Miami, officially the City of Miami, is located at the southern tip of the Florida Peninsula on a broad plain between the Everglades to the west and Biscayne Bay to the east, which extends from Lake Okeechobee southward to Florida Bay.
The city lies on the shores of Biscayne Bay, which comprises several hundred natural and artificial barrier islands, including Miami Beach and South Beach.
The most convenient route to Miami Beach is by air to Miami International Airport (MIA), also known simply as MIA, located 14km (9mi) northwest of downtown metropolitan Miami.
Alternatively, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL), located nearby in Broward County 5km (3mi) southwest of downtown Fort Lauderdale, and 34km (21mi) north of Miami offers numerous international and domestic flights.
Miami Beach is the largest of a series of flat barrier islands separating the Atlantic Ocean from Biscayne Bay and the city of Miami, which lies to the west. To the south lies the Florida Keys.
Long considered the gateway to Latin America, the Port of Miami is the largest cruise port in the world and the starting point for cruising adventures to the Caribbean and South and Central America.
The following are the most convenient and quickest routes to Miami International Airport (MIA), Miami.
Within United States: American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, JetBlue Airways and Delta Air Lines operate the most convenient daily flights to Miami.
Atlanta to Miami is 2 hrs 13 min, direct flight
Boston to Miami is 1 hr 7 min, direct flight
Chicago to Miami is 2 hrs 16 min, direct flight
Dallas-Fort Worth to Miami is 3 hrs 45 min, direct flight
New York to Miami is 2 hrs 16 min, direct flight
Los Angeles to Miami is 5 hrs 20 min, direct flight
San Francisco to Miami is 5 hr 31 min, direct flight
From Canada: American Airlines and Delta Air Lines offer the most convenient daily flights to Miami.
Toronto to Miami is 1 hr 42 min, direct flight
Montreal to Miami is 1 hr 42 min, direct flight
Vancouver to Miami is 5 hrs 5 min, direct flight
From United Kingdom: British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, American Airlines and Delta Air Lines offer the most convenient daily flights to Miami.
London to Miami is 7 hrs 40 min, direct flight
Manchster to Miami is 7 hrs 20 min, direct flight
From Ireland: Aer Lingus offers the most convenient flights to Miami.
Dublin to Miami is 9 hrs 15 min, direct flight
From France: Air France, American Airlines and Delta Air Lines offer the most convenient flights to Miami.
Paris to Miami is 8 hrs 15 min, direct flight
From Germany: Lufthansa, British Airways and Eurowings offer the most convenient flights to Miami.
Dusseldorf to Miami is 10 hrs 25 min, direct flight
Frankfurt to Miami is 11 hrs 10 min, direct flight
Munich to Miami is 11 hrs 5 min, direct flight
Berlin to Miami is 12 hrs 35 min, connecting flightˆ
Hamburg to Miami is 12 hrs 55 min, connecting flightˆ
From Australia: Qantas, Virgin Australia, Alaska Airlines and Delta Air Lines offer the most convenient daily flights to Miami.
Adelaide to Miami is 23 hrs, connecting flightˆ
Brisbane to Miami is 19 hrs 20 min, connecting flightˆ
Sydney to Miami is 20 hrs 5 min, connecting flightˆ
Melbourne to Miami is 20 hrs 59 min, connecting flightˆ
Perth to Miami is 25 hrs, 5 min, with connecting flightˆ
From New Zealand: Air New Zealand, Jetblue Airways and Delta Air Lines offers the most convenient daily flights to Miami.
Auckland to Miami is 18 hrs 30 min, connecting flightˆ
From Singapore: Singapore Airlines and Japan Airlines offer the most convenient flights to Miami.
Singapore to Miami is 20 hrs 55 min, connecting flightˆ
(ˆincludes transfer time.)
Miami International Airport (MIA), is located 14km (9mi) from downtown Miami and around 16km (10mi) from Miami Beach.
Taxi: Taxis are available at ranks outside baggage reclaim. The fare to central Miami is around US$22, or around US$24 to the cruise ship terminal.
Shuttle: SuperShuttle (tel: +1 800 258 3826; www.supershuttle.com) and American Shuttle (tel: +1 305 871 1000; www.americanshuttle.com) buses can be found on the ground level, outside the baggage reclaim areas.
These connect to numerous destinations in and around Miami, with the fare to central Miami around US$15.
Note: hotel shuttles depart from the upper level.
Bus: Metrobus (tel: +1 305 891 3131; www.miamidade.gov/transit) services all areas of Miami-Dade County. Bus 133 leaves from the bus station on level 1 of concourse E, while Metrobus routes 7, 37, 42, 57, J (110), 238 and 297 operate from the Metrorail station, which is accessible via the people mover shuttle train.
The Airport Flyer (bus 150) connects the Metrorail station to Miami Beach (stopping at 41st Street and Alton Road), then continues along Collins Avenue to 16th Street, taking around 20-30 minutes, with a fare of US$2.65.
Rail: Metrobus bus 133 provides a shuttle connection to the Tri-Rail (tel: +1 305 891 3131; www.miamidade.gov/transit) commuter train system, which has connections to Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties. Services are free for valid air ticket holders.
Metro: The airport's MIA Metrorail Station (tel: +1 305 891 3131; www.miamidade.gov/transit) – connected to the terminal by the MIA Mover (a driverless tram) – operates services to central Miami on the Orange Line, taking around 10-15 minutes, with a fare of US$2.25.
Care hire companies at Miami International Airport include Advantage, Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National, Payless, Thrifty and Sixt, plus local agencies.
All car hire companies are housed in the Rental Car Centre, located 1.6 km (1mi) east of Miami International Airport – reachable via the people mover shuttle train.
Money: ATMs and Bureaux de Change are located in all terminals. A full-service bank is situated on level 4 of the North Terminal.
Food: The large choice of dining options include 24-hour snack bars, cocktail lounges, restaurants and cafés.
Shopping: A wide range of shops at Miami International Airport include fashion boutiques, newsagents and gift shops. Duty-free shopping for international passengers is offered in each terminal.
Wi-Fi: Data port connections and Wi-Fi access are available throughout Miami International Airport for a fee. However, access to designated airline, hotel, car hire and tourist information websites is available free of charge. Postal services are offered on-site.
Other: Other facilities at Miami International Airport include a full-service medical centre, pharmacies, an art gallery, a hairdresser's, shoeshine booths and a chapel.
Facilities for disabled visitors include lifts and ramps, wheelchair-accessible toilet cubicles, moving walkways and TDD telephones for the hearing-impaired.
Wheelchairs are available through individual airlines upon request, and wheelchair-accessible shuttle transport can be booked through American Shuttle (tel: +1 305 871 1000; www.americanshuttle.com).
Designated disabled-permit parking is located on level 3 of the Flamingo and Dolphin multistorey car parks, near the moving walkways.
A machine-readable passport valid for at least six months beyond intended period of stay as well as a ticket for return or onward travel. Under the Visa Waiver Programme (VWP), nationals of Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and the United Kingdom do not need a visa for stays up to 90 days.
Hiring a car is the best way to get around greater Miami. Taxis and ride-sharing services such as Lyft or Uber are also great for getting around if you don't want to drive.
Miami-Dade Transit (www.miamidade.gov) provides useful public transport options, including Metrorail, Metrobus and Metromover.
The Metrorail, a high-speed commuter train operates between downtown Miami and the southern suburbs. Buses are also available, although slow for long journeys.
Bike-sharing networks in both Miami and Miami Beach are a good alternative to walking or taking a taxi.
More about how to get around Miami…
Latest update: How to get to Miami: 12 May, 2022
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