Miami International Airport

Miami International Airport covers 1,335 hectares (3,300 acres) and has four runways:[4]

• 8L/26R: 8,600 ft × 150 ft (2,621 m × 46 m)
• 8R/26L: 10,506 ft × 200 ft (3,202 m × 61 m)
• 9/27: 13,016 ft × 150 ft (3,967 m × 46 m)
• 12/30: 9,360 ft × 150 ft (2,853 m × 46 m)

28 aircraft are based at this airport: 46% multi-engine and 54% jet.[4]

MIA has a number of air cargo facilities. The largest cargo complex is located on the west side of the airport, inside the triangle formed by Runways 12/30 and 9/27. Cargo carriers such as LAN Cargo, Atlas Air, Southern Air, Amerijet International and DHL operate from this area. The largest privately owned facility is the Centurion Cargo complex in the northeast corner of the airport, with over 51,000 m² (550,000 sq ft) of warehouse space.[17] FedEx and UPS operate their own facilities in the northwest corner of the airport, off of 36th Street. In addition to its large passenger terminal in Concourse D, American Airlines operates a maintenance base to the east of Concourse D, centered around a semicircular hangar originally used by National Airlines which can accommodate three widebody aircraft.[18]

Fire protection at the airport is provided by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department[19] Station 12.[20]

The North Terminal was previously the site of Concourses A, B, C, and D, each a separate pier. Concourse D was one of the airport's original 1959 concourses, having opened as Concourse 5. After modifications similar to that of former Concourse C during the mid-1960s, it was extended in 1984, and the original portion was completely rebuilt from 1986 to 1989[22] and connected to the immigration and customs hall in Concourse E, allowing it to handle international arrivals. The Concourse D FIS now provides immigration and customs services for international flights arriving at this terminal.[23] Along with former Concourses B and C, the concourse once housed the Eastern Air Lines base of operations. Another Texas Air Corporation affiliate joined the eastern side during the 1980s; Continental Airlines used gates on the west side of the concourse during the 1980s.

The North Terminal construction merged the four piers into a single linear concourse designated Concourse D. This configuration was adopted in order to increase the number of aircraft that can simultaneously arrive and depart from the terminal, allowing each gate to handle approximately twice as many operations per day.[24] The construction process started with the extension of the original A and D concourses in the late 1990s. By the mid-2000s, the gates on the east side of Concourse D were closed in order to make room for new gates being constructed as part of the North Terminal Development project. In 2004, a new extension to the west was opened, consisting of Gates D39 through D51. Concourse B was demolished in 2005; in summer 2009, Gates D21 to D25 opened where Concourse B once stood. Concourse C was demolished in 2009; in August 2013, Gates D26, D27, and D28 opened where Concourse C once stood and were the final North Terminal gates to open.[25] Concourse A closed in November 2007 and re-opened in July 2010 as a 14-gate eastern extension of Concourse D. In August 2010, a further extension for American Eagle flights was opened, designated as Gate D60.[26]

The Skytrain automated people mover, built by Parsons and Odebrecht with trains from Sumitomo Corporation and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, opened in September 2010.[26] It transports domestic passengers between four stations within Concourse D, located at gates D17, D24, D29 and D46; it also connects arriving international passengers who have not yet cleared border customs to the Concourse D FIS.[27]

The North Terminal construction began in 1998 and was slated for completion in 2005, but was delayed several times due to cost overruns. The project was managed by American Airlines until the Miami-Dade County Aviation Department took over in 2005.[28] The initial project inception was designed by Corgan Associates, Anthony C Baker Architects and Planners, Perez & Perez, and Leo A Daly.[29] After revisions to the design, the project was accomplished by the architectural firm of Harper Partners, who was instrumental in completion and finalization of the design for the two major projects which were the primary elements of the American Airlines World Gateway Terminal.

Harper Partners served as lead architects for both the Concourse D Shell (450,000 sf of new construction) and for the Harper Partners/Perez & Perez Joint Venture which served as architects for the 1.3 million sf of interior build-out and finishes of the American Airlines World Gateway Terminal. Although certain portions of the project experienced cost overruns, in contrast, both of the Harper Partners projects were completed within less than one and a half percent in total change orders. Harper Partners was recognized by Miami Dade Aviation Department in working aggressively and creatively in recapturing the program's overall construction schedule.[30]

A new international arrivals facility opened in August 2012, and the project reached substantial completion in January 2013. All of the twelve international gates which were designed by the Harper Partners Team of architects were the first to be fully operational and generating revenue for the Miami Dade Aviation Department.[31] The Baggage Handling System's international-to-domestic transfer, which was the last component of the project, was completed in February 2014.[32]

American Airlines planes at Concourse D

Interior view of concourse D

Concourse D is the only concourse located within the North Terminal, and is a 3.6-million-square-foot (330,000 m²) linear concourse 1.2 miles (1.9 km) long with a capacity of 30 million passengers annually. Concourse D has one bus station and 51 gates: D1–D12, D14–D17, D19–D34, D36–D51, D53, D55, D60.[33] American operates two Admirals Clubs within the concourse; one located near Gate D30, and another near Gate D15. American Eagle uses Gates D53, D55, and D60.[34]

The Central Terminal consists of three concourses, labeled E, F, and G, with a combined total of 52 gates.[33] The Miami-Dade Aviation Department began a three-year, $657 million renovation of the terminal in November 2015, to include a new train in Concourse E and new gates and ticket counters. The airport authority plans to demolish and replace the terminal in stages, while funding upgrades to keep the facilities usable in the interim.

Concourse E has two bus stations and 18 gates: E2, E4–E11, E20–E25, E30-E31, and E33.[33]

Concourse E dates back to the terminal's 1959 opening, and was originally known as Concourse 4. From the start, it was the airport's only international concourse, containing its own immigration and customs facilities. In the mid-1960s, it underwent renovations similar to the airport's other original concourses, but didn't receive its first major addition until the International Satellite Terminal was opened in 1976. Featuring Gates E20–E35 (commonly known as "High E"), the satellite added 12 international gates capable of handling the largest jet aircraft as well as an international intransit lounge for arriving international passengers connecting to other international flights. At the same time, Concourse E's immigration and customs facilities were radically overhauled and expanded. During the late-1980s, the original portion of Concourse E ("Low E") was rebuilt to match the satellite.

The concourse and its satellite were briefly linked by buses then the airport's first automated people mover (Adtranz C-100) opened in 1980, which was replaced in 2016 by a cable propelled MIA e Train — a MiniMetro people mover by Leitner-Poma of America.[35]

Since then, Gate E3 was closed in the 1990s to accommodate a connector between Concourses D and E. In the mid-2000s, the Low E and High E security checkpoints were expanded and merged into one, linking both portions of the concourse without requiring passengers to reclear security. At the same time Gates E32, E34, and E35 were closed to make way for a second parallel taxiway between the Concourse D extension and Concourse E. Concourse E also contains the Central Terminal's immigration and customs halls. The airport authority plans to maintain the "high E" area until 2034, and the "low E" area until 2035.[36]

Concourse E serves Oneworld member airlines British Airways, Finnair, Iberia, and Qatar, along with some American Airlines and American Eagle flights. The concourse contains a premium lounge for international passengers flying in first and business class as well as OneWorld Emerald and Sapphire elite members. On October 25, 2015, British Airways became the third carrier at MIA to operate the Airbus A380, after Lufthansa and Air France. The seasonal A380 service to London–Heathrow uses gate E24, which was specially modified to accommodate the aircraft.

The seven-story Miami–International Airport hotel and many Miami-Dade Aviation Department executive offices are in the Concourse E portion of the terminal. Level 1 houses two domestic baggage carousels. Level 2 is used for check-in by several European, Central American, and Caribbean carriers. Concourse E, along with Concourse F, was once the base of operations for Pan Am and many of MIA's international carriers.

Concourse F has one bus station and 19 gates: F3–F12, F14–F20, F23.[33]

Concourse F dates back to 1959 and was originally known as Concourse 3. Like Concourses D and E, it received renovations in the mid-1960s and was largely rebuilt from 1986 to 1988.[37][38] The gates at the far end of the pier were demolished and replaced by new widebody Gates F10-F23, all of which were capable of processing international arrivals. The departure lounges for Gates F3, F5, F7, and F9 were also rebuilt, and these also became international gates. Currently, the concourse retains a distinctly 1980s feel, and is part of the Central Terminal area. The airport authority plans to maintain the concourse until 2036.[36]

The south side of the concourse was used by Northeast Airlines until its 2010 merger with Delta Air Lines. Likewise, National Airlines flew out of the north side of Concourse F until its 1980 merger with Pan Am, which continued to use the concourse until its 1991 shutdown. When United Airlines acquired Pan Am's Latin American operations, the airline carried on operating a focus city out of Concourse F until completely dismantling it by 2004. From 1993 to 2004, Concourse F was also used by Iberia Airlines for its Miami focus city operation, which linked Central American capitals to Madrid using MIA as the connecting point. As of 2019, Concourse F primarily handles international carriers including Aeroflot, Aer Lingus, Air Europa, Cayman Airways, Eurowings, Surinam Airways, TAP Air Portugal, TUIFly, Volaris, and WestJet as well as international charter flights.

Level 1 of the Concourse F portion of the terminal is used for domestic baggage claim and cruise line counters. Level 2 contains check-in facilities for foreign airlines. Concourse F is unusual in that it is the only concourse with the TSA security checkpoint located on Level 3. Passengers must ascend to the checkpoint, pass through security and then descend back down to Level 2 to board their flights.

A Panoramic View of Concourses G and H, as well as the new Concourse J, from the south

Concourse G has one bus station and 15 gates: G2–G12, G14–G16, and G19.[33]

Concourse G is the only one of the original 1959 concourses that has largely remained in its original state, save for the modifications the rest of the airport received in the mid-1960s and an extension in the early 1970s. It is the only concourse at the airport incapable of handling international arrivals. The airport authority plans to maintain the concourse.[39]

The South Terminal consists of two concourses, H and J, with a combined total of 28 gates.[33]

The South Terminal building and Concourse J opened on August 29, 2007. The new addition is seven stories tall and has 15 international-capable gates, and a total floor area of 1.3 million square feet (120,000 m²), including two airline lounges and several offices. Concourse H primarily serves Delta and its partners in the SkyTeam alliance (such as Aeromexico, Air France and KLM), while Concourse J serves several Star Alliance carriers (including Air Canada, Avianca and Lufthansa) as well as and Delta affiliates, Virgin Atlantic and LATAM Airlines.[40] Prior to 2004, when United Airlines eliminated its Latin America hub at MIA, the South Terminal was intended to house United and its partners in the Star Alliance; the airport spent $1 billion on construction before United withdrew its hub.[41][42]

Concourse H has 13 gates: H3–H12, H14-H15, and H17.[33]

Concourse H was the 20th Street Terminal's first extension, originally built in 1961 as Concourse 1 for Delta Air Lines, which remains in the concourse to this day. This concourse featured a third floor, the sole purpose of which was to expedite access to the "headhouse" gates at the far end. In the late 1970s, a commuter satellite terminal was built just to the east of the concourse. Known as "Gate H2", it featured seven parking spaces (numbered H2a through H2g) designed to handle smaller commuter aircraft. The concourse was dramatically renovated from 1994 to 1998, to match the style of the then-new Concourse A. Moving walkways were added to the third floor, the H1 Bus Station and Gates H3–H11 were completely rebuilt, and the H2 commuter satellite had jetways installed. However, the H1 Bus Station was never used and has since been permanently closed. Due to financial difficulties, headhouse gates H12–H20 were left in their original state.

With the construction of the Concourse J extension in the 2000s, the H2 commuter satellite was demolished. In 2007, with the opening of the South Terminal's immigration and customs facilities, the third floor of Concourse H was closed off and converted into a "sterile circulation" area for arriving international passengers. Gates H4, H6, H8, and H10 were made capable of handling international arrivals, and they currently serve Aeromexico, Air France, Alitalia, KLM and Swiss. Simultaneously, headhouse gates H16, H17, H18, and H20 were closed to allow for the construction of a second parallel taxiway leading to the new Concourse J.

Concourse H historically served as the base of operations for Piedmont's Miami focus city and US Airways Express's commuter operations. Concourse H continues to serve original tenant Delta Air Lines, which uses all of the gates on the west side of the pier and 1 gate on the east side to accommodate international arrivals from Havana.

Concourse J at Miami International Airport

Concourse J has one bus station and 15 gates: J2–J5, J7–J12, J14–J18.[33]

Concourse J is the newest concourse, having opened on August 29, 2007. Part of the airport's South Terminal project,[43] the concourse was designed by Carlos Zapata and M.G.E., one of the largest Hispanic-owned architecture firms in Florida. The concourse features 15 international-capable gates as well as the airport's only gate (J17) with 3 jet bridges, specifically designed for the Airbus A380. The concourse added a third international arrivals hall to the airport, supplementing the existing ones at Concourses B (since replaced by the facility at Concourse D) and Concourse E while significantly relieving overcrowding at these two facilities.

At the time of its closure, Concourse A had one bus station and 16 gates: A3, A5, A7, A10, A12, A14, A16–A26.

Concourse A was a recent addition to the airport, opening in two phases between 1995 and 1998. The concourse is now part of the North Terminal. Between 1995 and 2007, the concourse housed many of American Airlines' domestic and international flights, as well as those of many European and Latin American carriers.

On November 9, 2007, Concourse A was closed as part of the North Terminal Development Project. It had been closed in order to speed up completion of the North Terminal project, as well as facilitate the addition of the Automated People Mover (APM) system that now spans the length of the North Terminal. The infrastructure of Concourse A reopened on July 20, 2010 as an extension of Concourse D.

View of the airport

At its peak, Concourse B had one bus station and 12 gates: B1, B2–B12, B15.

Concourse B was built in 1975 for Eastern Air Lines as part of the airport's ambitious "Program 70's" initiative, and first opened in 1983. During the 1980s, the existing concourse was rebuilt and expanded, and a new immigration and customs hall was built in the Concourse B section of the terminal, allowing the concourse to process international arrivals. Along with Concourse C and most of Concourse D, it served as Eastern Air Lines' historical base of operations.

After Eastern's shutdown in 1991 it was used by a variety of European and Latin American airlines; by the 2000s (decade), American Airlines was its sole tenant. The concourse was closed in 2004 and torn down the following year as part of the North Terminal Development project. The immigration and customs hall remained open until 2007, when it was closed along with Concourse A.

At the time of its closure, Concourse C had 3 gates: C5, C7, C9.

Concourse C opened as Concourse 6 in 1959, serving Eastern Air Lines. During the mid-1960s, Concourse C received an extension of its second floor and was equipped with air conditioning. Since then, it did not receive any major interior modifications or renovations. Following the renumbering of gates and concourses in the 1970s, Concourse C had Gates C1 to C10. The opening of an international arrivals hall in Concourse B during the 1980s saw Gate C1 receive the ability to process international arrivals.

Following the demise of Eastern Air Lines in 1991 the concourse was used by a variety of Latin American carriers. Many of these airlines' flights would arrive at Concourse B and then be towed to Concourse C for departure. By the end of the decade, the construction of American's baggage sorting facility between Concourses C and D saw the closure of all gates on the west side of the concourse, with Gate C1 following soon afterward. From the 2000s (decade) on, the concourse consisted of just four domestic-only gates, each of which were capable of accommodating small-to-medium jet aircraft from the Boeing 737 up to the Airbus A300, and American was the sole tenant.

As part of the North Terminal Development project, Concourse C closed on September 1, 2009, and was demolished. The demolition of Concourse C allowed for the construction of new gates where the concourse stood.

• ^a Flights from Miami to Brasilia have a stopover in Punta Cana for refueling due to the Boeing 737 MAX groundings. However, GOL does not carry local traffic between Miami and Punta Cana. This flight is flown with a Boeing 737-800, which cannot fly from Brasilia to Miami directly due to Brasilia's high altitude.
• ^b TUI fly Netherlands flights incoming from Amsterdam fly via Orlando-Sanford to Miami. However, the return flight from Miami is nonstop.

The airport is one of the largest in terms of cargo in the United States, and is the primary connecting point for cargo between Latin America and the world.[102] In 2018, Miami International Airport served 2.3 million tons of freight. Ninety-six different carriers are involved in shifting over two million tons of freight annually and ensuring the safe travel of over 40 million passengers, according to the Miami International Airport corporate brochure.[103] It was first in International freight and third in total freight for 2008. In 2000, LAN Cargo opened up a major operations base at the airport and currently operates a large cargo facility at the airport. Most major passenger airlines, such as American Airlines use the airport to carry hold cargo on passenger flights, though most cargo is transported by all-cargo airlines. UPS Airlines and FedEx Express both base their major Latin American operations at MIA.

Additional cargo carriers serving Miami[107]

• Aeronaves TSM
• Air Transport International
• Ameristar Jet Charter
• Atlas Air
• Estafeta Carga Aérea
• IFL Group
• KLM Cargo
• Martinaire
• National Airlines
• Polar Air Cargo
• Sky Lease Cargo
• Skyway Enterprises

Metrorail operates the Orange Line train from Miami International Airport to destinations such as Downtown, Brickell, Civic Center, Coconut Grove, Coral Gables, Dadeland, Hialeah, South Miami and Wynwood. It takes approximately 15 minutes to get from the airport to Downtown.

Miami-Dade Transit operates an Airport Flyer bus which connects MIA directly to South Beach.[110]

MIA is served directly by Tri-Rail, Miami's commuter rail system, which began service on April 5, 2015. Tri-Rail connects MIA to northern Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties. Tri-Rail directly serves points north such as: Boca Raton, Deerfield Beach, Delray Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Pompano Beach and West Palm Beach.[111]

In the future, Amtrak will also serve Miami Airport station with the Silver Star and the Silver Meteor trains. These provide daily rail services to Orlando, Jacksonville, Washington, DC, Philadelphia and New York City, and Los Angeles. Service was originally expected to begin in late 2016, but due to the fact that the platforms are at insufficient length for the winter season since the trains exceed 13 cars (despite the platforms being sufficient during all other seasons as the trains normally consist of up to 9 cars), the date of service has been moved indefinitely.[112]

Taxis and shuttle buses at Miami International Airport

Taxis and shuttles provide flat rates to destinations within Miami.

MIA has a newly completed rental car center at the new Miami Central Station.[113]