ORLANDO, Fla. — General aviation activity has been on a steady upward trajectory at Orlando Executive Airport (ORL) over the past two decades. In fact, 2023 was the busiest year at ORL since 2002. With an FAA control tower-verified total of 181,227 operations, Orlando Executive surpassed last year’s final operations tally by 17 percent. Factoring in the daily airfield activity that occurred between 10:00 pm and 7:00 am when the tower is closed, ORL’s operations totaled nearly 189,000. The single busiest month was October with 16,834 operations.

International travel also increased dramatically at ORL. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reported a total of 1,213 operations in 2023, which was 177 more than the previous year. Seven of the 12 months saw triple digit operations compared to only one month in 2022. According to the CBP, the international flights brought in 2,724 passengers and 1,614 crew. March was the busiest month with 142 operations.

As the designated reliever airport for Orlando International Airport (MCO), ORL can handle a variety of aircraft from helicopters to single engine planes to the largest corporate jets. By comparison, there were 31,460 general aviation operations at MCO in 2023. According to the most recent statistics compiled by the Florida Department of Transportation, ORL contributes $577 million of total economic impact to the state of Florida and supports more than 4,000 jobs.

Innovative Outreach Efforts

With a nod to the robust activity, staff at ORL is looking to further enhance the airport’s profile in both the flying and local communities. To encourage patronage from private pilots, ORL recently hosted a Food Truck Fly-In. The inaugural event featured two food vendors, free parking for aircraft and a static display. An estimated 20 aircraft and 250 attendees arrived to participate. Vice President of ORL Operations Judith-Ann Jarrette says the airport will host more events like this in the future and looks forward to building on the popularity of Orlando Executive Airport.