ORLANDO, Fla. — Orlando International Airport fell short of its passenger count projections last year, but still welcomed more than 57 million people from January to December, according to statistics released by the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority this week.
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The large increase in international travel – more than 800,000 additional passengers – had airport leaders hoping to exceed 60 million passengers by the New Year.
While the total passenger count fell slightly from the year before, the airport retained its title as the busiest in Florida and one of the busiest in the United States.
“This growth not only underscores the resilience and appeal of Central Florida as a global hub, but it also highlights the importance of international travel as a window to the world,” GOAA CEO Kevin Thibault said in a statement posted to the agency’s website.
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Airport leaders attributed the passenger shortfall to difficulties in the aviation industry, including Spirit Airlines’ bankruptcy and delays in the delivery of new airplanes. They also theorized that the opening of Epic Universe in the spring caused some people to put off their vacations.
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Southwest Airlines retained the title of Orlando’s biggest airline by passenger count last year, with 12.5 million passengers, or more than one in five that passed through Central Florida’s hub. Spirit Airlines had the second-highest passenger count at 7.8 million, followed by Delta at 7.4 million.
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American and Frontier rounded out the top five, barely beating out JetBlue. The biggest international carrier was Air Canada, with 860,000 passengers arriving and departing. The airport said Southwest and JetBlue saw the biggest increases in international travelers year over year.
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