Click here for travel tip soundbites from MIA Director Ralph Cutié in English and Spanish, as well as graphics and b-roll video of MIA’s modernization projects.
Miami International Airport is expecting nearly 1.9 million passengers during the 12-day Thanksgiving Day travel period from Friday, November 22, to December 3, for a daily average of 157,000 travelers and a 2% increase over last year’s record numbers. The busiest days are expected to be November 23, November 30, and December 1, when passenger traffic is projected to exceed 168,000 passengers each day.
Because of these record-breaking projections, MIA is providing the following travel tips to improve the airport experience during this Thanksgiving week:
Parking:
- MIA’s parking garages may reach capacity on peak travel days. Instead of parking in the main garages, travelers should consider using MIA’s remote Economy Park and Ride Lot, Valet Parking, or being dropped off by friends or family, a ride-share service, taxi, or Miami-Dade Transit’s Orange Line.
- 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 to find parking, do your airline check-in, and get through the TSA checkpoint.
- Save time by checking in online with your airline before arriving at MIA.
- MIA also provides updated flight information on its website and its mobile app.
- If your flight is delayed, please be patient with airline employees as they work to reschedule your flight and remain in contact with your airline for flight updates.
- Thankfully, MIA is one of the five least weather-delayed airports in the U.S., according to travel industry analysts at Upgraded Points.
TSA Screening:
- Find the fastest TSA checkpoint for your flight with MIA’s real-time checkpoint wait times online.
- 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.
International Travel
- If traveling internationally, eligible travelers can use the free, secure Mobile Passport Control app on their smartphone or tablet to submit their passport and customs declaration information 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.