Miami International Airport is expecting nearly 1.8 million passengers during the 12-day Thanksgiving Day travel period from Friday, November 17, to Tuesday, November 28, for a daily average of 147,000 travelers and a 4.6% increase over last year. The 1.77 million passengers projected during the 12-day period would be an all-time record for the global gateway. The busiest days are expected to be the Friday and Sunday before Thanksgiving Day and the Sunday after when passenger traffic is projected to approach or exceed 160,000 travelers.
Thankfully, MIA is heading into the holiday travel season with the shortest average security wait time in Florida and the 6th-shortest average wait time in the U.S. at 10.4 minutes, according to a study of the busiest U.S. airports released last month by travel industry publication PlanetWare. In October, MIA also had the best flight departure on-time performance among Florida’s busiest airports at 82.3%, according to the Official Airline Guide.
Because of the projected increase in traffic, MIA is also providing the following tips for the Thanksgiving Day travel week:
- Arrive at MIA three hours before your flight to give yourself enough time for parking, airline check-in, and the security screening process.
- Do airline check-in online before arriving at MIA.
- 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.
- MIA also provides updated flight information online and on its mobile app.
TSA Screening
- 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.
- 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.
Parking
- Half-price 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 provides 60 free parking spaces for non-commercial users waiting to pick up travelers, is located just off LeJeune Road and N.W. 31st Street, accessible from LeJeune Road heading north or south.
Concourse D
- While the Concourse D Skytrain remains out of service, a courtesy trolley service is available from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. For assistance, look for one of the 10 courtesy shuttle pick-up stations throughout Concourse D.
- Additionally, starting this Friday, American Airlines subsidiary Envoy Air is scheduled to begin a shuttle bus service with stops at gates D10 and D55 during peak travel periods.
- Passengers who require wheelchair assistance should contact their airline in advance before their flight.
International Travel
- 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.