The new airport terminal is set to open in just over a week

Orlando International Airport has used the great pandemic pause to continue building and expanding its facilities for passengers. During 2021, MCO became the world’s 7th busiest airport, thanks to the changing patterns of travel. It handled some 40.3 million passengers – still far fewer than the 50 million who passed through in 2019, but it has its sights set on being even bigger in the future.

The new terminal has seen $3 billion of investment poured into the airport’s facilities. With 15 additional gates, the new South Terminal is designed to add capacity for 10 to 12 million more passengers each year. But it’s not any old terminal; what MCO has developed here is both architecturally beautiful and technologically futuristic. Let’s take a peek.

From the outside, the glass and metal façade of the new terminal, also known as Terminal C, nod to the thoughtful design of the interior of this building. Natural light floods in through the skylights that run up the center of the structure, giving it a modern, airy feel as soon as you enter the building.

The design is the brainchild of well-known industrial architect Fentress, who has a rich history of designing airport buildings. Their projects have included the Tom Bradley terminal at LAX, Incheon International Airport, Denver International, and Raleigh-Durham. The firm said that the design ethos at Orlando Terminal C was to “create the next generation of The Orlando Experience™ by using large gestures that will create an unforgettable experience.”

The central area that runs through the terminal to the gates is known as ‘The Boulevard’ and is flanked by coffee shops, small outlets and comfortable seating for guests. At the landside end of the Boulevard is the ‘Town Square, where passengers will find airline ticket desks and access to security checkpoints.

Once through security, passengers arrive in the airside plaza, also known as ‘Palm Court.’ The name is derived from the tall palm trees flanking the court, giving a distinctly Florida feel to the space. The trees aren’t real, but they’re as close as you can get. They are known as ‘Forever Trees’, in part due to their striking similarity to real trees, but also thanks to their sustainable construction using preserved materials.

Here is where most of the airport’s retail outlets are housed, including popular chains such as Starbucks, Chick-Fil-A, Auntie Anne’s, and Cinnabon. But Orlando Airport has also maintained a strong focus on bringing to the airport local flavors and small businesses, and boasts concessions from local legends such as Wine Bar George, Barnies Coffee & Tea and Sunshine Diner.

And, in case you’re wondering, yes there are shopping outlets from Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando and SeaWorld Orlando, naturally.

Palm Court houses one of the most unique elements of the new terminal – a fun art installation by Gentilhomme, known as the ‘Moment Vault’. The coolest thing about it is that it lets visitors interact with the display on the screen thanks to multiple outward-facing cameras bringing the passengers into the art. It’s sure to be a huge hit with the kids!

The airport also has a large-scale video installation it calls ‘Windows on Orlando.’ This has three giant displays, each 32 feet tall, and the entire installation spans 110 feet. It provides panoramic visuals of live-action scenes from the local area, such as sailboats bobbing in Titusville Marina, or the launch of a rocket at Kennedy Space Center.

The technology being brought into Terminal C isn’t just fun and games, however. Much of the investment has gone into improving the passenger experience. For example, across the 10 TSA checkpoint lanes, eight are automated, making for much faster processing of passengers. Terminal C will be able to handle around 180 – 250 passengers an hour, compared with 150 per hour in the old terminals.

The airport is also set to be the first in the world to deploy a full Early Bag Storage robotic system. This allows bags to be checked in many hours before the flight, and even allows the passenger to retrieve the bag at any point in time. The system has capacity for 1,800 bags, and is supported by a full RFID baggage handling system to track and speed up the delivery of checked bags.

Throughout the airport, Orlando has installed a digital wayfinding system to help passengers plan their day. Multimedia content on video walls and digital displays will give guests information on things like waiting times, walking time, and which flights are boarding. Tom Draper, GOAA Chief of Operations, commented on the system, saying,

“We put the focus on the passenger in every design decision at Terminal C, which is the result of extensive airport communication innovation between GOAA and Synect. The program will help engage passengers at the major touchpoints of their journey while reflecting real-time airport activity including estimated wait times.”

For passengers waiting at their gate, the terminal provides wireless charging at every seat, as well as a 120v outlet and a pair of USB plugs. There’s also a bar-style seating area with power outlets, perfect for getting a spot of work done before boarding.

Talking of boarding, passengers can expect faster, more efficient boarding processes thanks to the biometric boarding at every gate. This simply means passengers for international flights will be able to board their plane using only their face as identification, eliminating the need for that last-minute scramble for the passport.

Orlando Terminal C will also be connected to Brightline, a high-speed rail service that will connect passengers to 170 miles of train lines. From the airport, passengers can get to West Palm Beach in less than 2 hours, can go directly to Disney Springs and Universal Orlando, or can head on to Tampa or Miami. The service is expected to commence in 2023.

Orlando Terminal C has set its opening date as September 19th. A number of international airlines will be moving to the new terminal, including British Airways, Lufthansa, Norse, Icelandair, Emirates and Aer Lingus. Also moving are US airlines Breeze, JetBlue and Caribbean, and Latin American Gol and Azul. One thing’s for sure, their passengers are going to get an exemplary experience that is 100% Florida from the moment they step off the plane.

Managing Editor -  Joanna has worked in publishing for more than a decade and is fast becoming a go-to source for commercial aviation analysis. Providing commentary for outlets including the BBC, CNBC, Reuters Thomson and others, she works closely with IATA, AviaDev and various airlines and suppliers to get the inside track on the global marketplace.