Miami International Airport is expecting nearly 900,000 passengers this Memorial Day weekend from Thursday, May 25, to Tuesday, May 30, for an average of 144,000 travelers projected each day, which is similar to last year’s holiday weekend traffic.
South Florida’s rainy season also runs from May to October, when lightning storms are more frequent, especially in the afternoons. During extended lightning storms, flights may be delayed because airline ground crews evacuate the airfield for their safety. Florida had the highest total lightning density in the U.S. in 2022, with 285 lightning events per square mile, an increase of 27% compared with 2021.
MIA is providing the following travel tips for Memorial Day weekend and for the rainy season:
- Arrive at MIA at least three hours before a domestic flight and three and a half hours before an international flight to give yourself enough time for the check-in and security checkpoint process.
- Do airline check-in online before arriving at MIA.
- 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 are not able to quickly retrieve your checked bag.
- If your flight gets delayed, please be patient with airline employees as they work to reschedule your flight and remain in contact with your airline for flight updates.
- To expedite TSA checkpoint screening, wear easily removable shoes, follow the 3-1-1 rule for liquids or gels in your carry-on, and avoid accessories that resemble weapons and other prohibited items. Find more TSA tips on the TSA website.
- Find the fastest TSA checkpoint for your flight with MIA’s real-time updates on checkpoint wait times online.
- Discounted parking is available at MIA’s remote Economy Park and Ride lot and Valet Parking is located directly across from MIA’s check-in area at door 2 and door 20 in both the Dolphin and Flamingo garages.
- MIA’s cell phone waiting lot, which features 60 parking spaces for non-commercial users picking up travelers, is located just off LeJeune Road and N.W. 31st Street, accessible from LeJeune Road heading north or south.
- Avoid waiting in line to order food and drinks with MIA2GO, MIA’s mobile ordering service that lets you quickly browse menus, order, and pay before making your contactless pick-up at restaurants throughout the airport.
- If traveling internationally, 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 MIA’s U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) area.
- On-site COVID-19 testing (Antigen, PCR, and Rapid PCR) is available at two convenient MIA locations. Costs vary depending on the type of test.