Miami International Airport Broke Passenger Records in January and February
MIA continues to be the busiest airport in Florida in 2023, with an average of 150,000 passengers passing through its gates in February
Photo: Courtesy of Miami International Airport
A record-breaking number of passengers passed through Miami International Airport’s (MIA) gates in January and February, keeping its newly-found title as the busiest airport in Florida.
According to airport officials, January saw the highest number of passengers using the airport, continuing the momentum into February. An average of 150,000 passengers flew in or out of MIA daily.
The airport—a major hub for American Airlines—also said it was expecting the high volume of passengers to continue in the coming weeks and months, especially with the upcoming Spring Break period, which is expected to be the busiest since 2019.
Photo: Courtesy of Miami International Airport
The latest figures follow from an impressive performance in 2022 when MIA logged a record-breaking 50.6 million passengers passing through its gates. This figure meant it overtook Orlando International Airport (MCO) as the busiest airport in Florida, which processed around 50.1 million passengers last year—only around half a million less than MIA.
Miami’s previous record number of passengers in a single year was 45.9 million, set in 2019, the last year before the pandemic.
“In addition to MIA leading our community’s successful economic recovery from the pandemic, it is again leading the way for the state of Florida as well!” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cada in a statement last month. “Congratulations to the MIA team and partners on surpassing 50 million passengers for the first time in its history. Passenger growth represents tourism revenue, job creation, and expanded opportunities in Miami-Dade County – making all county residents proud.”
Photo: Courtesy of Miami International Airport
Another example of MIA’s growing reputation as a leading U.S. airport was apparent last week when the travel reward website Upgraded Points rated it as the best airport in the country regarding its lounge facilities.
MIA currently has 14 airport lounges across its three terminals, including three American Airlines lounges, two Turkish Airlines lounges, one operated by Delta Air Lines and another by Avianca, and an exclusive American Express Centurion Lounge. According to Upgraded Points, Miami’s airport lounges are open longer on average than any others in the country, while they also all provide shower facilities to weary travelers.
In addition to being the third biggest hub for American Airlines, MIA also serves as a major operating base for South American carriers LATAM and Avianca. Over 1,000 flights depart Miami International daily, connecting the South Florida city to more than 150 destinations, primarily across the U.S., Caribbean, and Latin America.
