History of Miami International Airport
Historical records of passengers to the Miami International
Airport, which closed in 2013
with the incredible milestone of 40 million travelers
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MIA
is currently the second busiest international gateway
in the United States. In 2012 Miami International
Airport handled 39.4-million passengers and 391,195
takeoffs and landings. Has six concourses with over
130 gates. Forty-two scheduled passenger carriers
serve the airport (as of 2013) with flights to over
133 global destinations. American Airlines and its
subsidiary (American Eagle) are the busiest operators
with more than 328 daily flights to 114 worldwide
destinations. More than 27.6-million American Airlines
passengers passed thru the MIA hub in 2012 making
it the busiest international gateway in the system.
Domestic and international airfreight carriers transported
2 million tons of cargo (during 2012) making MIA the
third busiest freight terminal in the United States.
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In
1927 executives at Pan American Airways decided to move their
company’s base of operations from Key West to Miami.
They purchased 116 acres along NW 36th Street (south of Miami
Springs) from the Seminole Fruit and Land Company for the
purpose of building an airport. When completed in 1928 the
airfield boasted a passenger terminal, two hard surfaced runways
and two hangars. The $50,000 terminal building (designed by
the New York architectural firm of Delano and Aldrich) was
the first passenger facility of its type to become operational
in the United States. The two-story reinforced-concrete structure
had numerous large windows and a spacious nautical-themed
interior with a high-dome ceiling. All passenger-related functions
and amenities were contained within the lower level. Offices
and a balcony with an excellent view of the airfield were
situated above.
Scheduled services began on September 15, 1928 when Captain
Edwin Musick piloted a Sikorsky-38 on the inaugural flight to
Havana via Key West. Charles Lindbergh attended the official
dedication ceremony that was held on January 9, 1929. Later
that day he flew a Sikorsky S-38 on the inaugural flight to
San Juan. Pan American Field handled 8,600 passengers and 20
tons of freight during its first year of operation. In 1930
Pan American embarked in a fleet conversion program with the
objective of becoming an all flying boat airline. By January
1932 the carrier had completed the transition and was operating
solely from the newly acquired Dinner Key Seaplane Terminal.
Pan American Field continued to remain active as a maintenance
base for the Sikorsky S-38 fleet. During the mid 1930s the facility
became known as the 36th Street Airport when other carriers
relocated there from the old Miami Municipal Airport. Eastern
Airlines commenced scheduled service in 1934 with direct flights
to Atlanta and New York. National Airlines followed in 1936
with direct flights to St Petersburg.
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Miami
International Airport handled 1.4-million passengers
and an average of 900 daily flights in 1950. During
this period Eastern Airlines moved into a temporary
shed-like terminal, which was later expanded with the
addition of a two-story concrete building and two concourses.
Congestion soon became a serious problem at both terminals
and planning began on a large mid-field facility to
be built between the airport’s main runways. In
1955 $21-million in revenue bonds were issued to finance
the construction of the new terminal complex and other
related improvements. Eastern, National Airlines and
Pan American would become MIA’s predominant carriers
over the following decades developing significant route
networks from Miami. Eastern Airlines dominated the
market east of the Mississippi River and offered frequent
flights to the Caribbean. National Airlines become a
major player along the East Coast and later the Sunbelt.
Pan American was the principal international carrier
with plenty of flights to the Caribbean and South America.
Each of these carriers would in time construct huge
maintenance bases and office buildings at MIA.
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In
1948 the name Miami International Airport was adopted. The Port
Authority acquired the adjacent Miami Army Airport and the 262-acre
Davis tract was purchased with $1-million worth of federal aid.
The following year the Seaboard Railroad tracks and yards bisecting
the airport were removed at a total cost of $3-million. By 1951
the airfield had grown to cover 2,878 acres as a result of additional
land purchases and annexations. The Air Force set up a base
on the west side of the airfield in 1949. This facility became
the home of a search-rescue squadron and several reserve troop
transports. In 1959 the operation was closed when the aircraft
were relocated to the Homestead Air Force Base.
Throughout the 1950s the Civil Aeronautics Board generously
awarded new route certificates to several carriers allowing
them to establish service. Braniff International Airways began
scheduled service in 1951 with flights to Panama. Northeast
Airlines commenced scheduled service on January 9, 1957 with
flights to Boston via New York. Capital Airlines initiated scheduled
service on December 14, 1958 with flights to Buffalo, Cleveland,
Pittsburgh and Rochester. Trans World Airlines launched scheduled
service on January 12, 1959 with flights to St Louis. Northwest
Airlines started scheduled service on September 27th with flights
to Minneapolis/St Paul via Chicago. In 1954 a gigantic $5-million
maintenance hangar was completed (by Bethlehem Steel) for Eastern
Airlines. The 448,748 square-foot building had a T-shaped configuration
and could simultaneously service fourteen Lockheed Super Constellation
airliners in open-air service bays. Two additional airliners
could be accommodated within an adjacent totally enclosed hangar.
Offices, overhaul shops, stock rooms and a warehouse were among
the hangar’s many outstanding features.
National
Airlines moved into a beautiful MiMo-style base on the east
side of Miami International Airport during 1957. A unique cantilever-type
hangar capable of servicing six Douglas DC-8 jetliners became
operational in May. Two months later 600 employees moved into
a nearby 88,000 square-foot executive office building. National
Airlines operated the first domestic turbojet flight on December
10, 1958 when it placed a Boeing 707 (leased from Pan American)
on the Miami-New York run. On January 25, 1959 Eastern Airlines
followed by operating the world’s first Lockheed L-188
Electra flight on the same route. The 20th Street Terminal was
officially dedicated on February 1, 1959. At the time the MiMo-style
building was the largest passenger terminal in the world. The
Centralized-type facility consisted of a horseshoe-shaped central
core, an administration building, a two-level roadway, five
concourses and a post office. The following year a 270-room
soundproof hotel with a rooftop restaurant welcomed travelers.
Construction work continued until the completion of a parking
deck and Jet-Age concourse in 1961.
Thirty-two scheduled
airlines and 67 non-scheduled carriers served Miami
International Airport in 1960 transporting 4.2-million
passengers. On June 11, 1961 National Airlines inaugurated
turbine-powered flights to Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles,
New Orleans, San Diego and San Francisco. United began
scheduled service on July 1st as a result of its merger
with Capital Airlines. In 1960 $19-million in Revenue
Bonds were issued for the completion of various construction
projects. During that year Delta Airlines moved into
an open-air hangar adjacent to the 20th Street Terminal.
Runway 09L-27R (currently 08R-26L) was lengthened to
10,500 feet in 1961 allowing transcontinental jet service.
On January 23, 1963 the $17,250,000 Eastern Airlines
jet-maintenance base became operational and was the
largest of its type in the world. Several months later
runway 09R-27L (currently 09-27) was lengthened from
8,400 to 9,400 feet and the Pan American Administration
Building (a replica of the United States Embassy in
New Delhi) was completed at the site of the old 36th
Street Terminal.
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Delta’s
first Convair 880 set a transcontinental speed record of three
hours and thirty-one minutes on February 10, 1960 while flying
between San Diego and Miami on a delivery flight. On February
1, 1964 Eastern Airlines operated the world’s first Boeing
727 flight on the Philadelphia-Washington DC-Miami route. Eastern,
National Airlines and Pan American introduced wide-body Jumbo-Jet
service during the early 1970s. National Airlines inaugurated
Boeing 747 flights on October 2, 1970 and McDonnell Douglas
DC-10 service on December 15, 1971. Eastern Airlines operated
the world’s first Lockheed L-1011 flight between Miami
and New York on August 26, 1972. In order to accommodate the
larger aircraft new facilities were constructed. Eastern Airlines
built a hangar to service its Lockheed L-1011 fleet and expanded
its terminal facilities. In 1974 the National Airlines Maintenance/Administration
Building (now American Airlines Hangar) become operational.
The $24-million facility could simultaneously service three
McDonnell Douglas DC-10 jetliners. In 1977 the International-Satellite
Terminal was opened to scheduled airline service and runway
09R-27L was lengthened to 13,000 feet. The 1970s marked a period
of tremendous growth in passenger traffic. Twelve million passengers
and 750,000 tons of freight passed through Miami International
Airport in 1975.
Several operators were awarded routes to MIA during the decade.
Air Florida began scheduled service on September 28, 1972 with
flights to St Petersburg. Southern Airlines commenced scheduled
service in 1974 with flights to Grand Cayman and Orlando. Western
Airlines initiated scheduled service on October 1, 1976 with
McDonnell Douglas DC-10 flights to Los Angeles. Continental
and Piedmont Airlines launched scheduled service in 1977. Deregulation
allowed regional carriers like North Central and Ozark Airlines
to start scheduled service in 1978. American Airlines followed
on January 29, 1979 with service to Dallas/Ft Worth and San
Juan. National Airlines was awarded several trans Atlantic routes
to Europe during the 1970s. Scheduled flights to London were
started on June 15, 1970 using Douglas DC-8 jetliners. On June
22, 1977 flights to Paris were established employing McDonnell
Douglas DC-10 airliners. Amsterdam and Frankfurt were added
to the route map on May 1, 1978. On December 13, 1977 Eastern
Airlines introduced the Airbus A-300 to South Florida travelers
on the Miami-New York route.
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In 1980
a Westinghouse People Mover System commenced transporting
passengers between the International Satellite and 20th
Street Terminal. Several years later Concourse B (Eastern)
was doubled in size and connected to a new federal inspection
center. Concourses D (Eastern) and E (Pan Am) were completely
rebuilt. Concourse F was expanded to house Pan American’s
busy international hub. Pedestrian bridges equipped
with moving walkways were constructed linking the 20th
Street Terminal’s concourses and parking garages.
Runway 12-30 was completely rebuilt and a tunnel (connecting
the passenger and cargo terminals) was constructed underneath.
In August 1985 Miami International Airport’s ninth
ATC-Tower become operational. British Airways inaugurated
supersonic Concorde flights between Miami and London
on March 27, 1984. British Airways along with several
international carriers moved into the first phase of
the newly completed Concourse A in June 1995. The 305,000
square-foot ($110-million) concourse was initially opened
with 10 gates. A 242,000 square-foot ($87-million) expansion
became operational in December 1999 increasing the number
of gates to twenty.
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In
April 2000 construction started on American Airlines North Terminal
with the expansion of Concourse D. Since its inception the $3-billion
project was weighed down by cost overruns and slowly moved forward
in a piecemeal manner. Concourse B was demolished in 2006 followed
by Concourse C three years later to make way for new construction
between Concourses A and D. During the winter of 2009 American
Airlines relocated its landside operation into a newly completed
section of the facility. The new passenger service area encompasses
290,000-square feet containing 58 ticket counters and 66 self-service
check-in kiosks.
When
completed in March 2013 the 3.2 million square-foot linear complex
boasted a rooftop people-mover system with four stations, a
federal inspection center, 48 international-capable gates and
two ramp-level commuter gates. The automated people-mover system
(completed in September 2010) has the capability to transport
9,000 passengers per hour and a single train can traverse the
mile-long terminal in three minutes. The new federal inspection
center contains 72 check lanes and is able to process 3,600
passengers per hour. A dedicated automated baggage-handling
system has over 9 miles of conveyors with a capacity to handle
8,400 bags per hour. Amenities for patrons include 166,922-square
feet of concession space that include 118 shops and restaurants.
The Federal Aviation Administration activated the current 333-foot
($24.9-million) ATC-Tower in December 2002. On August 29, 2003
runway 08L-26R was opened to airfield operations. The 8,600-foot
($161-million) runway increased airport capacity by 25%. Three
years later the old ATC-Tower was demolished. On August 29,
2007 the South Terminal opened to scheduled airline service.
The complex was comprised of a new 1.7-million square-foot five-story
building, an adjoining Concourse J and the existing Concourse
H. The new facility boasts a total of 28 gates accessed by means
of three security checkpoints. Its federal inspection center
has the capacity to process 2,000 passengers per hour. Housed
within the building are 60,000-square feet of concession space
that include 61 shops and restaurants. Delta Airlines was the
first carrier to move into the new terminal. Air France operated
the first international flight on September 14th. Ten days later
a LAN Airlines flight was the first to use Concourse J. Nineteen
airlines (mostly Sky Team and Star Alliance carriers) have subsequently
moved into the facility.
Lufthansa Airlines (which commenced scheduled service in 1981)
launched Airbus A-380 service between Miami and Frankfurt on
June 10, 2011. A restored American Douglas DC-3 and an Eastern
Airlines DC-7 were on hand for the inaugural festivities at
MIA’s South Terminal. Hundreds of spectators flocked to
the airfield’s southern perimeter to see the world’s
largest airliner. A $270-million automated people mover system
began transporting travelers between the 20th Street Terminal
and the consolidated Car Rental Center on September 09, 2011.
The system utilizes eight Mitsubishi shuttles that cruise along
two 1.25 mile-long elevated roadways at 40 mph. The shuttles
have rated capacity of 3,250 passengers per hour. The Car Rental
Center (situated east of the terminal) opened on July 13, 2010.
It houses 16 rental-car companies within four levels and can
accommodate 6,500 automobiles. MIA is currently the second busiest
international gateway in the United States. In 2012 Miami
International Airport handled 39.4-million passengers and 391,195
takeoffs and landings. |