MIA passenger, cargo traffic has fast start in 2018

Miami International Airport got off to a strong start in 2018 with a 3.79-percent increase in passenger traffic and four-percent growth in freight tonnage through March, compared to the same period last year. International travelers rose 4.64 percent to 5.5 million passengers, while domestic traffic increased three percent to six million passengers, for a total of 11.5 million travelers at MIA in the first quarter. International freight traffic rose 1.8 percent to 491,264 tons and domestic freight jumped 19.1 percent to 84,180 tons, for a combined 575,444 tons through March. 

The upward trend is expected to continue into the second quarter, when four airlines will launch new Miami service and the busy summer travel season begins. LATAM Airlines will begin a weekly flight to Salvador, Brazil – MIA’s ninth Brazilian destination - on April 29; Bahamasair will launch four weekly flights to Bimini – MIA’s seventh route in the Bahamas; Air Italy will enter the Miami market with four weekly flights to Milan on June 8; and American Airlines will launch daily service to Savannah, Georgia on June 7, as well as a weekly flight to Bonaire, Lesser Antilles on June 9.

Later this year, Brazilian low-cost carrier GOL will return to MIA with daily flights to Brasilia and Fortaleza on November 4, and American Airlines will launch new service to Georgetown, Guyana and Pereira, Colombia in December