How to avoid travel problems during the Christmas crunch at Miami and FLL airports

Holiday week is here. And that means South Florida’s airports are packed.

If you’re traveling through or picking someone up at MIA or FLL, be prepared for the crowds and possible delays. And parking won’t be a picnic, either.

To help you deal with the pain of Christmas week travel, here’s a guide to parking, flight trackers, traffic and security:

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport

PARKING

Onsite: Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport has three garages and an overflow lot that opens at peak travel times during the holidays or when the garages are full (signs and workers lead you to it).

Alternatives: There’s a cellphone parking lot where people can park for free while waiting to pick someone up from the airport. FLL has curbside valet, too. With the ongoing high demand for curbside valet service and self-parking options at FLL this year, especially during the holidays, airport leaders recommend getting dropped off by family, friends or a ride-share service (Uber, Lyft, etc.) because the airport’s onsite garages are likely to be filled.

Helpful tools:

▪ Use the FLL app to see real-time parking availability and to help locate your car if you forget where you parked.

▪ To find the closest parking location to your terminal, visit FLL’s website.

▪ Use Space Finder to check available spaces in the garages.

Parking fees:

▪ Long-term parking is $2 every 20 minutes, with a maximum $20 per day. Hibiscus Garage Levels 3 - 7; Palm Garage Levels 2-4; Cypress Garage Levels 6-9

▪ Short-term is $2 every 20 minutes with a maximum $36 per day. Hibiscus Garage Level 2; Palm Garage Level 1

▪ Curbside valet is $30 a day. For valet information, call 954-359-8108.

▪ Overflow parking is $10 a day.

▪ Off-site parking if airport lots are full: Park ‘N Go, 1101 Eller Dr. in Fort Lauderdale, and Self Park FLL, 901 Old Griffin Rd. in Dania Beach, are self-parking lots that offer shuttles to and from Fort Lauderdale’s airport. Park ‘N Go’s website notes that during peak times, the lot may occasionally switch to valet parking. To check prices, availability and cancellation policies for Park ‘N Go, visit gator.bookparkngo.com/. For Self Park FLL, visit selfparkfll.com

MORE: How $9 billion will change Miami’s airport, and what travelers are getting for the money

IN THE TERMINAL

FLL normally advises getting to the airport two hours before a domestic flight and three hours before an international one. But during peak travel periods, the airport recommends checking with your airline if additional time is necessary.

TRAFFIC

Electronic signs on U.S. 1 on the eastern rim of the airport are warning drivers to expect crowded airport roadways. If you are picking up friends or family at FLL, consider using the upper-level departures roadway when the lower-level arrivals roadway is congested. That goes for either arriving or leaving the airport.

Miami International Airport

IN THE TERMINAL

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

Expect the garages to fill up. The airport 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.

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.