Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava announced Friday that Miami International Airport and PortMiami broke records in revenue, collecting more than $242 billion and supporting nearly 1.2 million jobs.
The announcement was made at the annual State of the Ports luncheon, hosted by the World Trade Center Miami and attended by more than 500 business, civic, and government leaders.
The event unveiled MIA’s 2024 economic impact study by consulting firm Martin Associates. MIA Director and CEO Ralph Cutié, and Port Miami Director and CEO Hydi Webb were also in attendance.
READ MORE: MIA expands for the first time in over a decade
According to the report, MIA alone generated $181.4 billion in business revenue and supported 800,000 jobs, cementing its role as one of Florida’s most vital economic engines.
“Tallahassee, are you listening?” asked Levine Cava rhetorically in calling attention to the contributions of MIA to the Florida Legislature.
The mayor also emphasized the breadth of the airports' economic reach across multiple sectors, saying, the MIA's cargo imports and exports are the largest in the state, especially in the manufacturing and agricultural sectors.
“We're number one for international commerce in the country,” she said.
MIA ranks high
According to the mayor, MIA continues to beat records for cargo and passenger traffic and is currently ranked #1 in the U.S. for foreign international fright and #6 globally. Cargo volume alone saw a 13% increase in the first half of the year, making it MIA’s fifth consecutive record-breaking year for freight.
Passenger traffic is also surging. MIA served 28 million travelers in the first six months of 2025, putting it on pace to match or even surpass 2024’s record 56 million passengers.
“We're number one for international commerce in the country,” said Levine Cava. “The new study shows that [MIA’s] value to our community and region truly cannot be understated.”
Modernization plans in motion
Set in motion in January of 2024, MIA is currently undergoing a $9 billion modernization project through its Modernization in Action (M.I.A.), which aims to prepare the airport to handle up to 77 million passengers and 5 million tons of freight annually.
Some of the upgrades from the $1.4 billion already spent for the M.I.A plan include a new concourse K, a renovated central terminal and a new parking garage.
“Even as we modernize, we must never lose sight of how invaluable our airport and seaport are to the local economy,” said Levine Cava. “The future has never looked brighter.”
PortMiami also continues to see strong demand. In 2024, 766,000 travelers arrived at MIA specifically to take a cruise, representing more than 9% of PortMiami’s total passenger count.
“Almost a hundred percent, 97.6%, are using PortMiami,” said Cava. “I call it friendly competition, and I’m glad we’re winning.”
Gary Goldfarb, chief strategy officer of the Inner Port Group and chair of the World Trade Center Miami, spoke to South Florida’s reliance on international commerce.
“Trade is not a buzzword — it’s a builder of jobs, opportunity, and resilience, ” he said.
He added that as global trade dynamics continue to shift, the stakes are high.
“ As we look for the future, the stakes are high. Trade groups are shifting, technologies are evolving, and global dynamics are constantly changing….gatherings like this one are more important than ever,” he said.
