After reporting its best first quarter passenger result since 2012, Miami International Airport’s management is predicting more of the same, as total passenger traffic in quarter two rose by 5.79% to a total of 21.9m.

 

Miami-Dade Aviation Department reports that this was an increase equivalent to 1.2m more passengers compared to the corresponding period in 2014.

 

Not surprisingly, domestic passenger numbers showed the fastest growth during the first half, up 7.23% to 11.5m, while the number of international passengers also grew respectably by 4.25% to 10.4m.

 

The airport added a number of new flights and destinations during the second quarter that helped stimulate passenger numbers, as Miami’s hub carrier American Airlines introduced daily services to Frankfurt, Barranquilla, Colombia and Monterrey.

 

Thomas Cook Airlines also launched its debut Miami-Manchester service in the second quarter, while XL Airways France renewed its Miami-Paris service back for the third year in a row.

 

MORE NEW ROUTES TO BE ANNOUNCED

Airport management added that MIA’s route expansion will also benefit this year from the expanded seasonal Miami-Helsinki service on Finnair; five weekly flights to Vienna with Austrian Airlines and a new daily Miami-Istanbul service from Turkish Airlines.

 

Miami-Dade Aviation Director Emilio T. González commented: “We’re thrilled with our performance at the halfway point of 2015, and we intend to keep things going strong through the end of the year.

 

“MIA is now offering our valued customers more flights on more carriers to more destinations than ever before and that combination is helping us to move thousands of additional passengers through our gateway every day – and there’s more to come.”

 

Adding his comments, Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez congratulated Miami-Dade Aviation Department’s team: “MIA’s outstanding performance is welcome news for the thousands of local businesses and residents who directly and indirectly benefit from activity at our community’s top economic engine.”