MIA’s modernization plan shifts into high gear with new contract

Miami International Airport’s Modernization in Action (M.I.A.) Plan was expedited today when the Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners approved a contract potentially worth approximately $12 million annually that will upgrade 372 aged elevators, escalators, and moving walkways at the global gateway, including 145 units that will receive a complete modernization. Over the next five to 10 years of the contract, an average of at least 30 conveyance units at MIA are scheduled to be upgraded or replaced annually. 

“This is a game-changer that will future-proof the conveyance units at Miami International Airport for decades to come and provide an improved travel experience for all of our visitors,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. “As our airport continues to grow at unprecedented levels, important investments like these will ensure the gateway to our community is more efficient and customer-friendly than ever before.”

The new contract will rapidly accelerate the M.I.A. Plan, which is renovating all of the airport’s 616 conveyance units as well as its 126 passenger loading bridges and 203 public bathrooms in phases over the next five to 10 years. Despite the aging conveyance units requiring major renovation or repair, less than 10 percent of the 616 units at the airport are out of service for maintenance on an average day.

The contract’s approval is welcome news for MIA, which has been the fastest-growing airport in the U.S. and the second-fastest-growing in the world in airline seats since 2019, according to analytics provider Cirium. MIA served an all-time high of 50.7 million travelers in 2022, which was an increase of 10 percent over its previous record set in 2019 before the pandemic. Through the first half of 2023, passenger traffic at MIA is up 2.6 percent, putting it on pace to serve more than 52 million passengers this year. MIA has been welcoming these record numbers around the clock while simultaneously working to modernize its facility and navigate global supply chain delays for conveyance parts. 

“We know that having any conveyance unit out of service on any given day is still a disruption to some of our visitors, so we are asking travelers to please pardon our progress while we transition MIA to becoming more future-ready,” said Ralph Cutié, MIA Director and CEO. “MIA continues to climb the ranks among the busiest airports in the world, and our goal is to match that growth with customer service excellence at all of our touchpoints.”

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