Miami International Airport

There are lots of things to consider and think about when you are traveling through airports. When you are traveling through the Miami International Airport, there are certain things that you may want to be aware of. These include some facts about the history of the airport, the best ways to get to the airport, the services and amenities that are available in the airport, the businesses in the airport, the layout and various terminals in the airport, the places one can fly to from the airport, as well as security measures at the airport.


1. The History of the Airport

Miami International Airport was first opened in 1928, under the name of Pan American Field. It began as the main base of Pan American Airways Corporation. After it acquired several new airlines, the corporation actually shifted most of its usage to another field, which left what would become the Miami International Airport virtually unused. However, in 1945, the Port Authority was established in Miami, which led to a further reorganization in the airports. The Pan Am airport was purchased by the city, merged with another airport near it, and expanded through 1951. This was the area that is now known as Miami International Airport.

Until 1991, Pan Am and Eastern Airlines were the two major carriers at Miami International Airport. However, both carriers went bankrupt in that year. At the time, the different hubs at the Miami International Airport were taken over by United Airlines and American Airlines. During most of the years of operation, Miami International Airport was a major hub for connecting flights from Europe to Latin America. However, with much stricter rules for non-U.S. citizens traveling through the United States, most of the airlines soon began to bypass Miami because of the new procedures. Today, there are still flights to Port-au-Prince as well as to Cuba. In fact, with all the various locations that have Miami as a stopping point, there are flights to just about anywhere in the world from the Miami International Airport.

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2. How To Get There

There are many ways to get to Miami International Airport. First of all, there are direct links to the airport on the public transport system - Miami-Dade Transit's Metrobus Network. The bus routes that will take you to the airport include 7, 37, 42, 57,1 133, 236, 238, and J. If you don't want to take the Metrobus, there are free shuttles that will get you to the airport. These leave from and go to the Tri-Rail, which is a commuter rail line. There are two stations, the Miami Airport Station and the Hialeah Market Station, from which you can catch the free shuttle. The shuttles only take about 5 minutes to get to the airport from both these stations. There are also easier ways in the works. Soon, the Miami Dade Transit will provide links by People Mover - which will connect to the Miami Intermodal Center. This will get you to the Metrorail as well as to the light rail, called the BayLink. Of course, if none of these options suits you, you can take taxis or rental cars, which are both available. Or, you can drive to the airport and park in the long term parking facilities there. The parking facilities are usually very reasonable when it comes to fees and other things, so you should know that while leaving your car in the long-term lots might not be your best option, it would be an option to consider.

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3. Services and Amenities

Like most airports, Miami International Airport has a whole host of services and amenities. First and foremost, they have many different rental car companies. Whatever car rental company you might choose, you can usually find their counter at the Miami International Airport. In fact, there are also several local car rental companies, so if your usual national car rental company happens to have no cars available, then there are many other options for car rental.

Transportation is another big issue at the Miami International Airport. If you don't want to rent a car, you can take the shuttles to the various bus or rail line stations mentioned previously. These stations will allow you to connect to any of the other stations in the Miami Area. There are also bus lines that will take you anywhere in the Miami-Dade area. Service to and from the Miami International Airport is only a small part of the amenities that the airport has to offer.

Another important service that you can find at the Miami International Airport is the translation service. This is a very important service because there are many people arriving at the airport for which English is not their first language. The translation services are available in the same way that handicap services are available for all the customers that come through the Miami International Airport. The staff at the Miami International Airport takes these two areas very seriously, so you should be sure to check with any of the information counters if you are in need of any of these services.

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4. Businesses

When it comes to businesses that are located within the Miami International Airport, there are quite a few to choose from. You can pick from over one hundred retail outlets, with everything from magazines to luggage and clothing, and of course, souvenirs. These retail shops and stores are reasonably priced and will offer you all the things that you have come to expect from airport shops and stores.

There are many restaurants at the airport. In fact, there are more than 35 restaurants, all of which are complete restaurants with a variety of cuisine you will enjoy. These restaurants offer both sit down and take out service, which means that whether you have a few hours to kill, or only a few minutes, you should be able to find food that you enjoy. The restaurants pride themselves on offering you the finest in dining experiences, and you will be able to choose whatever you like from a wide menu selection.

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5. Airport Layout and Terminals

The main layout of the Miami International Airport is a semicircular terminal, which is known as the main terminal, with eight concourses that lead away from the main terminal. These concourses are lettered from A to J. At one time there was a concourse B, but it was demolished in 2005. The terminal and main concourse area make up the majority of the Miami International Airport.

When you are buying your tickets, checking in for your flights, or departing, you will be located on the upper level. Baggage claim is located on the lower level. The entire airport is made up of three floors, all of which are clearly marked with signs that will tell you where to go once inside the airport.

When you arrive at Miami International Airport, you will either be arriving at gates on the main level, which are for domestic arrivals, or coming into gates that are located in the immigration hall, when you are traveling from somewhere other than the United States. If you arrive at the domestic arrival gates, you will proceed to baggage claim immediately. However, if you arrive in the international gates, you will first go through security and immigration.

Along with the terminal and concourses at Miami International Airport, there are two parking garages. These are located inside the main curve of the airport, and are called the Dolphin garage and the Flamingo garage. These are both attached to the airport with overhead walkways.

The terminal at the Miami International airport has undergone construction in recent years. This gives the entire airport an updated feel, and provides extra security that complies with federal regulations. The airport continued to operate normally during all of the renovations, as they were done concourse by concourse and throughout the terminal. This allowed the airport to change and grow as time went on.

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6. Destinations

You can get to just about anywhere in the world with a flight out of Miami International Airport. This is because Miami Airport is a hub for several main airlines, and is a connecting point for these airlines and their international flights. The two main airlines that operate out of Miami International Airport are United Airlines and American Airlines. Some of the most popular destinations of those leaving the airport include Cuba and Port-au-Prince, as well as many other areas in Latin and Central America. These have long been the most popular places for passengers flying from the Miami airport.

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7. Airlines At Concourses

When you are flying out of the Miami International Airport, you are going to want to think about which concourse you are going to need to catch your flight. These will be posted very clearly within the airport, but it is always a good idea to have some general knowledge of the layout of the concourses so you can find your flight quickly.

If you are flying on American Airlines, you will be going to either Concourse A, B, C, D, or E. Because there are so many different concourses that have American Airlines flights, you will want to check your ticket very carefully to be sure that you are heading in the right direction.

If you are flying on British Airlines, conversely, you will only have to worry about one gate. All British Airlines flights will leave from Concourse A, which means that this is the only direction in which you will have to head.

If you are heading out of the country on one of the many smaller airlines that go to the Cayman Islands, Spain, or almost any other international destination, you are probably going to be heading to concourse F. This is the concourse to which new international destinations are added as well, so if you are flying somewhere that Miami International Airport has just started flying to, you will probably be leaving from that concourse.

Remember, if you are seeing someone off, or picking up someone from a flight, you will not be able to go anywhere other than baggage claim in order to do so. In the past, a person would be able to go with a friend or family member to their gate, but this is not the case any longer.

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8. Security

Security is one of the biggest issues that any airport has to be aware of today. A joint team of airport employees and Miami police runs security at the Miami International Airport. This team is responsible for overseeing any security concerns that might come up at the airport. In recent years, security has become an important issue at the Miami International Airport, as with all airports. Because of these security issues, there has been a lot of money from the United States Government that has been incorporated in and utilized by the various baggage screeners, personal screeners, and security systems at the airport. As a result, the equipment used for security purposes is among some of the most high tech and up to date equipment that can be found at any airport in the world.

That said, it is often found that the lines for security and screenings at the Miami International Airport might be longer than you would expect. This is especially true for flights that are arriving from international destinations.

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9. Last Minute Information

When you are flying into or out of the Miami International Airport, there are several things that you should be aware of when preparing for travel. The first thing, of course, is you need to decide on the best way to get to the airport. Also, you are going to want to be sure that you are arriving early for your flight. This is because of the increased security procedures, so allow plenty of time. You are also going to want to check with the airport or with other governmental agencies before your flight for any delays or changes, as well as any new and always changing security measures that you have to follow.

Need Transportation? Call 800-984-4303
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