2017 milestones for Orlando airport
If you flew out of Orlando International Airport in 2017, you helped us make history.
More than 44 million passengers, nearly double capacity, passed through our doors this year, shattering previous records. During this holiday travel period, we expect nearly 3 million passengers — up 8 percent over last year. These numbers are a reflection not only of Orlando’s power as a tourist destination, but also of the region’s strong economic and business growth.
At Orlando International Airport, we’ve proactively planned for this scenario for the past 30 years as part of a comprehensive, long-term strategy. A $3.5 billion capital expansion program is well underway — thanks to a $923 million bond issue, the largest in our history. AA ratings from the three major rating agencies validated our board’s fiscal stewardship.
As our vision for the future takes shape, we have major milestones to report:
Phase One of the expansion — the South Airport Automated People Mover complex and six-story, 2,400-space Parking Garage C — opened in November and is already helping to ease overcrowding. Passengers can check in remotely, print boarding passes for participating airlines, and take the new people-mover train right to the Main Terminal.
We also completed construction on the Intermodal Terminal Facility, which will serve Brightline train connections to West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Miami. When Brightline arrives at OIA, we will be the only airport in the United States to have an on-airport hub for intercity rail.
North Terminal improvements have begun, too, including an expanded lobby, international arrivals facilities and new selfservice kiosks.
And we’ve upgraded baggagehandling systems.
No project of this magnitude is without its challenges — and we have had our share of growing pains. But, we’ve done our best to mitigate the issues that are within our control and ensure that passengers travel through OIA with safety, comfort, ease and speed. As testament to that: While we were in the throes of construction, J.D. Power and Associates named Orlando International the No. 1 airport in North America for customer satisfaction in the mega-airport category — evidence of our commitment to exceptional customer service.
Looking ahead to 2018, we expect the North Terminal Complex projects to be complete by year-end — as construction moves forward on the new South Terminal, which is anticipated to come on line in 2020. To accommodate OIA’s growing international traffic, we are pursuing more federal personnel for more efficient processing.
A world-class airport is a key driver in Central Florida’s growth and development — and at OIA, we’re doing everything in our power to make “The Orlando Experience” second to none. As we go through that process, our guests remain a top priority — and I extend my personal thanks for their support and patience.
The future is exciting at Orlando International Airport. And it will be worth the wait.