After nearly a decade of legal arguments, Orlando Sanford International Airport has secured the right to keep using – and trademark – the name it has used for years.
A federal judge approved a final consent judgment settling the dispute between the Sanford Airport Authority and the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, which operates Orlando International Airport.
The disagreement began after Sanford applied to trademark the Orlando Sanford International Airport name and logo in 2016. Orlando International objected, arguing that travelers could confuse the two airports because both names included “Orlando” and “International.”
A trademark board initially agreed that the names were confusingly similar. However, the federal court later determined that Orlando International’s operators had waited too long to challenge Sanford’s use of the name. The two airport authorities subsequently reached a settlement, which was finalized in July 2026.
For travelers, nothing will actually change. Orlando Sanford International Airport will remain Orlando Sanford International Airport, and its airport code will still be SFB.
Sanford Really Is Part Of The Orlando Area
This wasn’t the first time Orlando International challenged another Florida airport’s use of the Orlando name.
The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority previously sued the airport in Melbourne after it renamed itself Orlando Melbourne International Airport. That dispute ended with the airport switching the order of its name to Melbourne Orlando International Airport.
However, the Sanford dispute has always seemed somewhat different.
Most Central Florida residents would consider Sanford part of the greater Orlando area. It’s in Seminole County, immediately north of Orange County, and many people who live near Sanford commute to jobs throughout the Orlando region.
That doesn’t mean the airport is particularly convenient for every Orlando visitor.
Sanford Airport is roughly 30 miles from Orlando International Airport, and the drive to Walt Disney World or the attractions around International Drive can be substantial. Depending on traffic and where you’re staying, a cheaper flight into SFB may come with a longer and more expensive ground transportation trip.
Still, calling it Orlando Sanford International Airport doesn’t feel like the same geographical stretch as placing Orlando ahead of Melbourne, a separate city on Florida’s Atlantic coast about 70 miles from Orlando.
Always Check The Airport Code
The ruling may settle the legal issue, but it won’t eliminate confusion among visitors.
Someone searching for flights to Orlando could encounter Orlando International Airport (MCO), Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB) and Melbourne Orlando International Airport (MLB). All three can potentially be used for an Orlando trip, but they are nowhere near interchangeable.
The important thing isn’t whether an airport is legally allowed to use Orlando in its name. Travelers need to look at the airport code, place it on a map and calculate the cost and time required to reach their hotel.
A low fare into Sanford may still be worthwhile. Just don’t book it assuming you’ll land around the corner from Disney World.
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