Nearly 1 Million Travelers Expected At Miami Int'l Airport
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Nearly 1 million passengers are expected to go through Miami International Airport (MIA) this week.
About 989,000 travelers, to be exact, are expected to travel from the airport from Monday, November 21st to Monday, November 28th, airport officials said.
If the projections are right, this would mean travel is up by 2.1 percent since the same travel period last year.
"I plan to spend some time with some friends in Orlando, which I'm close to," said Rommel Hippolyte. "After that, I plan to visit family back home in St. Lucia."
Passengers flying out of MIA Monday saw large crowds, but it's expected to pick up even more Tuesday and Wednesday.
In fact those CBS4's Tiani Jones spoke with didn't think the crowds were that bad.
"I believe it's calm compared to other times I've been here, especially during seasonal occasions," one traveler said.
Over at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood international Airport, there was even less of a crowd.
However, the airport expects to see a sharp increase the next five days. And like MIA they believe they'll see more travelers through their airport than last year.
There was concern over a planned strike of airport workers in Chicago O'Hare. However, if the strike goes as planned, it will begin November 29.
So far, the busiest days are expected to be November 26th to November 28th. That's when 133,000 people are projected to travel from MIA each day.
Another problem travelers may encounter before Thanksgiving: storms. The northeast is already seeing snow and storms are expected in parts of the mid-west and northwest.
For those traveling, take into account some tips that might help you travel without trouble.
- Arrive Early- Domestic travelers, arrive at the airport two hours before, Those traveling on an international flight should arrive about two and a half hours before.
- Opt For Airport Parking - Try the Dolphin or Flamingo garages for a maximum daily rate of $17.
- Valet Parking - If you're in a hurry, have someone else park your car for you by using the airport's valet service at Terminal D or Flamingo garage on the departure level. It costs $30 per day.
- Try The Metrorail - For $2.25 each way, you can go to and from MIA while skipping traffic. Overnight and long-term parking is available for up to 30 days at $4.50 per night at the Earlington Heights, Okeechobee and South Miami Metrorail stations.
- Try The Tri-Rail- The Tri-Rail links Miami, Ft. Lauderdale and West Palm Beach and it can also be used to get to and from MIA.
