Miami International Airport (MIA) handled 2.7 million tons of freight in 2021, shattering its previous record of 2.3 million tons in 2020 by 17 percent, for its second consecutive year of growth.
International freight grew by 17 percent to 2.2 million tons, while domestic freight rose 15 percent to 500,000 tons. MIA continues to rank as the busiest airport in the U.S. and ninth busiest in the world for international freight.
→ LaGuardia’s Terminal B revamp is done after $4 billion, 6 years.
MIA’s sustained and robust upward trend in cargo volume spurred two major facility expansions that were completed in 2021. In November, DHL Express completed a $78-million renovation and expansion of its MIA hub. The investment, which includes a state-of-the-art, fully automated package sorting system, nearly doubled the facility’s sorting capacity and warehouse space to 206,000 square feet. To accommodate its growth, DHL Express also expanded its workforce by 70 percent in 2021 to 731 employees at the new facility.
→ Melbourne Airport plans to build a third runway.
In December, FedEx Express completed a $72.2-million, 138,000 square-foot expansion of its hub at MIA, doubling its total facility size to more than 282,000 square feet. The enhancements include a new customs clearance area and a new 70,000 square-foot cold chain facility, the largest in the FedEx global network. The expansion created hundreds of new jobs at the hub for the busy winter holiday shipping season.
“Thanks to the growth and success of our diverse and extensive cargo community in 2021, MIA continued to strengthen its position among the world’s leading cargo airports. Congratulations to all our cargo partners for helping MIA soar to another record year and for supporting our ongoing recovery from the pandemic”, Ralph Cutié, MIA Director and CEO said.
Photo: Dtom/Wikimedia
Related Topics
Arajet Expands South American Network With Launch of Nonstop Punta Cana–Rosario Flights
LATAM Awarded “Best Cabin Service in South America” for Third Time at the 2026 APEX Best Awards
American Airlines Hits 100 Latin American and Caribbean Destinations from Miami with Additions of Maracaibo and Cap-Haïtien
Wingo to Suspend Flights Between Bogota and Santo Domingo Starting in July

Plataforma Informativa de Aviación Comercial con 13 años de trayectoria.