SANFORD, Fla. — A federal judge has ended a nearly decade-long naming dispute between Central Florida’s two major airports, clearing the way for Orlando Sanford International Airport to trademark its name and logo.
The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida issued a final consent judgment on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, resolving the trademark fight between the Sanford Airport Authority (SAA) and the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA), which operates Orlando International Airport (MCO).
What it Means
The ruling secures SAA’s long-standing right to use—and now officially trademark—the “Orlando Sanford International Airport” name and logo, ending years of legal uncertainty.
“The court’s rulings and the parties’ settlement have finally resolved this important trademark issue,” said Brett Renton with Shutts & Bowen LLP, who has represented SAA for nearly two decades.
“It is important that any airport thinking about changing its name work with very good counsel before doing so to ensure they can navigate trademark law.”
How it Started
SAA initially applied to trademark its airport name and logo in July 2016. GOAA opposed the application, claiming that travelers might confuse the two airports since both include “Orlando” and “International” in their names.
In March 2023, the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board found GOAA’s marks ‘confusingly similar” despite being 31 miles apart. In 2026, the court ruled GOAA couldn’t seek damages due to laches and acquiescence, meaning they waited too long to object.
The parties then settled, leading to this week’s final judgment.
For travelers, the decision doesn’t change airport operations or signage but does solidify the legal standing of both airports’ branding as they continue to serve the region.
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2026 Cox Media Group
