Melbourne Airport Expands, Launches First Hybrid Fly-In Hotel
As a throng of community leaders gathered to celebrate the opening of the new Hyatt Place Melbourne Airport at its airy rooftop bar, they stopped to watch a bright blue 787 Dreamliner plane bearing the TUI brand deliver a new group of British passengers to the Space Coast.
The scene perfectly represented the bright future awaiting Melbourne Orlando International Airport (MLB), where things are definitely looking up after a $72 million renovation and the addition of the stylish and unique hotel.
The airport has TUI to thank for generating the massive makeover, made financially possible through airport-generated funds and grants.
The TUI Group, a German leisure travel company, operates the largest holiday airplane fleet in Europe and holds multiple European tour operators. Luring TUI away from Orlando Sanford International Airport was a major coup for Melbourne Airport.
“Our partnership with TUI continues to be incredibly positive,” said airport public information officer Keely Leggett.
In 2022, MLB served 242,542 international passengers, a significant increase from initial expectations of 150,000. With the arrival of TUI’s Marella Discovery cruise ship at Port Canaveral, future passenger numbers are expected to swell. In fact, TUI made airport history in early June, when five 787 Dreamliners, each capable of seating 242 passengers, were on the airport tarmac at once.
To accommodate the influx of new tourists, the airport embarked on an expansion now largely complete and operational. The terminal renovation and expansion project adds 86,000 square feet of space designed to showcase Brevard’s ethos of beaches and space.
The new facility adds three new gates to accommodate increased passenger traffic, a four-lane security area, plus a stylish, airy departure area. The journey from security to holdroom takes passengers from a vibrant coral reef to an impressive rocket launch through a mural created by artists Kole Trent and David Rothman, as part of the Arts at MLB Program, which also includes sand sculptures from Sandsational Sand Sculpting and live art from Jennifer Bonset.
The expansion also includes the Jack L. Ryals Welcome Center — named in honor of the airport’s past president — an international baggage claim area, new restrooms, and a pet relief area.
Through the Metz Culinary Management Group, the airport offers a wide array of dining options, including the Tap Room with craft beers from local breweries and The Butcher Block quick-service restaurant for grab-and-go.
Core Plus Duty Free offers products that encompass locally produced items to classic duty-free shopping. Its roster of products include Blue Caterpillar, Otis Confectionery, Las Olas, Barner, Oneiro, Tip Beauty and Spa Tonics and Ventuno Luxury Experience Box, billed as an immersive experience that includes a VR viewer together with a tasting of some specialties from regions in Italy.
That’s not all.
“MLB continues to improve facilities throughout the airport,” Leggett said. “We recently completed a refurbishment of our premium lounge and have ongoing work taking place in our rental car area.”
In addition to TUI, Allegiant, American Airlines, Avelo, Delta Air Lines and Sun Country Airlines offer service.
“We are always working to expand our air serviced offerings and support the travel needs of our Space Coast community and beyond,” added Leggett.
PARKING
“MLB is currently conducting a parking survey to ensure we are supporting the needs of our growing airport,” Leggett said.
The Greyhound buses that once stopped at the airport to pick up passengers from its Melbourne hub have been replaced by tour buses that whisk passengers to the theme parks.
“As MLB concentrated on growing its international operations, the Greyhound lease was not renewed,” Leggett said. “Greyhound relocated in the area.”
The former station is now part of the Federal Inspection Station facility.
FLY-IN HOTEL
The new Hyatt Place, which will eventually be connected via covered walkway to the airport, began accepting guests June 7. At the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Melbourne Chamber of Commerce CEO Michael Ayers noted that Melbourne Airport is “the driving economic engine in our community.”
David Mendal, co-founder and board member of real estate development group Twenty8, which partnered with ADELON Capital to build Hyatt Place Melbourne Airport, stressed the uniqueness of the new hotel.
“This is not your typical Hyatt Place,” he said. “This is a hotel you can fly in.”
Mendal was referring to the fact that the 143-suite hotel is the first hybrid concept hotel in the United States to serve commercial airline travelers and private aviation customers. The hotel is steps away from major corporations such as Embraer, which operates assembly line facilities for their line of business jets, the Embraer Executive Jets Customer Center and a 75,000-square-foot engineering and technology center at the airport, making the Brazilian aircraft manufacturer one of the airport’s largest tenants.
“The company chose Melbourne as one of its overseas business hubs and has leveraged the Space Coast’s skilled labor force to support operations,” Leggett said.
Despite the significant growth at MLB, the Melbourne Airport Authority does not plan to sit back and rest on laurels.
“As MLB continues to grow, additional expansion will be required to support successful operations,” Leggett said. “Airport leaders are committed to conscientious growth and will continue to shepherd responsible expansion at MLB.”
AIRPORT IN THE MAKING
Even as late as the 1980s, Melbourne Airport relied on stairs and not jetways to load and unload passengers. A local pastime was to park by the side of the airport to watch the few planes land and take off.
The airport began life in 1933, when the City of Melbourne acquired 160 acres of land to develop an airport that would later transform into Naval Air Station Melbourne during World War II.
After the airport returned to civilian operations, scheduled airline flights began in 1953. Eastern, operating four flights to Vero Beach, Daytona and Jacksonville by 1957, was later joined by National Airlines, which arrived in 1959 and brought jet service in 1963.
FUN FACT
The airport once housed an elementary school, Meadowlane Elementary, which opened at a former Naval hospital on airport grounds in 1960 before moving to West Melbourne in 1961.
While the new Hyatt Place is the poshest hotel ever built on airport acreage, it is not the first. The Twins Motel, primarily built to house the players of the Minnesota Twins farm club, was once attached to the airport proper. The quirky hotel rooms held as many as four single beds.
The field where the Hyatt Place stands once housed four baseball diamonds where the boys of summer had their spring training.
LEARN MORE
Hyatt Place Melbourne Airport
Website
321-372-1785
747 Air Terminal Pkwy, Melbourne, Florida, United States, 32901
Melbourne Orlando International Airport
mlbair.com/
Map It
