At 11,605 acres (4,696 ha), MCO is one of the largest commercial airports in terms of land area in the United States.

Following the crisis, McCoy AFB hosted a permanent U-2 operating detachment of the 100th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing until 1973.

The following year, McCoy's 306th Bombardment Wing was inactivated, its B-52D Stratofortress and KC-135A Stratotanker aircraft reassigned to other SAC units and most of the McCoy AFB facility turned over to the city of Orlando by the General Services Administration (GSA) in late 1974 and early and mid 1975.

USAF responsibility for the airfield's air traffic control tower was turned over to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the airport established its own crash, fire and rescue department, initially utilizing equipment transferred by the GSA.

Nearby lakes and commercial and residential development made expansion impractical, so an agreement was reached between the City of Orlando and the United States Air Force in 1962 to use McCoy AFB under a joint arrangement.

The military offered a large AGM-28 Hound Dog missile maintenance hangar and its associated flight line ramp area in the northeast corner of the field for conversion into a civil air terminal.

The city would then cover the cost of building a replacement missile maintenance hangar on the main base's western flight line.

[9][10] Airline flights to the Orlando Jetport began shortly after an agreement was signed by the city and USAF in October 1961.

[citation needed] The 1971 opening of the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World led to a significant increase in air travel as Orlando became a major tourist destination.

For much of the 1970s, Shawnee Airlines would directly link MCO with Walt Disney World using de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter commuter aircraft.

These connecting flights flew from MCO to the Walt Disney World STOL Airport, a small, short-lived airfield near the Magic Kingdom's parking lot.

[13] When McCoy AFB closed in 1975, part of the facility stayed under military control to support Naval Training Center Orlando and several tenant commands.

[14] In 1979, the facility was also designated as a large hub airport by the FAA based on flight operations and passenger traffic.

[13] In 1983 a small chapel was opened memorializing Michael Galvin who died during the construction of the airport's expansion.

The runway was also an emergency divert site for NASA's Boeing 747 Shuttle Transport Aircraft when relocating orbiters from either west coast modification work or divert recoveries at Edwards AFB, California or the White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico.

[citation needed] Eastern Air Lines used Orlando as a focus city during the 1970s and early 1980s, and became "the official airline of Walt Disney World."

Airside 4, which opened in 1990, was primarily designed for Delta's hub operation and it included a ramp tower, an international arrivals facility, and a wing for regional aircraft under the people mover guideway.

The original terminal building, a converted hangar, was described as inadequate for the task at hand even when it was first opened as Orlando Jetport.

[31] Greater Orlando Aviation Association Chair Frank Kruppenbacher called the new service "without question the biggest, most significant move forward for our airport"[30] and estimates that the local economic impact of the new service will be up to $100 million annually.

[38] The $684 million station included a new 2,500 space parking garage (which would also be the parking garage for Terminal C), and the Orlando station for the Brightline higher speed regional rail service to South Florida which began service in 2023.

In May 2015, the Board of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) voted unanimously to approve construction of the $1.8 billion South Terminal Complex.

[45][46] Multiple options are being considered for a link to International Drive, either with elevated maglev train system, connecting the airport to the Orange County Convention Center, the Florida Mall, and the Sand Lake Road SunRail station,[47][48] or a light rail link running along a similar route as the maglev alternative between the airport and International Drive.

The hotel features an expansive lobby area for guests awaiting flights, convention space, several bars, and two restaurants including a signature restaurant on the top level of the terminal building overlooking the airport facility and runways below.