Traveling through Miami International Airport (MIA) Concourse D will be getting easier as of today. After being down for maintenance for roughly six months, the Skytrain that links the different parts of the terminal is finally reopening.
In this post:
Miami Airport Concourse D Skytrain operational again
As of today (March 29, 2024), the Miami Airport Skytrain is starting the process of resuming service, after a closure of over six months.
With this update, three of the four Skytrain stations are reopening, with the fourth station expected to reopen in early summer. Specifically, stations two, three, and four have reopened (covering gates D20 to D60), while station one is still waiting to reopen (near gate D16). Until station one reopens, a courtesy shuttle will still be offered between stations one and two.
For some background, the Miami Airport Skytrain was temporarily decommissioned on September 15, 2023, after regulatory inspections revealed structural concerns near station one. $4.2 million later, stations two, three, and four, are at least ready to resume service.
The CEO of Miami Airport and the Mayor of Miami-Dade even made an enthusiastic video about the reopening of the Skytrain in high visibility vests, which sure makes this seem… exciting.
This was a major challenge for travelers
Miami Concourse D is used exclusively by American Airlines, and the concourse is really long and narrow. The fact that the Skytrain wasn’t working for over six months presented a major challenge for travelers with mobility limitations, given the amount of distance that had to be covered.
Sure, there was a courtesy shuttle, but that wasn’t exactly efficient or readily available, and for that matter, many people didn’t even know about it.
Miami Airport is my home airport, and Concourse D is where I typically fly out of. So I’m curious how my patterns compare to those of others — am I the only one who never voluntarily uses the Skytrain when traveling solo? Based on my walking pace, it’s at absolute most 15 minutes from the security checkpoint to the far end of the concourse (around gate D60).
I find it easier to just briskly walk that, rather than getting to the Skytrain station, going up an escalator, waiting on the Skytrain, taking the Skytrain ride, going down the escalator, and then getting to the gate. At most I’d maybe save a couple of minutes, and I always favor getting extra steps rather than standing around, if given the option.
Of course the Skytrain is important for those with limited mobility, families with small children, etc. But I tend to think that people overuse it, simply because the signs in the terminal encourage people to use the train if they’re going to certain gates.
I guess I feel the same way about visiting Miami Airport as this guy feels about traveling to Europe…
Bottom line
The Miami Airport Skytrain is resuming operations. After a closure of over six months, three of the four Skytrain stations have opened, with the last station expected to open in early summer. This will make the experience a lot easier for travelers through the airport.
Under what circumstances you do you use the Miami Airport Skytrain?
I disagree with the idea that its not needed, or only for those with limited mobility. Its also quite convenient when you have limited time. sure if you're going directly from TSA to your gate its probably not a big deal but if you're flying into MIA, want to say use the Centurion lounge and your arrival gate (and next departure gate) are both no where near D14 the walk to/fro adds up, especially with carryon luggage in tow.
MIA. Because someone has to make LAX look good.
Congratulations to the Miami city council for keeping their city's airport world class, and enriching their pockets with another profitable million dollar expenditure!
I hope you are being sarcastic suggesting Miami is a "world class" airport. It is an awful airport.
I think that was implied when I congratulated the city council for being corrupt.
Way to report and acknowledge that people with mobility issues suffer and then virtue signal that you’re too fit to ever use it. Ugly.
Lucky: I like walking
Matt: Lucky is literally the devil
I use it when I would need to go from station 1 or 2 to 4 with a 45 minute or less connection to Eagle. I have been through MIA more often than usual in the last 6 months and have never once seen this "courtesy shuttle." Lots of signs, people waiting, but never any actual shuttle.
Agree. I think I only saw it once.
They should just keep it shut down. We need anything to get the fatties burning some calories.
Fat people can lose weight but you'll always be an asshole.
The MIA airport is just a disaster. Half the moving sidewalks never work. It's a forever hike to get to the 3 minute shuttle to Rental Car/Miami Dade Public Transportation. Long lines to pay for the garage.
I moved to Miami in 2013 it is sad to see the deterioration of MIA over the past 10+ years. It you really want to see disaster, go over to the Transportation Center where the Metrorail and Metrobus stop. The stairs are closed off and the one elevator that works is filthy and smells like urine...
One could make a joke referencing certain stereotypes vis-a-vis walking speed :P
In all seriousity, at least there is an alternative, even if it's a long walk. Contrast with, say, Denver, where the "plane train" is the one and only way to get to the B and C concourses.
Tim Dunnnnn: "there would be no maintenance issues if Delta ran SkyTrain"
I used the Skytrain most of the time when I flew out of MIA, mostly because I would spend too much time in the lounge so I had to take the Skytrain to make it to my gate on time.
I liked to walk to my gate whenever I could though, mostly because I liked seeing all of the destinations listed at each gate. But I also liked taking the Skytrain to see the planes...
I used the Skytrain most of the time when I flew out of MIA, mostly because I would spend too much time in the lounge so I had to take the Skytrain to make it to my gate on time.
I liked to walk to my gate whenever I could though, mostly because I liked seeing all of the destinations listed at each gate. But I also liked taking the Skytrain to see the planes from above. Thats also why I love taking the DFW SkyLink train.
But I see value in the MIA SkyTrain. I would often take the metro to MIA from my apartment in Brickell. So I'd be on my feet from my apartment to the Metrorail station, then from the Airport station to the terminal, through security, etc. Sometimes that would make my legs tired, so I'd like taking the skytrain then. I've also been told by almost everyone around me that I have really good walking stamina, so while the walk might not bother me, the walk may bother others.