Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, alongside airport officials and stakeholders, has outlined the progress made at Miami International Airport (MIA) over the past year.
The review event highlighted record-breaking passenger and cargo numbers in 2024 and provided updates on ongoing infrastructure improvements under the 9 billion USD Future-Ready Modernization in Action (M.I.A.) Plan.
MIA recorded nearly 56 million passengers in 2024, continuing its trend of consecutive record years in passenger traffic. International travel saw an 8.4% increase, reaching 25.2 million passengers, while domestic travel grew by 5.6% to 30.8 million passengers. Cargo volumes also set new records, exceeding 3 million tons for the fifth consecutive year.
According to Airports Council International-North America, MIA remains the fastest-growing mega airport (handling over 33 million passengers) in the United States since the pandemic, with airline seat capacity rising by 24% compared to 2019.
Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said:Miami International Airport continues to soar to new heights, breaking records, setting the standard for excellence in aviation, and strengthening our position as a leader in international trade and tourism. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of Director Cutie, our airport partners, and the entire MIA workforce, MIA reached all-time highs in passenger and cargo service last year while also paving the way for a series of transformative improvement projects ready to take flight in 2025.
Modernisation
To accommodate its growth, MIA is undergoing significant infrastructure improvements as part of the Future-Ready Modernization in Action Plan. This initiative focuses on upgrading key facilities, including conveyance units, restrooms, and boarding bridges.
In 2024, 33 conveyance units, 48 restrooms, and 32 boarding bridges were renovated, with two of the new boarding bridges designed to be more energy-efficient. Currently, 95% of the airport’s 616 conveyance units are operational, an improvement from 85% the previous year. Plans for 2025 include modernising an additional 30 conveyance units.
Construction continues on the 136-million USD Flamingo Garage expansion, which will add 2,240 parking spaces upon its completion in late 2025.
The 350-million USD, 546-room Westin MIA Hotel, is also scheduled to begin construction in mid-2025 and is expected to open in 2027.
Additionally, a contract proposal for Concourse K, a 750-million USD terminal expansion, is set for review by the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners. If approved, this project will add six passenger gates to the South Terminal by 2029.
Customer Service
MIA’s customer service initiatives have also seen progress, particularly through the I AM MIA programme, which was launched in early 2024 to enhance service quality. The programme has introduced 135 new Lightning Crew positions dedicated to rapid maintenance responses, with 90 positions already filled.
Furthermore, over 1,300 airport employees have completed customer service training developed in collaboration with the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau. The training, which is mandatory for all new hires, aims to ensure positive interactions with travellers and improve overall service standards at MIA.
