American Airlines runs its biggest international operation out of Concourse D and Concourse E, with nonstops to London, Madrid, Barcelona and Milan and, seasonally, Rome, alongside Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires, Santiago, Lima, Quito, Bogota and Rio de Janeiro. British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Iberia, Air Europa, Air France, KLM, Lufthansa, Swiss, ITA Airways, TAP, LOT, Turkish, Qatar Airways and Emirates fill out the widebody board.

Concourse D is a mile end to end, so a four-station Skytrain runs its length with trains roughly every three minutes; the airport tells passengers to allow 30 minutes if they walk it instead. Airline clubs sit across Concourses D through J, and Concourse D also holds an American Express Centurion Lounge. The 260-room Miami International Airport Hotel is on level two of Central Terminal E.

MIA is one long terminal in three parts rather than separate buildings, so most connections are made airside on foot or by Skytrain. Concourse D is oneworld ground, the South Terminal takes the non-oneworld widebodies, and Concourses F and G handle domestic flights and carriers from Canada. Every concourse except G has its own customs hall, which keeps onward domestic connections moving.

Miami is where the Caribbean, Latin America and the United States overlap. Spanish is spoken at home by roughly 70 percent of city residents. South Beach has the Art Deco district and the ocean, Wynwood has the murals and galleries, Little Havana has the ventanitas and domino tables, and Coral Gables and Coconut Grove are quieter and greener. The Everglades begin an hour west.

Best time to visit

November to April, the dry season, with warm days, low humidity and little rain. May to October is hot and wet, and Atlantic hurricane season runs 1 June to 30 November, with peak risk from mid-August to the end of September.