drivers of business travel to and from Asia.
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Elsewhere, international connectivity has expanded in recent years as the airport focused on linking Orlando with major global hubs rather than relying solely on point-to-point leisure routes. “Our strategy internationally is to be a spoke off of the hub,” Jaramillo said, citing connections through Frankfurt, Paris, Madrid and London.
That approach has helped secure multiple new European services. TAP Air Portugal plans to begin 3X-weekly Lisbon-Orlando flights in October, while Virgin Atlantic is increasing capacity on Manchester-Orlando service following Aer Lingus’ withdrawal. British Airways is also scheduled to offer seasonal flights from London Heathrow this summer.
The expansion follows a year of network growth. MCO added 45 new or expanded routes in 2025, while international departures rose 8.67% year over year, according to GOAA data. The airport currently serves 55 international destinations operated by 32 airlines.
Additional long-haul expansion could come from South America. Buenos Aires, Santiago and Lima remain key targets in Latin America, Jaramillo said, as the airport continues efforts to diversify its international network.
As new routes arrive, GOAA is investing in expanding airport capacity. Lyttle said the airport is embarking on a major capital improvement program (CIP) that includes new gates and terminal upgrades.
“We have a massive CIP that we're undertaking right now,” Lyttle said. Four additional widebody gates are scheduled to open at Terminal C, while a new wing at Airside 2 will add seven to nine gates. The airport is also renovating its existing terminals and replacing its automated train system.
Unlike many large U.S. airports constrained by land availability, MCO retains substantial space for long-term growth. “We're one of the few … airports in the U.S. that has the ability to build an additional maybe 100-plus gates pretty much on a greenfield site,” Lyttle said.
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