Study for New Airport Proposed to Meet Miami-Dade's Soaring Demand

A new airport might be on the horizon for Miami-Dade County as Commissioner Kevin Marino Cabrera proposes a feasibility study to assess future aviation needs.

The proposal for the study was scheduled to be presented during the Airport and Economic Development Committee hearing on Tuesday, October 15, but owing to disruptions caused by Hurricane Milton, the hearing has been tentatively rescheduled for the December 3 meeting of the Board of County Commissioners.

"We had historic growth," Cabrera tells the New Times, referring to the boom in traffic at Miami International Airport (MIA). "Last year we had over 53 million people go through MIA, which is record-breaking. This year, we're already up 10 percent over last year. So we're on pace to again break that record. Same thing with cargo."

The proposal seeks to anticipate the county's growing aviation demands, adds Cabrera, whose District 6 encompasses a swath of Central Miami-Dade that includes MIA.

"What I don't want — and this happens a lot in government — is I don't want us to think about what are we going to do once we reach capacity," he explains.

Cabrera envisions a study that explores projections for the next ten to 15 years, identifies capacity limits, and outlines solutions to keep Miami's aviation industry from bottlenecking.

The concept echoes strategies employed by other major metropolitan hubs.

"You look at many major cities — look at New York: They've got almost three airports if you count Newark," Cabrera points out. "So again, it's about making sure we're planning for the future so that we're not caught behind the eight ball when we reach that capacity."

In terms of funding, Cabrera notes that the airport's proprietary structure means no taxpayer money would be used. Financing would come from landing fees, concessionaire rents, and other airport-related revenues.

"All the money that's spent at the airport, that is collected at the airport, is spent at the airport," the commissioner says. "So unless you're flying through MIA, or you're going there for lunch, or you're parking there, or you're in some sort of business that's airport related, that's how you're contributing toward the funding of the airport."

The trickier part? Location. Cabrera suggests that expanding existing infrastructure might be the most logical step. But the conversation about where to build isn't new.

"They tried to buy Homestead Air Force Base many, many years ago. I know that at one point, Miami-Dade and Boward talked about doing an airport together," Cabrera says. "I think the difference now — the historic growth that we've had, I think, has precipitated the conversation. Because 30 years ago, we had room to grow to where we're at today. But the question is: How many more years do we have left till we reach that capacity?"

The key, he says, is future-proofing the county's aviation capabilities, with his main concern being the identification of what capacity looks like on the cargo and commercial-aviation side.

"How many years of capacity do we have left at MIA? And where are we building for the future? We want to be forward-thinking," he emphasizes. "Instead of waiting for the problem, let's anticipate it."

If the committee approves the study, it will move to Mayor Daniella Levine Cava's office for execution. Cabrera says he hasn't spoken with the mayor yet but believes she'd support the initiative.

"I think she's a big believer in being future-ready, is the phrase she likes to coin."