When you first arrive at Miami International Airport (IATA: MIA) you wouldn’t necessarily think you entered American soil as airport staff mostly speak Spanish and the general crowd looks different from what you would consider “typical” Americans. Of course this is no coincidence since Miami has long been a gateway to South America for the West and a first port of call for South and Central Americans visiting North America. Further more it is no surprise that throughout Miami and its airport you can easily get by without speaking English at all.

America’s third largest airport in terms of International passengers does feel fairly big with its nine different terminals or concourses as they are called here. These alphabetically named areas, A to J, are physically connected, however, once you go through security you can mostly not move between them. My Avianca flight to Bogotá (see related post about Bogotá airport) departed from the J concourse. This is Miami airport’s newest terminal which opened on August 29, 2007 under Miami International Airport’s South Terminal Renovation Project.

Check out these things to do when your flight departs from the H or J concourse (these two are connected):

1. Get yourself (or treat your girlfriend) a 10 minute manicure for $15 between the H and J concourse
2. Get another one of these delicious Coronas at “Corona Express” next to gate J4
3. Change into something warmer at the fairly spacious toilets as the air conditioning is freezing throughout the terminal
4. Recharge your iPhone at one of the many power stations
5. Read the poetry written on the floor all along the J gates and accidentally pump into that beautiful, Colombian lady

Airport Name	Miami International Airport – Concourse J
Website	http://www.miami-airport.com
IATA Code	MIA
Design
Shopping
Toilets
Overall
	$99.00 (£62.30)
	$38.00 (£23.90)