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Miami International Airport (MIA): The Basics

By Renee Chapple, About.com

Miami International Airport (MIA) is one of the world’s busiest airports and serves as a hub for international flights between the United States and Latin America and the Caribbean. While our airport is certainly convenient, it can also be quite difficult to navigate. In this article, we explore the basics of MIA.

You can obtain real-time flight information for any of the airlines serving MIA before leaving home. With our city’s unpredictable weather, it’s always a good idea to look up your flight before you head for the airport.

Once you’ve checked on your flight, you’ll probably want to obtain driving directions to the airport.

Once you arrive, you’ll need to find a place to park. Long-term parking is available on the ground of the airport in the Flamingo and Dolphin garages. Parking here maxes out at a rate of $12 per day. If you’re picking someone up, you can park in the short-term lot for $2.50 per half hour, but be warned that you don’t want to leave your car in this lot while you travel, or you risk paying $25 per day. When I travel, I actually prefer to park at Airport Fast Park. If you print a coupon off the Internet, you can park there for only $7 per day and the shuttle drops you off right in front of your terminal. It's actually less walking and less expensive than parking in the airport lots. For more, read Top Miami Airport Parking Lots.

A complete list of airlines and terminals is available on the official website. If you’re flying on a major airline, here’s where to head:
  • Air Canada, Terminal G
  • Air France, Terminal F
  • AirTran, Terminal F
  • American Airlines, Terminals A, C, D and E
  • British Airways, Terminal A
  • Continental, Terminal H
  • Delta, Terminal H
  • Northwest/KLM, Terminal G
  • United, Terminal F
  • US Airways, Terminal H

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