MIA information about Hurricane Isaias

As Hurricane Isaias impacts the Caribbean, and with stormy weather potentially approaching South Florida, the Miami-Dade Aviation Department offers the following information and tips if you plan to travel through Miami International Airport this weekend:

• MIA remains open and operational for all passenger and cargo operations.

• The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) only closes its control tower at MIA if sustained winds (not gusts) reach 55 miles per hour, at which point planes cannot take off or land.

• Many airlines decide to not fly well before that point and sometimes on a case-by-case basis, so passengers should stay in close contact with their airline about their flight status and make necessary arrangements before coming to MIA.

• Departing passengers should arrive at the airport at least two hours before a domestic flight and three hours before an international flight to allow enough time for parking, airline check-in and screening at the security checkpoint.

• Passengers are also encouraged to check-in online before arriving at MIA.

• Real-time flight information is available at www.miami-airport.com, and for the latest updates about airport operations, follow MIA on Twitter: @iflymia.