MIA airport guide

Miami International (MIA) Airport Guide: Concourses, Transport and Tips

Miami International Airport, Miami, United States: terminals, getting to the city, security, lounges and connections.

Quick answer: Miami International is one horseshoe-shaped building with three terminals: North (Concourse D, American Airlines' hub), Central (Concourses E, F and G) and South (Concourses H and J, used by Delta and many foreign airlines). Moving walkways on Level 3 link them all. The free MIA Mover train runs to the Rental Car Center and the Miami Intermodal Center for Metrorail and Tri-Rail, and the Route 150 Miami Beach Airport Express bus runs from the airport Metrorail station across the Julia Tuttle Causeway to Miami Beach.

Facts checked November 2026. Schedules and entry rules change, so confirm with the airline and the official government site before you travel.

MIA at a glance

Terminals	North (Concourse D), Central (E, F, G) and South (H, J)
American Airlines	Checks in at D/E; flies mainly from Concourse D
Other US airlines	Check-in: Delta and United at H; Southwest at G; Frontier at F; Alaska at E
Inside Concourse D	Skytrain with 4 stations along the concourse
MIA Mover	Free train from Level 3 to the Rental Car Center and the Miami Intermodal Center
To South Beach	Route 150 Miami Beach Airport Express bus, taxi or rideshare
International arrivals	Collect bags before US Customs, then recheck for a connection

Which airlines use which MIA concourse

MIA names its check-in areas and gates by concourse letter, and the terminal names North, Central and South group those letters. The North Terminal is Concourse D, a long pier that is almost entirely American Airlines. The Central Terminal covers Concourses E, F and G. The South Terminal covers Concourses H and J.

According to the airport's airline directory, American checks in at counters in D and E. Delta and United check in at H, Southwest at G, Frontier at F and Alaska at E. British Airways checks in at D, and Iberia and Qatar Airways check in at E, near their oneworld partner American.

Most other foreign airlines check in at the South Terminal. Lufthansa, Swiss, Air France, Virgin Atlantic, LATAM, Avianca, Copa, Emirates and Air Canada are listed at J, and KLM, Aeromexico and Turkish Airlines at H. Your departure gate can be in a different concourse from your check-in row.

These are the check-in assignments on miami-airport.com in November 2026. Check-in rows and gates do move, so look at the airline app or your boarding pass on the day you fly. Taxi and rideshare drivers ask for the concourse letter, not the airline.

Getting around inside the airport

All three terminals are under one roof, and moving walkways on Level 3 connect them with each other, the parking garages and the transit stations. The airport suggests allowing 15 minutes to get between the North and South Terminals, more if you are walking with children or heavy bags.

Concourse D is long enough to have its own train. The Skytrain runs above the concourse with four stations along it, reached by elevators, and it saves a long walk from the check-in hall to the far gates. At Concourse F, a courtesy trolley takes arriving international passengers to the North Terminal arrivals facility.

Security checkpoints serve particular concourses, so go through the one nearest your gate. If you clear security at the wrong end, it can be a long walk to get back.

Customs and connecting at MIA

Miami is one of the main gateways for flights from Latin America and the Caribbean, so many passengers land here from abroad and connect to a US flight. Everyone arriving from abroad clears US Customs and Border Protection at MIA. The airport tells passengers to pick up checked luggage before customs, even when the bags are tagged to a final destination. After customs, connecting passengers drop their bags at the recheck belt and go through TSA screening again.

Customs exits differ by terminal: Level 1 for the North and Central Terminals and Level 3 for the South Terminal, which matters if someone is meeting you. Global Entry and the Mobile Passport Control app can shorten the immigration line.

On a single ticket, the airline sets the minimum connection time and books you on a flight it thinks you can make. Customs lines at MIA can be long when several flights from South America and Europe land together, so for an international-to-domestic connection choose more time than the minimum when you have the option. On separate tickets, leave several hours.

MIA to South Beach and downtown Miami

The cheapest way to Miami Beach is the Metrobus Route 150 Miami Beach Airport Express. It leaves from the Miami International Airport Metrorail station at the Miami Intermodal Center, runs express over the Julia Tuttle Causeway to Mid Beach, and continues through Miami Beach. Miami-Dade Transit's schedule shows a bus about every 30 minutes. The airport says you need an EASY Card, sold at vending machines in the Miami Intermodal Center.

Taxis wait on the arrivals level outside baggage claim. Uber and Lyft pick up at the marked zones on the arrivals level shown in the app. The ride to South Beach or Brickell depends on traffic on the Dolphin Expressway and the causeways, so allow extra time at rush hour.

For downtown Miami and Brickell, take the free MIA Mover from Level 3, between the Dolphin and Flamingo garages, to the Miami Intermodal Center, then the Metrorail Orange Line to Brickell or Government Center. The same station has Tri-Rail commuter trains north toward Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach. The MIA Mover also stops at the Rental Car Center, where all the rental companies have their counters.

Lounges by concourse

American runs a Flagship Lounge and an Admirals Club in Concourse D. In March 2026 it said a new Flagship Lounge and a larger Admirals Club are coming to Miami, without giving dates, as part of plans with Miami-Dade County to rebuild Concourse D.

The American Express Centurion Lounge is also in Concourse D, on the fourth floor near Gate D12. The Delta Sky Club is in the South Terminal, Concourse H. Turkish Airlines has a lounge in Concourse H and another in Concourse E.

A Chase Sapphire Lounge has been proposed for Concourse E, but as of mid-2026 it did not have final approval and was likely years away. Lounge hours and entry rules change often, so check with the lounge operator before you travel.

Practical tips for flying from MIA

Airlines generally advise arriving 2 hours before a domestic flight and 3 hours before an international one. Flights to Latin America often check in large or extra bags, so international check-in lines in the morning and evening banks can be long.

The terminal is kept cool by air conditioning, so a light layer helps after a day in the Miami heat.

If you are being picked up, tell your driver the concourse letter rather than the airline. The arrivals curb runs the length of the horseshoe, and pickup at the wrong door means a slow drive around the loop.

Frequently asked questions

Which concourse is American Airlines at MIA?

American checks in at D and E and flies mainly from Concourse D in the North Terminal, with some flights from Concourse E.

Which terminal is Delta at Miami airport?

Delta checks in and flies from Concourse H in the South Terminal. Its Sky Club is also in Concourse H.

How do I get from Miami airport to South Beach?

Take the Route 150 Miami Beach Airport Express bus from the airport Metrorail station at the Miami Intermodal Center, about every 30 minutes, or a taxi or rideshare from the arrivals level. Traffic on the causeways sets the travel time.

Can you walk between terminals at MIA?

Yes. All three terminals are in one building, linked by moving walkways on Level 3. The airport suggests allowing about 15 minutes between the North and South Terminals.

Do I pick up my bags at MIA when connecting from an international flight?

Yes. Collect your checked bags before US Customs, then hand them over at the recheck belt and go through TSA screening again before your next flight.

What is the MIA Mover?

A free automated train from Level 3 of the terminal, between the Dolphin and Flamingo garages, to the Rental Car Center and the Miami Intermodal Center for Metrorail, Metrobus and Tri-Rail.

Is there Metrorail from Miami airport?

Yes. Ride the MIA Mover to the Miami Intermodal Center and take the Metrorail Orange Line to Brickell, Government Center and downtown Miami.