The airport is a hub for passenger airlines American Airlines, Executive Airlines under the American Eagle name, Gulfstream International Airlines under the Continental Connection name; cargo airlines, UPS Airlines and FedEx Express; and charter airline Miami Air. Miami International Airport handles passenger and cargo flights to cities throughout the Americas and Europe, as well as the Canary Islands off the African coast, and cargo flights to Asia; it is South Florida's main airport for long-haul international flights.
Miami International Airport is the largest gateway between the United States and Latin America, and is one of the largest aerial hubs in the United States, owing to its proximity to tourist attractions, local economic growth, large local Latin American and European populations, and strategic location to handle connecting traffic between North America, Latin America, and Europe. In the past, it has been a hub for Braniff International Airways, Eastern Air Lines, Air Florida, the original National Airlines, the original Pan Am, United Airlines, and Iberia. Miami International is also the proposed hub of two new start-up airlines, one of which hopes to use the Eastern Airlines name.
In 2009, the airport ranked first in the United States by percentage of international flights and second by volume of international passengers, behind only New York-JFK. In 2009, 33,886,025 passengers traveled through the airport, making the airport the 25th busiest airport in the world by passenger traffic. The Airport also ranks as the 12th busiest airport in the United States by annual passenger throughput and is the largest airport in the state of Florida, surpassing Orlando by a small margin. The airport also handled more international cargo than any other airport in the United States.
History
Pan Am's first terminal consisted of a single hangar. The airport was the base of Pan Am's flights to Cuba, but fell into disuse when the airline switched to seaplanes in the mid-1930s.
The airport was opened to flights in 1928 as Pan American Field, the operating base of Pan American Airways Corporation, on the north side of the modern airport property. After Pan Am acquired the New York, Rio, and Buenos Aires Line, it shifted most of its operations to the Dinner Key seaplane base, leaving Pan Am Field largely unused until Eastern Air Lines began flying there in 1934, followed by National Airlines in 1937.
In 1945, the City of Miami established a Port Authority and raised bond revenue to purchase the airport, which had meanwhile been renamed 36th Street Airport, from Pan Am. It was merged with an adjoining Army airfield in 1949 and expanded further in 1951. The old terminal on 36th Street was closed in 1959 when the modern passenger terminal (since greatly expanded) opened for service.
Air Force Reserve troop carrier and rescue squadrons also operated from Miami International from 1949 through 1959, when the last such unit relocated to nearby Homestead Air Force Base, now Homestead Air Reserve Base.
Pan Am and Eastern remained Miami International Airport's main tenants until 1991, when both carriers went bankrupt. Their hubs at MIA were taken over by United Airlines and American Airlines, respectively. United slowly trimmed down its Miami operation through the 1990s, and eventually shut down its crew base and other operations facilities in Miami. At the same time, American expanded its presence at the airport, winning new routes to Latin America and transferring employees and equipment from its failed domestic hubs at Nashville and Raleigh-Durham. Today, Miami is American's largest air freight hub, and forms the main connecting point in the airline's north-south oriented international route network.
For many years, the airport was a common connecting point for passengers traveling from Europe to Latin America. However, stricter visa requirements for aliens in transit (a result, in part, of the September 11, 2001 attacks) have lessened MIA's role as an intercontinental connecting hub, but it nonetheless remains the most important hub between Europe and Latin America. In 2004, Iberia Airlines ended its hub operation in Miami, opting instead to run more direct flights from Spain to Central America. Air France continues to run flights to Port-au-Prince using Airbus A320 aircraft.[citation needed] Today, more European carriers serve Miami International Airport than any other airport in the United States, except New York City's John F. Kennedy.
AeroSur, American Airlines, American Eagle, Gulfstream International Airlines, Sky King Airlines, TACA International Airlines, and Vision Airlines all operate regular flights between MIA and several airports in Cuba, one of a few airports with direct airlink between the two nations. However, these flights must be booked through agents with special authorization from the Office of Foreign Assets Control, and are only generally available to government officials, journalists, researchers, professionals attending conferences, or expatriates visiting Cuban family.
Operations
The budget for operations was $600 million in 2009.
Facilities and aircraft
Miami International Airport covers an area of 3,300 acres (1,335 ha) which contains four runways:
Runway 8L/26R: 8,600 x 150 ft (2,621 x 46 m), Surface: Asphalt
Runway 8R/26L: 10,506 x 200 ft (3,202 x 61 m), Surface: Asphalt
Runway 9/27: 13,000 x 150 ft (3,962 x 46 m), Surface: Asphalt
Runway 12/30: 9,354 x 150 ft (2,851 x 46 m), Surface: Asphalt
For the 12-month period ending April 30, 2009, the airport had 358,705 aircraft operations, an average of 982 per day: 82% scheduled commercial, 12% air taxi, 5% general aviation and <1% military. There are 28 aircraft based at this airport: 46% multi-engine and 54% jet.
Fire protection at the airport is provided by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department Station 12.
Terminal
A satellite image of Miami International Airport superimposed over the old 36th Street airfield
Destinations with direct service from Miami
The main terminal at MIA dates back to 1959, with several new additions. Semicircular in shape, the terminal has one linear concourse (Concourse D) and five pier-shaped concourses, lettered counter-clockwise from E to J (Concourse A is now part of Concourse D; Concourses B and C were demolished so that Concourse D gates could be added in their place; I was skipped to avoid confusion with the number 1.). From the terminal's opening until the mid-1970s, the concourses were originally numbered clockwise from 1 to 6.
Level 1 of the terminal contains baggage carousels and ground transportation access. Level 2 contains ticketing/check-in, shopping and dining, and access to the concourses. The airport currently has two immigration and customs facilities, located in Concourse E, Level 1 and in Concourse J, Level 3. The Concourse E FIS can be utilized by flights arriving at all gates in Concourse E and most gates in Concourses D (all D gates will be able to route passengers to the FIS by fall 2011) and Concourse F. The Concourse J FIS can be utilized by flights arriving at all gates in Concourse J and most gates in Concourse H. However, all gates in Concourse G and some gates in Concourses D (temporarily), F, and H, do not have the facilities to route passengers to any FIS, and therefore can only be used for domestic arrivals. MIA is unique among American airports in that all of its facilities are common-use, meaning that they are assigned by the airport and no one airline holds ownership or leases on any terminal space or gates, thus giving the airport much more flexibility in terminal and gate assignments and allowing it to make full use of existing facilities. The entire airport became common-use by the 1990s.
The airport is served by three parking facilities: a two-level short-term parking lot located directly in front of Concourse E, and two seven-story parking garages (North and South) located within the terminal's curvature and connected to the terminal via overhead walkways on Level 3. In the late 1990s, the Dolphin Garage was expanded to better serve the then-new Concourse A; it is expected that the Flamingo Garage will be similarly expanded in the near future to serve the new Concourse J. The two parking garages are connected at their westernmost end; at the top of this connection are the airport's SIDA and ID Section offices. The single terminal facility is divided into three sections known as the North Terminal, Central Terminal, and South Terminal.
The North Terminal consists of one concourse, Concourse D, with a total of 45 gates.
The North Terminal is presently undergoing a dramatic transformation, the largest ever undertaken on any operating airport. Concourses A, B, C, and D, which served American Airlines and its regional affiliates, are being merged into a single linear concourse, to be designated Concourse D. Portions of the new North Terminal have already been built as extensions of Concourses A and D; to make space for the remaining portions, Concourse B was demolished in 2005, and Concourse C was demolished in 2009. Although this construction was originally slated for completion in 2005, it has been delayed several times due to cost overruns. The current substantial completion date is the third quarter of 2011. With sections of the terminal opening in phases, a significant majority of the structure has already been completed and opened for airline use. Once the entire project is finished, the North Terminal will house American Airlines and its oneworld alliance partners. Currently, American Airlines is spread between Concourses D, and E, while its alliance partners use either Concourse F or Concourse J. In Fall 2010, the North Terminal's new people mover, automated baggage handling system and regional jet facility opened, as well as the reopened area formerly known as Concourse A.
Concourse D
Concourse D has one bus station and 45 gates: D1-D12, D14-D17, D19-D25, D29-D33 D37-D40, D42-D51, D53, D55, D60
American Airlines planes at Concourse D.
Concourse D was one of the airport's original 1959 concourses, having opened as Concourse 5. After receiving modifications similar to that of former Concourse C during the 1960s, it was completely rebuilt in the 1980s and connected to the immigration and customs hall in Concourse E, allowing it to handle international arrivals. Along with former Concourses B and C, the concourse once served as Eastern Air Lines' historical base of operations. Additionally, gates at the far end of Concourse D were used by Braniff International Airways for their Latin American operations up until their shutdown in 1982.while Continental Airlines used gates on the west side of the concourse during the 1980s. While Eastern Air Lines and Continental Airlines were both owned by the Texas Air Corporation during the 1980s, Continental Airlines briefly used gates on the west side of the concourse as well.
The concourse is currently undergoing a multi-billion dollar expansion. By the mid-2000s, the gates on the east side of the concourse 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. In the summer of 2009, Gates D21 to D25 entered service where Concourse B once stood. By fall 2010, former Concourse A reopened as an eastern extension of Concourse D. At this time, the automated people mover, Skytrain (see below), opened to the public as well. The concourse will serve as a "super hub" for American Airlines and oneworld partners when construction is completed in 2011. The 3,600,000-square-foot (334,000 m2) concourse will be 1.2 miles (1.9 km) long, linear in design, with a capacity of 30 million passengers annually. It will contain 50 gates, a regional jet facility, and an automated baggage handling system.
American currently uses the concourse for both domestic and international flights and operates two Admirals Clubs within the concourse; one located near Gate D30, and another near Gate D15. American Eagle, the regional affiliate of American, also operates from the concourse and uses Gates D53, D55, and D60. Landside, Level 1 of the concourse contains baggage claim for American domestic flights. The check-in area serves North American, European, and Latin American flights, offering self-check-in facilities.
Skytrain
Skytrain is the North Terminal's automated people mover. Opening on September 15, 2010, the system transports passengers between its four stations within Concourse D:
Station 1 (at gate D17), to access Gates D1-D19 and the Admiral's Club located near Gate D15
Station 2 (at gate D24), to access Gates D20-D25, Domestic Baggage Claim and Terminal Exit
Station 3 (at gate D29), to access Gates D26-D39, Gates E1-E35, Passport Control for international arrivals, and the Admiral's Club located near Gate D30
Station 4 (at gate D46), to access Gates D40-D60 and the American Eagle Regional Commuter Facility
Central Terminal
The Central Terminal consists of three concourses, labeled E, F, and G, with a combined total of 47 gates.
The Central Terminal consists of Concourses E, F, and G. The Miami-Dade Aviation Department expects to rebuild the central terminal following the completion of the north terminal, and intends to seek bids by the first quarter of 2011. Upon completion of the North Terminal project and the reopening, the Central Terminal will be used to house airlines not affiliated with any of the "big three" airline alliances as well as the low-cost carriers the airport hopes to attract.
Concourse E
Model of a Pan Am flying boat in Concourse E
Concourse E has two bus stations and 17 gates: E2, E4-E11, E20-E25, E30, E33
Concourse E also 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 1960s, it underwent some minor renovations similar to the airport's other original concourses, but didn't receive its first major addition until the opening of the International Satellite Terminal 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. The concourse and its satellite were briefly linked by buses until the airport's first automated people mover (Adtranz C-100) opened in the late 1970s. At the same time, Concourse E's immigration and customs facilities were radically overhauled and expanded. During the 1980s, the original portion of Concourse E ("Low E") was rebuilt to match the satellite.
Since then, both portions of the concourse have seen little change. 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 seven story Miami-International Airport hotel and many Miami-Dade Aviation Department executive offices are located in the Concourse E portion of the terminal. Level 1 houses the Customs E Greeter's Lobby, car rental agency counters, baggage re-check for connecting international passengers, the Public Bus Terminal, and two domestic baggage carousels. Level 2 is used for check-in by several North American carriers. Concourse E, along with Concourse F, was once the historical base of operations for Pan Am and many of MIA's international carriers.
Concourse F
Concourse F has one bus station and 15 gates: F3-F10, F14-F19, F23
Concourse F dates back to 1959 and was originally known as Concourse 3. Like Concourses D and E, it received minor renovations in the 1960s and was largely rebuilt in the 1980s. The gates at the far end of the pier were demolished and replaced by new widebody Gates F10 to 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 south side of the concourse was used by Northeast Airlines until its 1972 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; Iberia continues to fly from the concourse.
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 European carriers.
Concourse G
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, G19
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 1960s. It is the only concourse at the airport not capable of handling international arrivals, though it is frequently used for departing international charters. All Cuba-bound flights departing after 2:00 PM depart from Concourse G, in order to lighten the load on the Concourse F security checkpoint when European-bound flights are preparing to depart.
South Terminal
The South Terminal consists of two concourses, H and J, with a combined total of 26 gates.
The South Terminal building and Concourse J opened on August 29, 2007(photo). 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 serves Delta Air Lines and its partners in the SkyTeam alliance (except Continental and Copa Airlines which also use Concourse H), while Concourse J serves United Airlines and its partners in the Star Alliance.
Concourse H
Concourse H has one bus station and 11 gates: H3-H12, H15
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. 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 during the mid-1990s, to match the style of the then-new Concourse A. A third floor was added to the concourse, containing moving walkways, in order to facilitate access to gates at the far end of the terminal. The H1 Bus Station and Gates H3-H11 were completely rebuilt, and the H2 commuter satellite had jetways installed. 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 currently serve Copa Airlines, Air France, and Alitalia. 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.
There are plans to convert Gates H11 and H15 into additional international-capable gates, but the concourse does not yet require their use. Instead, the airport is focusing on completing the long-delayed North Terminal project.
Concourse H historically served as the base of operations for Piedmont's Miami focus city and US Air Express's commuter operations. Concourse H continues to serve original tenant Delta Air Lines, which uses all but one of the gates on the west side of the pier.
Concourse J
Carybé Murals originally located at JFK Airport; they are now at MIA
Concourse J has one bus station and 15 gates: J2-J5, J7-J12, J14-J18
Concourse J is the newest concourse, having entered service on August 29, 2007. Part of the airport's South Terminal project, 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 capable of handling the Airbus A380. The concourse added a third international arrivals hall to the airport, supplementing the existing ones at Concourses B (now closed) and E while significantly relieving overcrowding at these two facilities.
In the initial stages of its development, the South Terminal (Concourses H and J) was planned to serve United Airlines and its partners in the Star Alliance. Concourse H would serve United's partner airlines, while Concourse J would be the new home of United's Latin American hub. When United dismantled its MIA hub in 2004, Concourse H became intended to serve Delta Air Lines and its partners in the SkyTeam alliance, while Concourse J would serve United's remaining operations as well as their partner carriers. Once the North Terminal is completed, oneworld member airlines will be housed in Concourse D (North Terminal), with SkyTeam and Star Alliance members in Concourses H and J (South Terminal).
Former Concourses
Concourse A
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 is 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.
Concourse B
Aerial view of the airport
At its peak, Concourse B had one bus station and 12 gates: B1, B2-B12, B15
Concourse B was constructed in the 1970s for Eastern Air Lines as part of the airport's ambitions "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, the concourse boasted American Airlines as 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.
Concourse C
At the time of its closure, Concourse C had 3 gates: C5, C7, C9
Concourse C first opened as Concourse 6 in 1959, serving Eastern Air Lines. During the 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 consisted of 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 African and 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 Airlines' 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 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 had American Airlines as its 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.
Terminals, airlines and destinations
Passenger services
Note: All flights to Cuba are operated as scheduled Special Authority Charters
Airlines Destinations Concourse
Aerolíneas Argentinas Buenos Aires-Ezeiza, Punta Cana J
Aeroméxico Mexico City F
Aeroméxico Connect Merida, Monterrey F
Aerosur Santa Cruz de la Sierra F
Air Berlin Berlin-Tegel , Düsseldorf J
Air Canada Toronto-Pearson
Seasonal: Montréal-Trudeau J
Air Europa Madrid
Seasonal: Tenerife-North F
Air France Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Pointe-à-Pitre, Port-au-Prince
Seasonal: Santo Domingo H
AirTran Airways Baltimore G
Alaska Airlines Seattle/Tacoma F
Alitalia Milan-Malpensa, Rome-Fiumicino H
American Airlines Antigua, Aruba, Atlanta, Barbados, Baltimore, Belize City, Belo Horizonte, Bermuda, Bogotá, Boston, Brasilia, Buenos Aires-Ezeiza, Cali, Cancún, Caracas, Chicago-O'Hare, Curaçao, Dallas/Fort Worth, Denver, Detroit, Grand Cayman, Grenada, Guatemala City, Guayaquil, Hartford, Houston-Intercontinental, Kingston, La Paz, La Romana [ends April 3], Las Vegas, Liberia (Costa Rica), Lima, London-Heathrow, Los Angeles, Madrid, Managua, Maracaibo, Medellín-Córdova, Mexico City, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Montego Bay, Montevideo, Montréal-Trudeau, Nashville, New Orleans, New York-JFK, New York-LaGuardia, Newark, Orlando, Panama City, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Port-au-Prince, Port of Spain, Providenciales, Puerto Plata, Punta Cana, Quito, Raleigh/Durham, Recife, Rio de Janeiro-Galeão, St. Croix, St. Kitts, St. Louis, St. Lucia, St. Maarten, St. Thomas, Salvador da Bahia, San Salvador, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, San Francisco, San José de Costa Rica, San Juan, San Pedro Sula, Santiago de Chile, Santiago de los Caballeros, Santo Domingo, São Paulo-Guarulhos, Tampa, Tegucigalpa, Toronto-Pearson, Tulsa [ends February 6], Washington-Dulles, Washington-National
Seasonal: Eagle/Vail D, E
American Eagle Atlanta, Birmingham (AL), Charleston (SC), Charlotte, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, Cleveland, Columbus (OH), Fort Myers, Greensboro, Indianapolis, Knoxville, Jacksonville, Louisville, Memphis, Nassau, Norfolk, Pensacola, Pittsburgh, Richmond, Savannah, Tallahassee D, E
American Eagle operated by Executive Airlines Camagüey, Cienfuegos, Fort Myers, Freeport, Gainesville, George Town, Governor's Harbour, Havana, Holguín, Jacksonville (FL), Key West, Marsh Harbour, Nassau, North Eleuthera, Santiago de Cuba, Treasure Cay D
Arkefly Amsterdam [begins June 24] F
Avianca Barranquilla, Bogotá, Cali, Cartagena de Indias, Medellín-Córdova, Pereira J
Avior Airlines Barcelona (Venezuela) F
Bahamasair Nassau G
British Airways London-Heathrow F
Caribbean Airlines Georgetown, Port of Spain J
Cayman Airways Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac F
Continental Airlines Houston-Intercontinental, Newark
Seasonal: Cleveland H
Continental Connection operated by Gulfstream International Airlines Marsh Harbour, North Eleuthera, Orlando, Tampa G
Continental Express operated by ExpressJet Airlines Cleveland H
Copa Airlines Panama City H
Corsairfly Paris-Orly F
Delta Air Lines Atlanta, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, Detroit, London-Heathrow [begins March 27], Memphis, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York-JFK, Washington-National H
Delta Connection operated by Comair Jacksonville (FL) [begins March 26], Orlando [resumes March 26] H
Delta Connection operated by Pinnacle Airlines Raleigh/Durham, Tampa [resumes March 26] H
Finnair Seasonal: Helsinki F
Gulfstream International Airlines Havana F, G
IBC Airways Cap Haitien J
Iberia Barcelona [begins March 29], Madrid F
Insel Air Bonaire, Curaçao, Port-au-Prince, St. Maarten F
KLM Amsterdam [resumes March 27] H
Lacsa San José de Costa Rica J
LAN Airlines Bogotá, Caracas, Guayaquil, Punta Cana, Santiago de Chile J
LAN Argentina Buenos Aires-Ezeiza, Punta Cana J
LAN Ecuador Guayaquil, Quito J
LAN Perú Lima, Punta Cana J
Lufthansa Frankfurt, Munich
Seasonal: Düsseldorf J
Pan Am World Airways Dominicana Santo Domingo TBD
SBA Airlines Caracas
Seasonal: Maracaibo F
Sky King Havana, Holguín F, G
Sun Country Airlines Seasonal: Minneapolis/St. Paul F
Surinam Airways Aruba, Paramaribo F
Swiss International Air Lines Zürich J
TACA Airlines Guatemala City, Havana, Managua, San Pedro Sula, San Salvador, Tegucigalpa
Seasonal: Roatan J
TACA Perú Lima J
TAM Airlines Belo Horizonte-Confins, Brasilia, Manaus, Rio de Janeiro-Galeão, São Paulo-Guarulhos J
Transaero Airlines Moscow-Domodedovo F
TAP Portugal Lisbon [begins June 6] J
United Airlines Chicago-O'Hare [begins January 4], Denver, Washington-Dulles [begins January 8] J
United Express operated by Shuttle America Chicago-O'Hare, Washington-Dulles J
US Airways Charlotte, Philadelphia J
Virgin Atlantic Airways London-Heathrow F
Vision Airlines Camagüey, Fort Walton Beach, Havana, Holguin, Niagara Falls, Santiago de Cuba F, G
WestJet Toronto-Pearson F
Statistics
Busiest Domestic Routes Out of Miami International Airport
Rank City Passengers per 12 months Top Carriers
1 Atlanta, GA 746,000 American, Delta
2 Chicago, IL 584,000 American, United, United Express
3 New York, NY (LaGuardia) 547,000 American
4 Dallas/Fort Worth, TX 524,000 American
5 New York, NY (JFK) 500,000 American, Delta
6 Los Angeles, CA 438,000 American
7 San Juan, PR 406,000 American
8 Orlando, FL 403,000 American, Continental Connection, Delta Connection
9 Newark, NJ 378,000 American, Continental
10 Washington, DC (Reagan) 368,000 American, Delta
Cargo
The airport is one of the largest in terms of cargo in the United States, and is the main connecting point for cargo between Latin America and the world. 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 one of the largest cargo facilities at the airport, second only to UPS[citation needed]. 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 cairlines. UPS Airlines and FedEx Express both base their major Latin American operations at MIA.
Airlines Destinations
ABSA Cargo Airline Caracas, Ciudad del Este, Lima, Manaus, Quito, Sao Paulo-Viracopos, Vitoria
ABX Air Cincinnati, Paramaribo, Santo Domingo
Air Atlanta Icelandic New York-JFK, Oslo-Garderomen
Air Jamaica Cargo Kingston, Montego Bay
Air Transport International Guatemala City, Panama City, San Jose de Costa Rica
Amerijet International Aruba, Belize City, Campinas, Curitiba, Lima, Manaus, Maracaibo, Merida, Port of Spain, Salvador, San Juan, San Pedro Sula, San Salvador, Santiago de los Caballeros, Santo Domingo, St. Maarten
Atlas Air Chicago-O'Hare, Lima, Manaus, Oslo-Gardermoen, Sao Paulo-Viracopos, Rio de Janeiro (From September 3rd)
Cathay Pacific Cargo Anchorage, Hong Kong, Houston-Intercontinental
Capital Cargo International Airlines Merida, Orlando, Toledo
Caribbean Airlines Cargo Barbados, Port of Spain
Cargolux Houston-Intercontinental, Luxembourg, Mexico City
Cayman Airways Cargo Grand Cayman
Centurion Air Cargo Bogota, Caracas, Iquitos, Lima, Manaus, Medellin, Santiago de Chile, Sao Paulo-Viracopos, San Juan
China Airlines Cargo Anchorage, Atlanta, Seattle/Tacoma, Taipei-Taoyuan
Cielos del Peru Bogotá, Caracas, Iquitos, Lima, Managua, Manaus, Montevideo, Quito
DHL Express Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, Toledo
DHL Aero Expreso Panama City, Quito, San Jose de Costa Rica
Estafeta Carga Aérea Cancun, Merida
FedEx Express Memphis, Quito, San Juan, Valencia (Venezuela)
Florida West International Airways Bogotá, Guatemala City, Guayaquil, Lima, Los Angeles, Manaus, Medellin, Quito, Santo Domingo, San Jose de Costa Rica
IBC Airways Freeport, Grand Cayman, Havana, Kingston, Marsh Harbour, Montego Bay, Nassau, Port-au-Prince, Providenciales
Korean Air Cargo Anchorage, Dallas/Fort Worth, Seoul-Incheon, Toronto-Pearson
LAN Cargo Amsterdam, Buenos Aires-Ezezia, Caracas, Curitiba, Guatemala City, Guayaquil, Lima, Manaus, Montevideo, Porto Alegre, Quito, San Jose de Costa Rica, San Miguel de Tucumán
Linea Aérea Carguera de Colombia Bogotá, Curitiba, Manaus, Medellin, Quito, Sao Paulo-Viracropos
Martinair Cargo Amsterdam, Bogotá, Buenos Aires-Ezezia, Guayaquil, Lima, Quito, Santiago de Chile
MasAir Mexico City
Mountain Air Cargo Freeport, Kingston
Skyway Enterprises Nassau
Tampa Cargo Asunción, Barranquilla, Bogotá, Cali, Lima, Manaus, Medellin-Córdova, Montevideo, Quito
Tradewinds Airlines Lima
Transportes Aéreos Bolivianos Cochabamba, Panama City, Santa Cruz de la Sierra
UPS Airlines Bogotá, Greenville/Spartanburg, Guatemala City, Guayaquil, Jacksonville (FL), Lima, Louisville, Managua, Philadelphia, Quito, San Jose de Costa Rica, San Pedro Sula, Santo Domingo, Sao Paulo-Viracopos, West Palm Beach
Venezolana Servicios Expresos Caracas, Maracaibo
World Airways Cargo Bogota, Caracas, Cali, Lima, Manaus, Quito
Ground transportation
Miami Intermodal Center
Miami International Airport has direct public transport links to Miami-Dade Transit's Metrobus network; free shuttles are also provided to and from the Miami Airport and Hialeah Market Stations on the Tri-Rail commuter rail line. Both stations are close, within a 5 minute drive from the main terminal. The Miami-Dade Aviation Department is currently constructing the MIA Mover, a link to the airport by people mover, to the upcoming Miami Intermodal Center which already opened its Rental Car Center (RCC) in July 2010 and provides access to car rentals. Soon to follow will be a new airport Metrorail station, a relocated Tri-Rail station, and an Amtrak station located within the Miami Central Station, scheduled to open in late 2011/early 2012. A consolidated shuttle service will run to-and-from the terminals at MIA and the RCC for approximately one year until the MIA Mover begins service. Once the MIA Mover is in service, car rental desks and shuttles will disappear from the airport's arrivals level.
Taxis, shuttle services, limousines, and rental cars are currently available within the airport. Taxis and shuttles provide flat rates to popular destinations within Miami, such as the beaches or the city center.
Accidents and incidents
Airline accidents and incidents involving MIA include:
On April 25, 1951 Cubana de Aviación Flight 493, a Douglas DC-4 en route from Miami, Florida to Havana, Cuba, collides in mid-air with a United States Navy Beech SNB-1 Kansan off Key West. All 43 aboard both aircraft are killed.
On February 1, 1957, Miami-bound Northeast Airlines Flight 823 crashed on take-off from New York's LaGuardia Airport.
On 2 October 1959, a Vickers Viscount of Cubana de Aviación was hijacked on a flight from José Martí International Airport, Havana to Antonio Maceo Airport, Santiago. The aircraft landed at Miami International Airport.
On January 6, 1960, National Airlines Flight 2511, a Douglas DC-6B bound from New York to Miami, crashes near Bolivia, North Carolina, when a bomb planted on board explodes in mid-air. All 34 people on board are killed.
On 12 April 1960, All three crew and a passenger of a Vickers Viscount of Cubana de Aviación claimed political asylum after the aircraft landed at Miami International Airport.
On February 12, 1963, Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 705 crashed into the Everglades while en route from Miami to Portland, Oregon via Chicago O'Hare, Spokane, and Seattle.
On June 23, 1969, a Dominicana Air Lines DC-4, en route to Santo Domingo was circling back to Miami International Airport with an engine fire when it crashed onto 36th Street. 5 dead; 7 injured.
On December 29, 1972, Eastern Air Lines Flight 401, a Lockheed L-1011, crashed into the Everglades. The plane had left JFK International Airport in New York City bound for Miami. (the subject of Hollywood movie, The Ghost Of Flight 401).
On 15 January 1977, Douglas DC-3 N73KW of Air Sunshine crashed shortly after take-off on a domestic scheduled passenger flight to Key West International Airport, Florida. All 33 people on board survived.
On January 1, 1985 Eastern Air Lines Flight 980, a Boeing 727, crashed into the mountains in Bolivia. The plane originated in Asunción and was bound to Miami via La Paz, Bolivia and Guayaquil.
On December 20, 1995, American Airlines Flight 965, a Boeing 757, crashed into a mountain while en route from Miami to Cali, Colombia.
On May 11, 1996, ValuJet Flight 592, a DC-9, crashed into the Everglades after take-off from Miami en route to Atlanta.
On October 2, 1996, Aeroperú Flight 603 crashed after takeoff from Lima, Peru. The flight, which originated in Miami, was continuing to Santiago, Chile.
On August 7, 1997, Fine Air 101, a Douglas DC-8 cargo plane, crashed onto NW 72nd Avenue less than a mile (1.6 km) from the airport.
On February 2, 1998, two Skyway Enterprises Shorts 330-200 aircraft (N2630A and N2629Y) were damaged beyond repair by a tornado at Miami International Airport. Both aircraft had to be written off. No one was injured.
On December 22, 2001, American Airlines Flight 63, en route from Paris to Miami, was the target of "shoe bomber" Richard Reid.
On December 7, 2005, forty-four year old Rigoberto Alpizar, a passenger aboard American Airlines Flight 924, claimed to have a bomb in his carry-on luggage while boarding the flight's second leg to Orlando, Florida after arriving on a flight from Quito, Ecuador; the flight had just arrived from Medellín, Colombia. Federal air marshals reportedly shot and killed the man in the jetway of Gate D42 as he attempted to escape the plane after being confronted onboard, marking the first time an air marshal has fired a weapon on or near an airplane.
On August 31, 2006, US Airways Flight 431 from Charlotte caught fire on the runway. All 118 passengers and crew on board were evacuated safely and there were no injuries. The fire occurred in the left wheel well of the 737 after the tires blew upon landing, and was extinguished with foam by firefighters. Passengers have stated that the plane was shaking violently as it landed.
Satellite Transit Shuttle (STS) Accident:
On November 28, 2008, the airport's automated people mover system overran its stop at Concourse E and crashed into a buffer at the end of the track, injuring five people. The Miami Automated People Mover System is a Bombardier C-100 APM and was built in the late 1970s. Although it was scheduled for decommission in 2004, construction delays on the airport's North Terminal have resulted in continued operation of the system. In 2007, Bombardier expressed concerns about the safety of the system during a period of renewal of the operations and maintenance contract. In January 2008, Johnson Controls Inc was contracted to provide operations and maintenance for the system. The south train has remained inoperative since the accident, leaving the satellite terminal reliant on the sole north train. On December 1, 2009, Miami-Dade County Aviation Department officially terminated its contract with Johnson Controls Inc and took over the operation and maintenance of the system.
In popular culture
Miami International Airport has been used for scenes in many movies and TV shows, including:
The 2002 video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City features the airport as the Escobar International Airport set in 1986. The prequel Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories released 2006 and set in 1984 also features the same airport but renamed as Escobar International. The airport's name was inspired by the Colombian drug lord, Pablo Escobar
The 1980s television show Miami Vice had many airport scenes filmed on location at MIA.
The 1992 film Home Alone 2: Lost in New York has Kevin's family stuck at Miami International on Christmas Eve as it is raining heavily in Miami.
The 2002 film Big Trouble has a final chase scene that was filmed at MIA's Concourse C.
The 2002 film Catch Me if You Can has Leonardo DiCaprio's character spending a little time in the terminal. However, the scene was actually filmed at the old terminal at Ontario International Airport in Ontario, California.
The fall 2002 and 2007 installments of The Amazing Race (season 3 and season 11, respectively) began in Miami and had shots at MIA while teams booked and boarded flights (to Mexico City in season 3, and to Ecuador in season 11).
The 2005 film Red Eye has a scene including the Miami International Airport. The scene takes place as Lisa is running from the police after her plane lands.
The 2006 film Casino Royale has a major action sequence set at Miami International Airport, where James Bond foils a terrorist attempt to destroy a prototype airplane. The scenes, however, were filmed at Ruzyně International Airport near Prague, Czech Republic. Other exterior scenes (and the fire sprinklers going off) were filmed on the backlot of Pinewood Studios and Dunsfold Park, England.
CSI: Miami mentions Miami International Airport occasionally in episodes and a few scenes have been filmed there.
Military use
The Army Air Force began using Miami Airport in the 1930s, assigning the 21st Reconnaissance Squadron to the airfield to fly search and rescue along with weather reconnaissance patrols.
After the Pearl Harbor attack and the United States entry into World War II, the Air Force's use of the airport changed to being a base for antisubmarine patrols, with the airport becoming the Headquarters, for the 26th Antisubmarine Wing of the Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command (AAFAC) from 20 November 1942 – 15 October 1943. The AAFAC flew antisubmarine patrols, searching for and attacking German U-Boats from the airport using B-18 Bolo and B-24 Liberator bombers specially equipped with RADAR.
After the war, Miami Airport became the home of numerous cargo and troop carrier units of the United States Air Force Reserve, the major one being the 435th Troop Carrier Group (later Wing), operating from the airport from July 1949 to February 1951, and again from December 1952 to December 1958.
(source:wikipedia
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