Miami International Airport
(MIA) is the third busiest airport in the United States. The Airport
is home to over 100 airlines that serve over 150 cities worldwide.
With nearly 30 million passengers and 417,000 takeoffs and landings
in a typical year, it is not uncommon for 100,000 travelers to pass
through the airport in a single day.
Miami Airport has one main terminal building with eight concourses
(A - H) extending from it. Each serves several airlines and
a large number of destinations. The Airport is a relatively easy to
get around in. Unlike some major airports, Miami International has
all its concourses under one roof.
The Airport is in the midst of a $4.8 billion improvement program.
The program will add new terminals, a new runway, and roadway improvements.
What to do on a layover
If you have some time between flights, there's plenty of seating in
the various lounges around the airport, and restaurants are available
if you're hungry.
Duty-free shopping is also available. The Airport has many duty-free
shops that sell chocolates, liquor, perfume, cameras, books, and other
items. You can pay in any currency, or you can save money on the exchange
by using a major credit card. There's also an airport bank where you
can change money, and several ATM's are scattered around the airport.
If you have four or more hours until your next flight, you can take
advantage of the Airport's close proximity to Miami Beach, and take
a taxi into the City. It only takes a few hours to have lunch on Lincoln
Road, walk to Ocean Drive and see the Art Deco District. The travel
time to Miami Beach is about 20 minutes, and the taxi flat rate is
$24 one-way.
Sleeping
at the Airport
QUESTION: "My boyfriend and I are arriving
MIA at around 8pm and catching a cruise the next morning. We are on
a tight budget, so I am thinking maybe we should stay at the airport
overnight. Has anyone done it before?" Learn
more
