For generations, Miami International Airport has been known as the “Gateway to the Americas.” Now, for passengers and cargo alike, MIA increasingly is becoming America’s “Gateway to the World.”
In addition to offering more flights to Latin America and the Caribbean than any other U.S. airport, MIA’s network of more than 150 destinations around the world now also includes 18 European cities and the fast-growing Middle East hubs of Istanbul and Doha. MIA’s global expansion continues to strengthen its ranking as America’s second-busiest airport for international passengers and Florida’s world gateway, handling 70% of the state’s international visitors.
As the top U.S. airport for international freight, MIA generates annual business revenue of $33.7 billion, making it the leading economic engine for Miami-Dade County, the state of Florida and most of the southeast U.S.
Under the direction of Airport Director Emilio T. González, the airport has added new routes, technology and a growing selection of concessions that cater to leisure and business travelers alike. A multi-faceted modernization program now underway will also ensure that the global gateway stays on the leading edge of innovation and customer service for years to come.
MIA’s vision is to grow from a hemispheric hub to the global airport of choice, offering world-class service and more routes for passengers and cargo — all with an eye on environmental sustainability.
That’s Miami International Airport — your gateway to the world.
A Global Cargo Hub
From high-tech products to perishables and pharmaceuticals, MIA is the leading U.S. and a top-10 global airport for international freight. More than 40 airlines link air cargo from MIA to the U.S., the Americas, Asia, Europe and the Middle East / Gulf region.
With a Foreign Trade Zone designation, 88% of MIA’s 2.1 million tons of total air freight handled last year was international. Some 2.1 million international tons originated or cleared at MIA, with 41% of all goods handled at MIA shipped in-transit from one country to another. In all, MIA’s total air trade for the period was valued at $61.6 billion - 96% of the dollar value of Florida’s total air imports and exports, or 40% of the state’s total air and sea trade with the world.
Regional Pharmaceutical Logistics Hub: Already the nation’s top airport for fish, flower and fruit imports, add another key commodity to the list: pharmaceuticals. MIA has been named an IATA-certified pharma logistics hub - the first in the U.S. and only the second in the world. Over the past four years, the total value of these high-cost products transported through MIA increased 79%, from $1.8 billion in 2010 to $3.2 billion in 2014 (not including in-transit cargo). With airlines, freight forwarders and logistics providers that deliver fast, reliable, safe and secure transport of pharmaceutical products, MIA is now a world leader in temperature-controlled pharmaceutical freight shipment.
With new runway capacity, exceptional infrastructure and facilitation; 3.4 million sq. ft. of warehouse, office and support space; and regional logistics operations tied to seaports, intermodal centers and rail lines, MIA is a top global trade hub.
Air Carriers Expand Global Reach
MIA’s runways were especially busy in 2015. Some 3 million more passengers flew through MIA this year than in 2014, adding $800 million in new regional spending. With new domestic and international service and five new carriers, more of the world now calls on MIA.
New non-stop routes and expanded service include:
- Berlin via Air Berlin
- Helsinki via Finnair expanded seasonal service
- Istanbul via Turkish Airlines
- London via British Airways A380 superjumbo
- Munich via Lufthansa expanded seasonal service
- Paris via Air France A380 superjumbo
- Vienna via Austrian Airlines
- Zurich via Swiss Air on four additional weekly flights
- Oslo and Copenhagen via Scandinavian Airlines (starting in fall 2016)
With more travel choices to Europe, the Middle East and Latin America than ever before, MIA is fast becoming America’s connection to the world.
Diversifying Concessions: Literally, a Taste of the World
Concessions are serving new flavors at MIA. From Brazil to the tropics to Miami’s own fare, dining and shopping are multicultural delights.
Jimmy Buffett-themed Air Margaritaville offers island-styled seafood, burgers, salads, sandwiches and tropical drinks. Icebox Cafe and Mediterranean Kitchen feature the first fresh, healthy, farm-to-table dining locations at MIA. Beginning in 2016, Brazilian passengers - who comprise MIA’s single largest international traveler market - will enjoy Brazilian restaurant Viena. Also set to arrive: Emilio and Gloria Estefan’s Estefan Latin Kitchen and other eateries featuring fare from throughout the Americas.
What MIA has done with dining, it’s also doing with retailers. Miami-based Perry Ellis soon will have a store featuring its popular Penguin brand in the airport’s North Terminal Marketplace, which also offers cigars, empanadas and more from local vendors.
“The idea is to mix up the menus and retail offerings to better serve our global tastes,” says MIA Director Emilio T. González.
MIA Flies High with New Tech
When most passengers arrive at MIA after an international flight, they’re first greeted not by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents, but by more than 100 self-service passport-scanning kiosks. With 50% of all in-bound international passengers using either the kiosks or CBP’s Mobile Passport app, the result is a streamlined, simplified immigration process.
The kiosks are just one of the many recent tech innovations transforming the flying public’s experience and improving MIA operational efficiencies. Among other new technology are:
MIA Airport Official: The mobile device app allows users to gain flight information, locations of shops and restaurants, and other useful travel tips while at MIA.
Beacon Geolocation and Proximity Devices: More than 200 Bluetooth beacons installed throughout MIA will soon allow the airport to provide enhanced way-finding services and to better communicate with passengers who opt-in via the MIA mobile app.
MIA Connections: The airport’s digital magazine offers helpful, entertaining tips for travelers on a layover at MIA or an extended stay in Miami.
“We’re pushing the limits of technology to be able to accommodate our growth. We can’t grow any larger, so we’re growing smarter,” says Director González.
By the Numbers
- 1,311 weekly flights to 78 destinations in Latin America and the Caribbean
- 40.9 million passengers served in 2014
- 2.1 million tons of international cargo in 2014, making MIA tops in U.S. and top 10 among world airports for global freight traffic
- $61.6 billion in total air trade through MIA