Miami Airport

Arrival - marathon trek to passport control then wait in line for 2 hours - approx half the booths manned. Immigration officer very polite and friendly when it was eventually our turn. Departure - satisfactory.

I flew through Miami airport and was expecting the worst after being horrified by the reviews here. I was even fearful that the 4 hrs between my flights would not be enough! However my experience was superb. I flew into Miami from an international destination mid afternoon and was pleasantly surprised with a wait of some 20 minutes at the immigration line - and this taking into account I was unfortunate because the immigration officer took a short break after dealing with the passenger just ahead of me. He even apologised when he returned! There were long lines at the exit from the baggage claim area but officials quickly stepped in to redirect passengers to another line. I needed to clear security to transfer to a domestic flight but the lines moved briskly and I was waiting for my next flight within an hour of getting off the international flight. Much less painful than I had expected. One drawback is the lack of seats at the gates. Quite a few of the passengers could not find a place to sit while waiting for the gate to open.

Just to balance the record a little I had two problem-free journeys through MIA last month. Arriving on Thanksgiving Day from Heathrow with Virgin I expected a long wait at immigration (lower staffing because of the US holiday but international arrivals as normal) in fact all was fine - just a 10-minute wait (even after being one of the last to get off the aircraft) and courteous treatment by the officer. The return journey a week later was satisfactory as well there is some impressive new investment in the combined car rental facility and connecting shuttle train. Overall a far better experience than I had feared.

My wife and I travelled through Miami airport from London Gatwick and then on to Cancun Mexico. I was absolutely appalled at the way we were spoken to and treated in this airport. Staff and employees are a disgrace to the good name of Americans. I understand they have an important job to do but I have never met such ignorant human beings. You can't do anything but agree with them and nod your head and be civil to them. I will be mailing the airport to lodge my complaint but like everything else I know it will fall on deaf ears.

Flew into MIA today from Las Vegas. I'd previously sworn never to use this airport again after a nightmare transfer a few years ago. However I wanted to see the city and thought maybe it wouldn't be so bad if I was actually leaving the airport rather than just transferring. More so as it was a domestic flight so no immigration. WRONG!! The airport is poorly signed it is an incredibly long hike to baggage reclaim and by the time I got to the correct belt the carousel had stopped. On asking what had happened to the remaining baggage including mine a rude young lady merely said that it would be on the adjoining belt. I told her that I'd checked and the signs did not indicate the arriving flight from Las Vegas she told me to go to the baggage service desk which I had to find by myself. The staff there said that I should just go to my hotel and they would deliver my missing suitcase there. Not trusting MIA staff to do this I said I'd wait at the desk until they found it which they did surprisingly quickly. Two other passengers on my flight were at the desk with the same problem. The airport is poorly laid out long long walks past the gates to baggage reclaim rude uncaring staff and generally a total dump. The differences between MIA and McCarran Airport (Las Vegas) are stark McCarran being a very pleasant experience in contrast. MIA is by a mile the worst airport I've been to (and I've been to scores around the world). If you want to visit Miami try flying into Fort Lauderdale (not far from Miami). Just avoid Miami airport like the plague!

As a seasoned traveller in EM and developed countries I can safely say this has been the worst airport experience of my life. On transit from Bogota to London with an AA to BA connection. Long walk to immigration 2 hours in an interminable line luggage arrives 3 hours late with no one from the airlines around for miles to help customers distraught as they were missing their flights. Not even an announcement to say the bags were delayed. No one from BA to receive our bags as the signage pointed I'm the opposite direction and no one generally to help transit passages at all. After running back and forth in different directions we finally made it to our flight. Some gall to call itself an international airport with the complete lack of resources care basic customer etiquette and signage. Worst airport in the world.

I will never again fly to MIA : coming from London with a connecting flight I had to stand 2 hours for immigration then 1/2 hour for custom and then walk for miles to drop my luggage. The worst airport in the US for sure! Never again.

Flew LHR to MIA with British Airways on 1st Nov 2012. Flight arrived on time and after a long walk to the immigration hall the fun and games really began. We started queuing for passport control in the non-US citizen line about 9pm. There were so many people ahead of us and so few immigration staff that it took 1.5 hrs to be seen by an immigration officer. While I was waiting in the public area of the arrivals hall I witnessed other people who had also been detained for intrusive / abusive questioning. The attitude of US border officials is nothing short of disgusting. While we had a pleasant stay in Miami we will never go back to the USA and risk experiencing this type of treatment again. A terrible ordeal and their whole attitude seems to be that you are a threat and are guilty until proven innocent and that they are doing you a special favour by letting you in to spend money and have a holiday in their country.

My mother had a short domestic flight today with American Airlines. She arrived at the airport 2 hours ahead of time. She was advised that customers should arrive at MIA at least 4 hours ahead of their flight (at minimum 3). That's ludicrous. That's a sign that there's something wrong with your airport! When you arrive at MIA you have to walk several miles to get to the baggage carousel. It's a mess.

It's not all negative with MIA. Landed with BA late July and got baggage and through immigration and custom in 1 hour. Left the car rental centre after another half hour and on the road after 1.5 hour from landing - not so bad.