MIA Officials Expect Busy Labor Day Travel Weekend – NBC 6 South Florida

Many people are taking advantage of the last days of summer by going on a trip during the long holiday weekend.

Officials at Miami International Airport say travel is up by 10% compared to pre-pandemic Labor Day travel, which means hundreds of thousands of people coming through Miami’s airport.

On Friday, there were lots of long lines at MIA.

“As you can see, just even right here, there’s a line. Lines everywhere, and it does get annoying after a while, I’m not going to lie,” said traveler Christian Telemaque.

Airport officials at MIA expect nearly 800,000 travelers during Labor Day weekend. Both MIA and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport have seen some delays.

This week, the government rolled out a new tool meant to help fliers better navigate cancellations and delays.

The new airline customer service dashboard at DOT.GOV details what each airline will and won’t do for customers; everything from rebooking fees to meal and hotel vouchers when a flight is delayed or canceled.

The Department of Transportation is rolling out a new website that may help if travelers run into flight delays or cancelations. NBC 6’s Alina Machado reports

“We had to get a room at the airport hotel — that’s been a setback as well as an added expense,” said Telemaque.

But it’s nothing compared to last month when nearly a quarter of all flights nationwide was delayed.

“So far it’s been smooth,” said Aldo Aguila, who is traveling to Cancun for the weekend.

The return of valet at MIA is helping some travelers avoid crowded parking ramps. Others are avoiding the airport altogether and hitting the road.

Nationwide, NBC News found most Americans will travel by car this weekend. Even with gas prices 20% higher than a year ago, it’s still cheaper to drive.

If you are planning to fly, it is best to get dropped off because parking continues to be an issue at airports this weekend.