The Ultimate Miami International Airport Guide

Miami International Airport, famous as MIA, is the main international airport serving Miami and its nearby metropolitan area. The airport is located around 9.7 miles away from Downtown Miami. MIA Airport offers over 1,000 daily flights to around 185 global and domestic destinations, including most of the Latin American nations.

MIA handles around an average of 52 million passengers a year, making it one of the busiest airports in the US and the world. The airport is a hub for American Airlines and an operating base for Spirit Airlines and Frontier Airlines. Flying out from Miami International Airport? Our guide will perfectly navigate you through MIA and the amenities it offers!

Miami International Airport History

The beginning

• The initial airport that started operating on the MIA site was in the 1920s. The airport was famous as Miami City Airport.
• In 9128, Pan American World Airways (Pan Am) started an expanded facility close to the City Airport called the Pan American Field.
• In 1931, Eastern Air Lines began serving Pan American Field. In 1936, National Airlines started serving the facility.
• Miami Army Airfield, located south of Pan American Field, started operating in 1943 during World War II.
• After World War II in 1945, the City of Miami established a Port Authority. Also, it raised bond revenue to acquire Pan American Field and renamed it 36th Street Airport.
• The airport started nonstop flights to Newark and Chicago by late 1946.

Later stages

• After 1962, nonstop flights started operating beyond New Orleans and St. Louis.
• In 1970, nonstop transatlantic flights to Europe started.
• Air Florida established a hub at the airport in the late 1970s.
• In 1988, American Airlines announced that it would start a base in Miami Airport.
• Flights to Johannesburg started in 1992 via South African Airways.
• Iberia made MIA its hub in 1992.
• The September 11 attacks made it mandatory for foreign travelers to have a visa to travel in the US. The decision forced United Airlines and Iberia to close their hubs in MIA.

Where Is Miami International Airport?

MIA Airport is located at 2100 NW 42nd Ave, Miami, FL 33142.

MIA Airport Map

The airport has three main terminals.

• North
• Central
• South

Miami International Airport Parking & Transportation

MIA Airport offers ample parking options for short-term and long-term parking. Dolphin and Flamingo Garages and the Park & Ride lot offer long-term parking at Miami Airport. The Dolphin and Flamingo Garages also have valet parking spots. You can even use the garage parking for short-term parking.

However, if you’re looking for the cheapest and safest MIA Airport parking spot, it is best to book parking at an offsite lot nearby. Offsite lots offer you guaranteed parking at the lowest rate when booked via GlobalAirportParking.com.

How to Get to Miami International Airport

Driving

If you’re driving to MIA Airport, follow these directions.

From South Beach

• Drive into MacArthur Causeway and continue driving onto I-395 West.
• Keep right to stay on I-395 West and continue driving onto FL-836.
• Take the NW 37th Avenue exit for Florida 953/Le Jeune Road/Douglas Road, then keep left at the fork.
• Follow the NW 14th Street signs and merge onto the street.

Drive from Downtown Miami

• Take I-25 North and use exit 3A to join onto FL-836 West/I-395 towards Airport/U M/Jackson/VA Hospitals.
• Maintain left at the fork, following signages for NW 14th Street.
• Join on NW 14th Street and take a right on the slip road to Airport North.
• Maintain right at the fork, follow signages for Rental Car Center, and join onto NW 25th Street for airport access.

From Fort Lauderdale

• Drive on I-95 South and maintain a left at the fork.
• Use the exit towards FL-826 and join on I-95 South.
• Maintain left to continue on I-95 South, follow signages for Miami, and take the left lane to get into the exit towards Express Lanes.
• Join onto I-95 Express and take the left lane to join onto FL-112 West.
• Use the two lanes at the left to use the Le Jeune Road south exit.
• Join on FL-953 South/S. Le Jeune Rd. and use the two lanes at the left to turn a little left to NW 25th Street.
• Use the three lanes at the right to turn a little right for airport access.

Train

• Metrorail: Use the Green Line if you’re traveling to stations like Tri-Rail, Palmetto, Northside, Hialeah, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Okeechobee, or Brownsville. However, use the Orange Line if you’re traveling to stations like South Miami, Douglas Road, Civic Center, Dadeland North, Earlington Heights, Vizcaya, Brickell, Historic Overtown/Lyric Theatre, Government Center, Santa Clara, University, Coconut Grove, Culmer, or Allapattah.
• Tri-Rail: This service links Miami, West Palm Beach, and Ft. Lauderdale. To use this service, go to the third level of the terminal and follow the signage to use MIA Mover to Miami Central Station.
• Brightline: This is an inter-city express train that you can find at the Miami Central Station, connecting Miami to West Palm Beach. The company even offers you a round-trip shuttle service to MIA.

Bus

• Metrobus: You can use routes like 37, 42, 57, East-West Connection, J, and 150 Miami Beach Airport Express to get to Miami International Airport.
• Miami Beach Bus: The service operates between Miami International Airport Metrorail station and Miami every 30 minutes from 6 am to 11:40 pm throughout the week.
• City of Miami Trolley: This is a free service with many routes running through the city. The Flagami route runs to and from the Rental Car Center/Miami Central Station. Or you can use the Metrorail Orange Line to link to the Coral Way Trolley route.

Car Service and Rideshares

• Taxi: You can find taxis outside of the arrivals area on the airport’s ground level. Metered taxis charge a minimum fare of $15 for routes starting at the airport.
• Rideshare services: Uber and Lyft are the two rideshare services that serve MIA. The rideshare fare may vary based on the rideshare service. For instance, a ride from Downtown Miami to MIA Airport may cost anywhere between $20-$49 depending on the rideshare service, ride type, time of travel, and the traffic conditions.

MIA Mover

This service lets you travel between the Flamingo and Dolphin garages on the third level to the Central Station and Rental Car Center.

MIA Airport Amenities

These are some of the amenities you can find at Miami International Airport.

• Wi-Fi
• ATMs
• Animal Relief Areas
• Baggage Wrapping Stations
• Auditorium
• Currency Exchange
• Baggage Checkroom/Storage
• Chapel
• Language Assistance/Translation Service
• Nursing Suites
• Pet Relief Areas
• Multi-Sensory Room
• Spa Services
• Water Refill Stations
• Smoking Areas
• Wheelchair Service
• Yoga Room

Miami Airport Hotels

There is only one airport located inside the airport property.

Miami International Airport Hotel

Address: Le Jeune Rd, Concourse E 2nd Floor, NW 20th St, Miami, FL 33122

Hotels near Miami International Airport

These are some hotels you can find near MIA.

MIA Airport Lounges

Planning to relax before your flight? The following are some lounges located at Miami International Airport.

Miami International Airport Shops and Stores

via GIPHY

If you’re in the mood to try out Miami Airport food and a bit of shopping, these are some restaurants and shops you can consider.

North Terminal

• Bacardi Mojito Bar
• Air Essentials
• Estefan Kitchen Express
• Half Moon Empanadas
• Dior
• Booklink & Café
• Fig & Fennel
• Corona Beach House
• Shula’s Bar & Grill
• TGI Friday’s

Central Terminal

• Chili’s Too
• Maestro Della Pizza
• Dunkin’
• Pizza Hut Express
• Duty Free Americas
• FARM2AIR MARKET
• Farmair’s Market
• Florida Lottery
• InTune Electronics
• Istore

South Terminal

• Gilbert’s Food Bar
• Earl of Sandwich
• Nathan’s Famous
• La Pausa
• Famous Famiglia
• Bead Factory
• BEE & Co.
• Little Havana at MIA
• Miami Gifts to Go
• Pharmabox

For the complete list of shops and restaurants, visit the official website of Miami Airport.

Accessible Services at MIA Airport

The airport has the “myMIAaccess” program, which offers an exclusive platform for passengers with restricted mobility to access amenities, services, and info while traveling through the airport.

• Aira: This service connects blind passengers or passengers with low vision to an extremely trained, remotely located agent. With the help of the Aira mobile app, the agent can help the passenger navigate MIA Airport and tell what is in the passenger’s field of vision, including recognizing luggage and understanding flight information monitors.
• Hidden Disabilities – Sunflower Lanyard: It is an awareness program that helps you to individually communicate with airport staff when you require more time or have extra questions while traveling. The program is helpful to people with autism, PTSD, hearing loss, etc.

Lost and Found

You can locate the Lost and Found facility on the 4^th Level of North Terminal D. The facility will store any item that they find in the terminals, parking lots, employee shuttle, and driving area for a maximum of 30 days. The facility is open throughout the week from 8 am to 6 pm.

• If you lose any item in the aircraft, you should contact the airline.
• Contact 888-761-8227 if you lose any item in the Rental Car Center.
• Items lost at the TSA checkpoints will be handed over to the Lost and Found facility the next business day.

TSA PreCheck

The airport has a total of 10 security checkpoints – four in the North Terminal and three each in the Central and South Terminals. The operating times of the checkpoints vary. Also, you can find dedicated TSA PreCheck security lanes that operate during standard checkpoint hours.

CLEAR

Concourses E, F, G, H, and J have dedicated CLEAR security checkpoints. All checkpoints are open from 4.15 am to 9 pm except the one in Concourse H, which operates from 4.15 am to 7.45 pm.

Attractions near Miami International Airport

These are some attractions you can find near MIA.

• David T. Kennedy Park
• Cuban Memorial Boulevard Park
• Phillip & Patricia Frost Museum of Science
• Wynwood Walls
• Maurice A. Ferré Park
• Miami Children’s Museum
• Skyviews Miami Observation Wheel
• HistoryMiami Museum
• Miami Walk of Fame
• Lummus Park

Miami International Airport FAQs