Touring by way of Miami Worldwide Airport (MIA) Concourse D can be getting simpler as of as we speak. After being down for upkeep for roughly six months, the Skytrain that hyperlinks the completely different elements of the terminal is lastly reopening.
Miami Airport Concourse D Skytrain operational once more
As of as we speak (March 29, 2024), the Miami Airport Skytrain is beginning the method of resuming service, after a closure of over six months.
With this replace, three of the 4 Skytrain stations are reopening, with the fourth station anticipated to reopen in early summer time. Particularly, stations two, three, and 4 have reopened (overlaying gates D20 to D60), whereas station one remains to be ready to reopen (close to gate D16). Till station one reopens, a courtesy shuttle will nonetheless be provided between stations one and two.
For some background, the Miami Airport Skytrain was briefly decommissioned on September 15, 2023, after regulatory inspections revealed structural issues close to station one. $4.2 million later, stations two, three, and 4, are not less than able to resume service.
The CEO of Miami Airport and the Mayor of Miami-Dade even made an enthusiastic video concerning the reopening of the Skytrain in excessive visibility vests, which certain makes this appear… thrilling.
This was a serious problem for vacationers
Miami Concourse D is used solely by American Airways, and the concourse is basically lengthy and slim. The truth that the Skytrain wasn’t working for over six months introduced a serious problem for vacationers with mobility limitations, given the quantity of distance that needed to be coated.
Positive, there was a courtesy shuttle, however that wasn’t precisely environment friendly or available, and for that matter, many individuals didn’t even learn about it.
Miami Airport is my house airport, and Concourse D is the place I usually fly out of. So I’m curious how my patterns evaluate to these of others — am I the one one who by no means voluntarily makes use of the Skytrain when touring solo? Based mostly on my strolling tempo, it’s at absolute most quarter-hour from the safety checkpoint to the far finish of the concourse (round gate D60).
I discover it simpler to simply briskly stroll that, reasonably than attending to the Skytrain station, going up an escalator, ready on the Skytrain, taking the Skytrain journey, happening the escalator, after which attending to the gate. At most I’d perhaps save a few minutes, and I at all times favor getting further steps reasonably than standing round, if given the choice.
After all the Skytrain is necessary for these with restricted mobility, households with babies, and so forth. However I are inclined to suppose that individuals overuse it, just because the indicators within the terminal encourage individuals to make use of the prepare in the event that they’re going to sure gates.
I suppose I really feel the identical method about visiting Miami Airport as this man feels about touring to Europe…
Backside line
The Miami Airport Skytrain is resuming operations. After a closure of over six months, three of the 4 Skytrain stations have opened, with the final station anticipated to open in early summer time. It will make the expertise rather a lot simpler for vacationers by way of the airport.
Beneath what circumstances you do you utilize the Miami Airport Skytrain?
