Miami-Dade – Miami International Airport’s steady passenger traffic in 2009 despite a full-year of economic recession worldwide made it the busiest airport in Florida and the second-leading airport in the U.S. for international passengers.
MIA was one of the few U.S. airports to maintain stable passenger traffic levels last year, serving 33.9 million passengers in 2009 – down only half a percentage point from 2008.
MIA’s steady traffic moved it ahead of Los Angeles as the second-leading airport in the U.S. for international passengers after JFK. MIA also regained its top spot as the busiest airport in Florida after trailing Orlando the last five years. MIA continues to be Florida’s leading international gateway, handling 69.5 percent of the state’s arrivals from abroad – more than all the other airports in Florida combined.
MIA retained its domestic market, serving 17.9 million domestic passengers in 2009 – the same number as 2008. The airport also only lost one percent of its international passengers from the previous year, serving nearly 16 million passengers from abroad. For the full traffic report, go to http://www.miami-airport.com/2009_traffic_report.asp.
MIA’s strength as the leading gateway to Latin America and the Caribbean continued to attract new and expanded air service in 2009 and more is expected in 2010. American Airlines has committed to adding 20 more flights in June. In March, Lufthansa is scheduled to begin three-times-a-week service from Munich and Air Europa will begin offering four weekly flights from Madrid. French low-cost carrier CorsairFly has announced passenger and cargo service from Paris in June. Transaero has tentatively scheduled passenger service from Moscow to begin May 31 and Alitalia will begin passenger service from Milan in June.
