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City Guide - Miami - Air | ||
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Air Miami International Airport (MIA) Tel: (305) 876 7000. Fax: (305) 876 7398. Web site: www.miami-airport.com Miami International Airport is regarded as the 'Hub of the Americas', the primary connecting point for air travel between the Americas and the Caribbean and a major gateway to Europe. It has the third highest international passenger traffic in the USA and is number one in the world for international freight trade. There are approximately 1500 flights a day, to over 200 destinations on four continents, operated by almost 100 scheduled airlines and 40 non-scheduled airlines - more airlines than any airport in the Western Hemisphere. The airport is 11km (seven miles) northwest of the city. Major airlines: Airlines serving the airport include Air Canada, Air France, Air Jamaica, American Airlines, British Airways, Continental, Delta, Lufthansa, Northwest, TWA, United, US Airways and Virgin Atlantic. Approximate flight times to Miami: From London is 8 hours 30 minutes; from New York is 3 hours; from Los Angeles is 5 hours; from Toronto is 3 hours 45 minutes and from Sydney is 18 hours. Airport facilities: There are plenty of restaurants, cafés, snack bars, gift and duty-free shops, newspaper stands, foreign currency exchange booths, two 24-hour pharmacies, a post office, a unisex hair styling salon and even a shoeshine stand. Car hire firms include Alamo, Avis, Budget and Hertz. There are five Tourist Information Centers (the main one, at level 2 of Concourse E, is open 24 hours), a full-service bank and several ATMs. Business facilities: The Miami International Airport Hotel (tel: (305) 871 4100) offers conference suites, boardrooms and other meeting facilities, with catering service available. Many airlines (including American Airlines, Delta and United) belong to the airline VIP club, enabling their business-class passengers to access executive lounges. Arrival/departure tax: US$45-60, depending on airline and destination. Transport to the city: Public transportation from the airport to Miami is complicated. There is a 24-hour shuttle bus that connects with the Tri-Rail station, from which trains run along the coast as far as Palm Beach. To reach downtown Miami, passengers must transfer from the Tri-Rail to the Metrorail. Alternatively, Metrobus number 7 leaves from the lower level of Concourse E every 40 minutes 0600-2400 (journey time - 35 minutes), going to the Government Center in downtown Miami and the main bus terminal. 'J' shuttle bus also departs from here to Miami Beach, every thirty minutes 0600-2400 (approximate journey time - one hour). Some hotels provide a free minibus or limousine service. Taxis charge flat fares from the airport to most tourist destinations (Port of Miami US$18, Miami Beach US$24, Key Biscayne US$31) and take about 20 minutes to downtown Miami. |