Around two years after the global COVID-19 pandemic shrank global air travel to historic lows, Miami International Airport is experiencing their busiest year ever, and is on pace to surpass 50 million passengers this year for the first time in history.
On Tuesday (July 26, 2022), Miami International Airport (MIA) announced that they have set mid-year records for both passenger and cargo growth. Two years after the global COVID-19 pandemic decimated air traffic demand, the airport is on pace to surpass 50 million passengers this year for the first time in history. MIA’s previous record was set in 2019 with 45.9 million passengers. For the first six months of 2022, the airport handled 25.5 million passengers, an 8.5 percent increase versus the first half of 2019. Domestic passengers led the way with a 26 percent year-over-three increase to 15.3 million travelers thus far this year, while the international passenger count of 10.2 million year-to-date was down 10.5 percent compared to H1 2019, but 102 percent above the midpoint last year.
In today’s traffic announcment, Miami International Airport’s Director and CEO, Ralph Cutie, said,
“We are thrilled to see MIA reach new heights in 2022 and to be on track for our best traffic year ever. Thanks to our airlines and federal partners, we are proudly welcoming more visitors and cargo to Miami-Dade County than ever before, and we look forward to having an even more successful second half of the year.”
Also commenting on MIA’s landmark passenger numbers, Miami-Dade County’s Mayor, Daniella Levine Cava, added,
“Congratulations to MIA for leading the nation in passenger growth since the travel downturn from the pandemic. Our county is experiencing more tourism growth than any other community in the country, which means a stronger economy and increased job opportunities for our residents.”
According to Airports Council International – North America (ACI), Miami International Airport is experiencing the strongest post-pandemic rebound among all large U.S. hubs airports. A recent ACI report ranked MIA as the fastest-growing large U.S. airport in seat capacity for the first quarter of 2022, compared to the same period in 2019, and one of only six U.S. airports with positive growth during the period. In 2021, MIA also became the busiest U.S. airport for international passengers, remained the busiest U.S. airport for international freight, and moved up to 12th place for total passengers and 9th place for aircraft movements among the world’s airports.
Source: Miami International Airport