How to avoid problems during the Thanksgiving travel crunch at the Miami airport
Miami International Airport is expecting a record number of passengers during the Thanksgiving stretch.
If you’re heading to the airport to spend the time with family or friends, or if you’re picking someone up, expect a crowd.
But getting to the airport early has its benefits.
Several new restaurants and stores have opened at MIA, including Jackson Soul Food and Chick-Fil-A. And on Nov. 25, an official Inter Miami CF retail shop will open for business.
And getting to the airport early also avoids any surprises. Even for the boss.
“I have Global Entry and pre-check, and when I fly, I get here three hours early,” Ralph Cutie, CEO and president of MIA, said in an interview with the Miami Herald. “That’s because I know what all can happen.”
He said if travelers follow the guidance from airport, they should be fine.
Here are some details to help you minimize hassles while traveling through Miami International Airport:
PASSENGERS
MIA is expecting nearly 1.9 million passengers during the 12-day Thanksgiving Day travel period from Nov. 22 to Dec. 3. That would eclipse last year’s record by 2% and amounts to a daily average of 157,000 travelers.
The busiest days are expected to be Nov. 23, Nov. 30 and Dec. 1, according to Cutie, the airport’s chief. Passenger traffic is expected to exceed 168,000 passengers a day.
DEPARTURES
When to get to the airport: MIA recommends arriving three hours before your flight departs to give yourself enough time for parking, check-in, and the security screening process. The airport also suggests checking in online before arriving. If your flight gets delayed, be patient with airline employees as they work to reschedule, and remain in contact with your airline for flight updates.
Checking your flights: MIA has several ways to check flights, including a list of airlines, their door number, departure concourse, check-in counter location and baggage claim area. The airport also has a mobile app.
Flight tracker: The MIA flight tracker shows expected arrivals and departures with options to use a drop-down menu to narrow results. It shows the carrier, flight number and where the plane is going to or coming from. It also gives real-time updates on the flight’s arrival or departure status, which concourse the terminal is in, and the location of baggage claim. Another online tool lets you track by flight or route. If you know the carrier, the date and the flight number, this tool might be easier to use because it will only pull the information for your flight.
PARKING
“Parking will be full,” predicts MIA’s Cutie. He encourages travelers to take ride-sharing vehicles or get dropped off by family or friends. The airport also offers the following advice:
Remote Lot: Half-price parking is available at MIA’s remote Economy Park and Ride lot. The 350-space lot provides monitored parking and a free shuttle service to the terminal. It costs $2 for every 20 minutes until hitting $12 per day, just under half the $25 maximum daily rate at MIA’s Dolphin and Flamingo garages. Located at 1350 NW 45th Ave., the Economy Park-and-Ride lot is accessible from either LeJeune Road or Perimeter Road. Credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay and PaybyPhone are accepted.
Parking shuttles: Shuttle service pick-up and drop-off locations are on the Departures level across from doors 3, 11, and 26. For more information, visit the MIA Parking web page.
Valet parking: The valet lot is across from the check-in area at doors 4 and 20 in the Dolphin and Flamingo garages. Valet parking attendants take a driver’s vehicle and park it in one of 225 dedicated spaces on the Departures or arrivals level. Rates are $25 for under three hours, $39 for the first three to 24 hours and $39 each day after. Maximum stay is 20 days.
Electrical vehicles: Parking for electrical vehicle charging is available 24/7 at Arrivals, First Level, inner loop between Terminals E and G. And Departures second level, valet parking at the Dolphin and Flamingo Garages.
Nearby parking: MIA’s website lists several “off-airport” options. Read those sites carefully. One site called Cheap Airport Parking lists nearby hotels and parking lots that offer parking for travelers. You make a reservation, just like you would for a rental car. Most hotel parking lots you’ll find on this site are generally open around the clock, have security and offer a free shuttle to the airport, plus cancellations, according to the website’s FAQ guide. Parking prices and shuttle times vary.
Picking up a passenger: MIA’s Cell Phone Waiting Lot has 60 free parking spaces for non-commercial users waiting to pick up travelers. It’s just off LeJeune Road and Northwest 31st Street, accessible from LeJeune heading north or south.
Airport garages: MIA’s two biggest garages are expected to fill up early. Dolphin Garage serves Concourse D and E. Flamingo Garage serves Concourses E-J. If you park in one of the garages, expect to pay $2 every 20 minutes. If your car is parked for more than four hours, you’ll be charged the maximum daily rate of $25, according to the airport. Your car can stay in the garage up to 45 days, except where “no overnight” is listed. After 45 days, your car will be towed. Accepted payments: cash, credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover), Apple Pay and Samsung Pay. The airport no longer uses SunPass.
TSA SCREENING
The following advice comes from TSA:
▪ Pack essential items such as medicine, travel documents, a phone charger and a change of clothes in your carry-on instead of your checked bag in case your flight gets delayed and you can’t quickly retrieve your checked bag.
▪ To expedite TSA checkpoint screening, wear easily removable shoes, follow the 3-1-1 rule for liquids or gels in your carry-on.
▪ Avoid accessories that resemble weapons and other prohibited items. The TSA also offers more tips on its website.
▪ Find the fastest TSA checkpoint for your flight with MIA’s real-time updates on checkpoint wait times online.
SKYTRAIN
The Concourse D Skytrain is mostly back in service. It is running from Station 2 to Station 4. That serves travelers in Concourse D Gate 20 to Gate 60. It also takes fliers to Concourse E Gate 1 to 35. A courtesy trolley service connects Station 1 to Station 2 and runs from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. That final piece of Skytrain is expected to return to service next summer. Passengers who require wheelchair assistance should contact their airline in advance before their flight.
RESTROOMS
MIA is currently renovating all 447 restrooms until 2030, but it’s working on a small number at a time.
NEW FOOD AND SHOPPING
Several new restaurants and a few retailers have opened in the past year:
Just beyond security in MIA’s Concourse E near gate E2.
Central Terminal, Concourse E - Across Gate E-2 (post-security)
North Terminal - Food Court - Checkpoint #4
North Terminal, Concourse D, next to Gate D-15
Concourse H-J Connector - South Food Court
Concourse G TSA checkpoint at door 16, departure level.
▪ Inter Miami CF official store
Between Gate D27 and D28
Opening Nov. 25
INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL
Eligible travelers can use the free, secure Mobile Passport Control app to submit their passport and customs declaration information on their smartphone or tablet and avoid completing a paper form or using an automated passport control kiosk.
Special accessibility lanes are available for passengers with disabilities or limited mobility arriving from foreign destinations. By completing an accessibility lane request form at MIA’s website 48 hours in advance of their arrival, those passengers can request special queueing assistance in the U.S. Customs and Border Protection area.
SPECIAL NEEDS AND ACCOMMODATIONS
Requests: To request materials in accessible format, Sign Language interpreters, CART services and accommodation to participate in any Miami-Dade Aviation Department public meetings and events, email the ADA Office at ADAcoordinator@miami-airport.com or call the office in 305-876-7747 five days in advance to initiate your request. People who are deaf or hard of hearing may also call 711 (Florida Relay Service).
Sensory rooms: The Miami airport also has multi-sensory rooms, dedicated spaces where passengers with cognitive and developmental disabilities such as autism. The room includes sensory aids that reduce agitation and anxiety sometimes caused by the hustle and bustle of airport travel. The rooms are located in post-security in Concourse D, next to checkpoint 4 and post-security in the H-J connector.
Visually impaired travelers: MIA uses Aira, a service and app that connect the visually impaired to a real-time remote, digital assistant. With a smartphone camera, the passenger provides a live feed of his or her location. Voice talk capabilities allow the assistant to guide the passenger through the airport, describing what is in his field of vision.
LOST AND FOUND
Miami International Airport’s Lost and Found center is in North Terminal D - Level 4 and is open 7 days a week from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. All items found in the airport terminal, parking garages, drive areas or employee shuttle are stored securely for 30 days.
This story was originally published November 22, 2024 at 5:00 AM.