Today, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and officials from Miami International Airport (MIA) celebrated the inauguration of the latest glass passenger boarding bridge at gate H17, marking a significant milestone in the airport’s ongoing modernization efforts.
The unveiling of the glass bridge at gate H17 follows the successful introduction of a similar structure at gate D14 in winter 2022. With plans to introduce a 62 bridges in the first phase by 2028, Miami International Airport is poised to become the leading adopter of these energy-efficient innovations among U.S. airports.
Glass bridges not only offer a sleek and modern aesthetic but also provide enhanced comfort for passengers, reducing feelings of claustrophobia commonly associated with traditional steel bridges. Moreover, their streamlined surface and superior insulation make them more energy-efficient, contributing to significant cost savings in cleaning and temperature control.
The airport’s Modernization in Action (M.I.A.) Plan has modernized 30 other gates since 2019 with state-of-the-art steel bridges, but the rest of MIA’s 126 bridges moving forward will be replaced with glass.
The M.I.A. Plan is implementing $1.7 billion in maintenance upgrades, including replacing or renovating all 616 elevators, escalators, and moving walkways at MIA in need of an upgrade. Under the Plan, at least 30 conveyance units are scheduled to be upgraded or replaced annually over the next five to seven years. MIA’s 207 public restrooms are being renovated as well. A total of 33 bathrooms have already been modernized in concourses D, H, and J, and 32 more in MIA’s other concourses are on schedule for renovation in 2024. MIA is also making an unprecedented investment of more than $7 billion in its Future-Ready Capital Improvement Program.