Miami International Airport officials and government executives broke ground on MIA’s new Concourse K on June 24, the airport’s first expansion in more than 20 years.
Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, in collaboration with the Board of County Commissioners and Miami International Airport Director and CEO Ralph Cutié, led the historic celebration.
The new concourse will be a 300,000-square-foot expansion that will add six new passenger gates and boarding areas for domestic and international flights, post-security concessions offering more dining and shopping options for travelers, and a new passenger lounge. The future three-level concourse, MIA’s first terminal expansion since 2012, is slated for completion in 2029.
With a total investment of $600.6 million, the Concourse K expansion will also include a new two-level ground support equipment maintenance facility, an enhanced baggage handling system, and critical upgrades to airfield infrastructure. Concourse K’s design incorporates the highest levels of sustainable construction practices as well, earning LEED Silver certification and Envision verification.
“Today’s groundbreaking was a giant step in MIA’s $9 billion modernization plan, which will completely transform our community’s gateway to the world over the next six years. As the first major terminal expansion at MIA in nearly 20 years, Concourse K marks a historic milestone in our efforts to create a more modern, efficient, and passenger-friendly airport,” commented Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava.
“With this expansion, the new Ibis Garage opening this winter, a total makeover of Central Terminal, and other customer service enhancements coming soon to every touchpoint in the passenger journey, the travel experience at MIA is being elevated to new heights…,” she added.
The project has received $91.2 million in grants from the Federal Aviation Administration and $30.1 million in grants from the Florida Department of Transportation. The project’s remaining budget will be financed by MIA revenue bonds paid for by airline fees and non-aeronautical concession revenue, at no cost to local taxpayers.
Miami International Airport is the busiest airport for international freight and the second busiest for international passengers in the United States, and offers more flights to Latin America and the Caribbean than any other U.S. airport.
