Theme Park Scope

Every time Orlando International Airport adds a new nonstop destination, it’s worth paying attention!

Not just because it might be useful for your next trip out of town, but because it’s usually a sign of just how much bigger this airport keeps getting. This latest announcement is a good example of both.

Frontier Airlines has announced its first-ever service to South America, launching three new nonstop routes connecting Orlando International Airport (MCO) to Colombia. The airline has applied for authorization with Colombia’s civil aviation authority, Aerocivil, to get the new routes off the ground.

Here’s the full breakdown of what’s launching, and when:

• Medellín (MDE) — El Rionegro/José María Córdova International Airport, starting December 10, 2026, with daily service, fares starting at $169
• Bogotá (BOG) — El Dorado International Airport, starting December 14, 2026, with daily service, fares starting at $99
• Cartagena (CTG) — Rafael Núñez International Airport, starting December 19, 2026, with weekly service, fares starting at $129

Frontier’s Vice President of Public and Consumer Affairs, Tyri Squyres, framed the move as a response to real demand: “We believe there is strong, unmet demand for low-cost travel between Orlando and Colombia, and we look forward to offering affordable flight options between these two magnificent destinations.” Lance Lyttle, CEO of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, echoed that sentiment, calling the new routes a reflection of Orlando’s growing connectivity with Colombia specifically and “the strong demand for affordable international travel between Central Florida and South America” more broadly.

This isn’t an isolated announcement…it’s part of a genuinely remarkable growth stretch for Orlando International. The airport handled 57.7 million passengers in 2025, a number that’s already 13% above pre-pandemic 2019 levels, and it added 45 new or expanded routes that year alone, including brand-new international service to Lima, Paris, Munich, and Madrid. MCO now connects to more than 170 nonstop destinations worldwide, spanning over 50 international cities across 30 countries, and it was named the Overall Winner at the 2026 Routes Americas Awards, a recognition voted on by airlines themselves, which makes it a meaningful signal of how much confidence carriers have in Orlando as a market worth investing in.

Seen against that backdrop, Frontier’s new Colombia routes look less like a standalone announcement and more like the airport continuing a growth trajectory it’s been on for years. For an airport this closely tied to Disney World and Universal Orlando traffic, this kind of international expansion also means a broader, more diverse mix of visitors making their way to Central Florida’s theme parks going forward.

If you’ve got family or friends in Colombia, or you’re looking for an affordable way to add a South American leg onto a Central Florida trip, these new routes are worth watching once booking opens. And if you’re the one flying into Orlando for a theme park vacation and want help making sure your flights, resort stay, and tickets are all lined up efficiently, Adventure Awaits Travel Company offers free trip-planning services that can save you time and help you land the best overall value for your visit.

We’ll keep tracking new nonstop routes as Orlando International continues expanding its network, so check back with Theme Park Scope for the latest.