For the first half of 2019, Orlando Melbourne International Airport (MLB) has reported an 8.8 percent increase in passengers compared to 2018. Airport officials attribute this largely to American Airlines’ new nonstop flights to Washington, D.C. (DCA) and Philadelphia (PHL). Travelers are also learning how MLB’s short security and ticketing lines, low-cost parking, and coastal casual atmosphere are outweighing the options at larger, congested airports.
In the first six months of 2019, MLB has handled over 21,000 more passengers than in 2018, and is on track to surpass 500,000 annual passengers, a number MLB hasn’t been able to exceed since 2001. Even with the growth, there is still plenty of room to facilitate additional air service. The airport terminal is capable of accommodating 2 million passengers annually, which is four times the amount of traffic MLB is handling today.
Aircraft operations on the airport’s three brand-new runways are also up an impressive 29.1 percent from 2018. Air carrier operations are up 32.5 percent due to new nonstop flights and the amount of airline maintenance work taking place at STS Mod Center’s 83,000 sq. ft. hangar.
“Supporting the Space Coast’s hometown airport is more important now than ever before,” said Airport Executive Director Greg Donovan, A.A.E. “We ask our community to continue using these new routes to our top markets like D.C. and Philadelphia to prove to the airlines that the demand is there. If we do that, more will come.”
Nonstop flights to Philadelphia on American Airlines increase to daily service beginning December 19.
