If you came across Melbourne Orlando International Airport (MLB) while searching for flights to Florida and weren't sure what to make of it, you're not alone. Most people default to Orlando International Airport (MCO), which handles over 50 million passengers a year and comes with everything that implies: massive terminals, long security lines, crowded baggage claim, and a drive of up to 90 minutes before you even reach the Space Coast. MLB is the alternative. It's a smaller, fully commercial airport located in Melbourne, Florida, just 1.5 miles from downtown, sitting squarely in the heart of the Space Coast, and for many destinations in this region, it's simply the smarter choice.

The airport serves travelers heading to Melbourne, Palm Bay, Cocoa Beach, Port Canaveral, Cape Canaveral, Merritt Island, Sebastian, Vero Beach, and the surrounding communities of Brevard and Indian River Counties. If any of those are your destination, flying into MLB means you could be at your hotel, vacation rental, or cruise terminal in under an hour, rather than spending the first two hours of your Florida vacation sitting in traffic on I-95 or SR-528 after landing at MCO.

For cruise passengers, MLB's location is especially significant. Port Canaveral sits just 27 miles north of MLB. That's a straightforward 40 to 50 minute drive with no Orlando traffic to deal with. By comparison, MCO is 45 miles from the port and adds significant time and stress to cruise morning.

In 2022, TUI Airways moved their entire Florida operation to Melbourne, making MLB their dedicated gateway to Florida for UK holidaymakers. TUI now flies direct from London Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham, Belfast, Glasgow, and Newcastle directly into MLB. By 2023, MLB had recorded its highest passenger numbers since 1990, serving nearly 748,000 passengers.