GOAA Unveils Strategic Vision for Orlando Airports: Enhancing Experience and Growth

The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) has unveiled a new strategic vision designed to guide the future of Orlando International Airport (MCO) and Orlando Executive Airport (ORL) over the next decade.

Centered on enhancing the customer experience and strengthening the Aviation Authority’s role as a driver of economic growth and innovation, the vision is built around four foundational pillars: Customer Experience, Community, Infrastructure, and People.

Since joining GOAA earlier this year, Chief Executive Officer Lance Lyttle has been focused on developing a long-term strategy for a new era of growth and enhancing the guest experience at two of Central Florida’s most important aviation gateways. As the busiest airport in Florida, and one of the busiest in the United States, MCO continues to experience strong travel demand. ORL serves as the region’s premier general aviation facility and primary reliever airport for MCO.

“This vision focuses and unites everything we do around one core purpose: delivering an exceptional experience for everyone who passes through our airports,” said Mr. Lyttle. “We’re creating spaces that are more welcoming, efficient, and enjoyable, from the parking areas to the gate, so that every step of the journey feels seamless.”

Airport leaders presented the vision to GOAA board members during a workshop on October 8. After reviewing the plan, developed out of months of extensive research, collaboration, and input, the GOAA board approved the vision during today’s board meeting.

“The Board is proud to support a forward-looking vision that balances growth, innovation, and service to our community,” said Stephanie Kopelousos, Chair of the GOAA Board. “This plan ensures that as Central Florida continues to evolve, Orlando International Airport and Orlando Executive Airport remain world-class gateways that reflect the spirit, ambition, and hospitality for which our region is known.”

GOAA is determined to meet the goals of the new vision, with support from the recently revised $5.9 billion MCO Capital Improvement Program (CIP) and $84.2 million ORL Capital Improvement Program. These significant investments reflect GOAA’s ongoing commitment to expand capacity, modernize facilities, and elevate the passenger journey at every touchpoint.

The Aviation Authority will focus on strategically achieving various five-year and ten-year goals.

Some of these multi-year goals include: 

Customer Experience

• Support all activities and projects necessary to attain a 5-star Skytrax rating, a global rating system that ranks airports on quality of service and other standards.
  
  
• By 2035, activate 60% of current vacant real estate assets at ORL while maximizing revenue.

Community

• Develop at least one new cargo processing facility and complete an FAA-approved on-airport AAM vertiport by 2030, designed to accommodate multiple commercial operators and support the future of air mobility.
  
  
• By 2030, increase non-aeronautical revenue by 30% compared to the revenue figures recorded for 2025.

Infrastructure

By 2030, several improvements are planned to:

• Increase available public parking by 8,000 spaces.
  
  
• Complete the construction of a new Baggage Handling System for Terminals A & B.
  
  
• Complete Airside 2 gate expansions.
  
  
• Incorporate additional passenger conveyance in Terminal C from Palm Court to Gate C230.
  
  
• By 2035, complete Terminal C, Phase 2, construction.

People

• By 2030, launch a fully operational Business Incubator at MCO to drive innovation and strategic growth, including increasing the number of small businesses working with MCO by 40%.
  
  
• By 2028, achieve a 20% increase over 2025 baseline employee engagement scores to attain an employee engagement score of 90% within 5 years.

Other vision initiatives range from restoring stormwater structures to a nomenclature project that will focus on renaming all terminals by numbering them Terminals 1, 2, and 3 to improve clarity and consistency.

To see an overview of some of GOAA’s vision, please visit the video here.