Ralph Cutié, Director and CEO of Miami International Airport, shares an overview of recent milestones and future initiatives including the $7 billion Capital Improvement Program
Miami International Airport (MIA) is a flourishing aviation hub in the heart of South Florida. The airport boasts a diverse portfolio of 96 airlines, plans to add three more soon, and is negotiating with five additional carriers for the upcoming year. This diversity of airlines makes MIA the most unique and varied airport in the country.
Ralph Cutié, MIA’s CEO and airport director, sat with Business Traveler to provide a comprehensive overview of the airport’s recent milestones, ambitious expansion plans, rejuvenation of aging terminals, and groundbreaking of projects that will dramatically shape its future.
Setting New Records
From setting record-breaking passenger numbers to embracing cutting-edge infrastructure developments, MIA has established itself as a global aviation powerhouse. Ranked the eighth busiest airport in the United States, MIA has witnessed unprecedented growth in passenger numbers, welcoming 52.3 million passengers in 2023—a 3.2 percent increase from the previous record-breaking year of 2022 with 50.7 million travelers.
According to the airport’s official data, during Thanksgiving and Christmas, MIA logged close to 1,300 daily flights, making it the eighth airport in the world in terms of total movements.
“On a typical day, we have an average of 1,100 flights; during peak periods like Thanksgiving and Christmas, we have around 1,300 flights. This means that we have the eighth highest number of aircraft movements in the world, making us one of the busiest airports globally.”
“We’re the number two airport in the United States for international passengers and the eighth for total overall passengers,” says Cutié. He emphasizes that the airport is also a crucial player in freight, holding the position of the number one airport in the country for international freight and the third airport for total freight and cargo.
In 2023, MIA’s cargo operations achieved a record-breaking 2.78 million tons, driven by 2.2 million tons of international cargo and 548,976 tons of domestic shipments…
