Miami Airport

Avoid this airport at all costs. We arrived at gate D47. Two hours later we are running to catch a flight at gate D46. Although only in transit from Costa Rica to Toronto we had to clear customs and immigration. Those employees all need training by their human resources on personnel skills deportment and customer service. Each and every one of them was rude surly and a bully. I was one of thousands of people herded like cattle to customs and immigration. There was only one man to answer peoples questions and he was overly rude (probably because he was the only one doing his job and had thousands of people complaining to him). He reduced one senior citizen to tears when she just needed simple help. There was no one to help at the immigration machines when they didn't work or direct people to terminals so it was a mad house. I was told by two customs or immigration "officers" that it was "tough lady you have already missed your flight" (I run fast I didn't) when I asked to move forward in security because the line ups were ridiculous. The immigration and customs were passive aggressive and did not care about the people they were dealing with. The signage at the airport was adequate although the signage for the Sky Train leaves you wanting. At one point the directions to it (and gates D40-50) just disappear and you are left scratching your head. This was truly a nightmare and the worst airport I have been in (and I have been in a number of West African airports!)

Simply the worst airport in North America possibly the developed world. Do everything you possibly can not to arrive here from overseas. It is the most poorly managed badly staffed and unpleasant airport. I dread passing through it. It's a disgrace and an embarrassment to the USA Florida and in particular whoever is responsible for its maladministration and mismanagement.

Absolute chaos! We transited Miami on the way from UK to Costa Rica and return and will never go near this place again! With a transit time of 4 hours on the way out we made the plane with 1/2 hr to spare on the way back with only 2 hours we missed the connection. On both occasions we spent most of the time standing in security queues shuffling backwards and forwards being shouted at by totally unfriendly staff who all seemed to contradict each other. On the way back we had been told by American Airlines that our luggage was checked through to Heathrow - at Miami we were told by security we needed to collect it and that American had lied to us. They hadn't of course. After 2 very stressful hours and despite running round the airport we missed the flight and I can only be very grateful to the very kind and helpful American Airline staff who got us on the next flight - where we found our luggage had arrived before us on the earlier flight! So much for security! Heathrow seemed a haven of calm after Miami!

This is by far the worst airport I have ever had the mis-fortune to transit. Huge amount of walking through immigration. Rude and obnoxious staff who seem to think it is acceptable to shout at passengers. 2.5 hours to clear immigration on transit to Costa Rica and then on the way back from Panama we were subjected to more of the same which resulted in us missing our flight. I will never travel through Miami again. I suggest Tour companies do their homework on the transit times between flights before they subject their clients to this airport.

Prepare yourself for rude arrogant and authoritarian immigration and customs officers. Being shouted at is a norm here. So are very lengthy queues. This is by far the worst airport I have been to in my 25 years of travelling to over 70 countries. If you transit from a domestic flight to an international or national one it is smooth and you go straight to boarding areas. The nightmare is when you come from an international flight going to a domestic or international one as you have to clear customs and immigration and you will need to collect your bags. My experience is that the process from disembarking and getting to departure area can take up to 3 hours. You might be lucky if you do the process after 9 am and before 3 pm or after 9 pm. America is such a technologically advanced country in many ways but they cannot run an airport or at least afford people a humane and decent treatment at Miami airport.

On 1/17/15 we arrived at MIA on our return from a cruise. Be advised the walk from the jetway to and through the immigration customs and TSA processes are exceptionally long. The whole process took 2 hours longer than we have experienced at any other destination or return airport. I would estimate our walk approached 1-1/2 miles total. There is no provision to assist those who cannot walk such a distance except for an occasional moving walkway. However there are a couple of restrooms along the way for those in need. We will avoid being on another international flight ending at this airport. One inside the terminal you'll find numerous eating options but restrooms that are few and far between.

An average airport in most respects - TSA officers no better but no worse than most. If one is flying American one can count on a fair hike from security to most gates. Their terminal is certainly attractive however and pleasant. Baggage is a little slow to arrive but not bad. What makes MIA a dreadful airport is the rental car situation. You will walk for about 1 mile to get to the rental car center if you arrive on American don't know about the hike using other airlines. If you are alone and toting the usual amount of luggage you arrive at the counter exhausted. Be very cautious in leaving the airport - there is essentially no signage - I have arrived here and rented several times in recent years and still managed to get lost leaving the airport. A GPS is an absolute must here. Rental return is a bit better the hike to check-in is shorter than from baggage claim but still far too long. Fort Lauderdale's car rental situation is far from ideal but modestly better making it the better choice if one has the option.

We arrived in MIA terminal D in the afternoon on December 28 and after reading reviews on this website we were prepared for a long wait for immigration. Our flight was 40 minutes early always nice when that happens. The queue for the automated passport control was kind of long but airport officials told us to skip that step and go directly to immigration as there was no queue there. And there was no queue! We met a very polite and welcoming immigration officer that checked our ESTA's and asked us a few questions we passed through immigration in just a few minutes. We had about 15 minutes wait for our bags to be delivered and maybe 10 persons in front of us in line for the customs control allowing us to pass customs in only a few minutes. In all a very positive experience.

I stopped at Miami on my trip back home from GUA to EWR on New Year's Eve (12/31/2014). Despite visiting this Airport on that same trip seven years ago it is still a horrible airport. The lines for Customs and Immigration thanks for the fact that they installed the new Automated Passport Control Kiosks are worse than I thought it could be. Every US Citizen (Including Green Card Holders and Visa-Waver visitors with a valid ESTA) is required to use them. Getting my bags was a bit faster than before but since Miami was not my final destination security was also worse as it took forever they started using the Millimeter body scanners and stop the use on the regular metal detectors. I was lucky though because I was selected for TSA Pre-Check on my return segment and Pre-Check Screening went very quickly. The Food selection and shops is okay but I don't like the Paid WiFi in Miami and other things. Even though its okay in facilities its still not okay towards long lines no free WiFi and other things including making some of the facilities clean enough.

Reasonable airport. Clean decent facilities lines depend on airline and timing and range from good to awful. Staff generally abrupt.