Have you ever wondered how airports get their three-letter codes? These codes, known as International Air Transport Association (IATA) codes, are used to identify airports around the world. The process of assigning these codes is quite interesting, as they are not always straightforward.
For example, some codes are based on the city name, such as LAX for Los Angeles International Airport. Others are based on the airport’s name, like JFK for John F. Kennedy International Airport. And then there are some that are seemingly unrelated, like ORD for Chicago O’Hare International Airport, which is actually derived from its former name, Orchard Field.
There are many other instances where airport codes seem to have no apparent relationship with the names of the airports they represent.
- MSY – Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport
- OGG – Kahului Airport (Maui)
- DAD – Da Nang, Vietnam
We’ve flown to all of these airports, so we’ve seen these codes on our luggage tags at one point or another. However, living in Florida, we’re surrounded by airports with boring IATA codes. Tampa International Airport’s code is TPA, Daytona Beach International Airport’s code is DAB, Jacksonville’s code is JAX, and Miami International Airport’s code is MIA. All of these have some resemblance to the cities they serve. Then you get to Orlando International Airport.
It’s common for people to refer to Orlando’s primary airport as OIA, assuming that the airport’s IATA code corresponds to its name. However, we’re very comfortable calling Orlando International Airport by its three-letter code, MCO.
But that’s not the case for many people in Orlando who aren’t familiar with the history of the Orlando Airport. There’s even a part of the airport’s Frequently Asked Questions about why the airport is called MCO:
How did the airport get the designator “MCO”?
The airport designator code “MCO” comes from the former McCoy Air Force Base, named after Colonel Michael N. W. McCoy, on which site, located at -81.08W 28.96 N, and at 113 feet (34 meters) above sea level, Orlando International Airport now stands.
The local press often refer to the airport as OIA, but the airport is very clear that they are MCO and have no intention of changing the IATA code.
We are not "OIA" – our 𝑛𝑎𝑚𝑒 is ✨MCO!✨ pic.twitter.com/UcYb7H0Vbr
— Orlando International Airport (@MCO) October 10, 2023
Even if they used a Halloween meme to make the statement, MCO is serious and has spent time and money to associate the code with the airport.
Besides wanting to keep a sense of history, there’s a logistical reason that Orlando keeps the MCO name. There’s already an airport with the designation of OIA. In the case of “OIA,” it already stands for Ourilândia do Norte Airport – an airport in Brazil that’s now closed.
Changing the IATA code of Orlando International Airport to OIA would require a significant effort. Although most infrequent travelers may not notice the difference, those of us who travel frequently are attached to the current code MCO and prefer it to remain unchanged.
First people will want to change the IATA code, then the next thing they’ll want is to change the pattern of the carpet in the terminal.
Want to comment on this post? Great! Read this first to help ensure it gets approved.
Want to sponsor a post, write something for Your Mileage May Vary, or put ads on our site? Click here for more info.
Like this post? Please share it! We have plenty more just like it and would love it if you decided to hang around and sign up to get emailed notifications of when we post.
Whether you’ve read our articles before or this is the first time you’re stopping by, we’re really glad you’re here and hope you come back to visit again!
This post first appeared on Your Mileage May Vary
Join our mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from our team.