Miami International Airport is kicking off summer travel season this Memorial Day weekend with passenger traffic projected to be 10% higher than its record-breaking numbers last summer. MIA expects to welcome more than 160,000 travelers every day this weekend beginning Thursday and its parking garages to approach capacity. That weekend trend is expected to continue into June, with local schools beginning their summer break periods.
With those projections in mind, MIA is offering the following summer travel tips:
Parking
- Instead of parking at MIA, travelers should consider being dropped off by friends or family, a ride-share service, taxi, or Miami-Dade Transit’s Orange Line if traveling fromThursday through Sunday.
- 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.
Check-In:
- 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.
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.