Why is orlando airport called mco? Orlando International Airport. The airport code MCO stands for the airport's former name, McCoy Air Force Base. It was named for Colonel Michael Norman Wright McCoy, USAF. In the early 1960s, with the creation of commercial jet airline service to the Orlando area, the installation became a civil - military facility.What is the closest international airport to orlando? The closest airport to Orlando is Orlando International Airport (MCO). Distance from Orlando International Airport to Orlando, FL is 8.7 miles / 13.9 kilometers.What is orlando airport code? The airport code for Orlando Executive Airport, which is located in Orlando, Florida, is ORL. The airport code for Orlando International Airport, which is also located in Orlando, Florida, is MCO. The airport code for Orlando Sanford International Airport, which is also located in Orlando, Florida, is SFB.What airports are near orlando florida?