New flights and a fancy lounge: How travel is changing in South Florida
Travel New flights and a fancy lounge: How travel is changing in South Florida
South Florida air travel is growing, with Miami and Fort Lauderdale airports adding new international routes and enhancing facilities to meet rising demand.
Airlines such as Icelandair and El Al are expanding connections, introducing non-stop flights to destinations like Reykjavik and Tel Aviv. Building upgrades at Miami International Airport include the planned expansion of terminal spaces and the addition of lounges like Avianca's.
Meanwhile, travelers must prepare for the federal implementation of the REAL ID Act in May 2025, a policy shift aimed at enhancing security protocols for domestic flights.
Take a look at these developments.
The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories below were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.
La Oficina de Aduanas y Protección Fronteriza de Estados Unidos (CBP) anunció un próximo cambio de tarifas para algunos de sus Programas de Viajero Confiable (TTP) más populares como Global Entry. By Carl Juste
NO. 1: TRAVELING IN THE U.S. WILL CHANGE IN 2025: YOU CAN'T FLY FROM MIAMI WITHOUT THIS DOCUMENT
If you don't have it yet, you need to get it soon, because there is a deadline. | Published January 15, 2025 | Read Full Story by Maykel Gonzalez
Several homes and farms in Akureyri overlook the blue Eyjafjordur fjord, the longest in Iceland and popular for whale-watching.
NO. 2: ONE OF THE WORLD'S COLDEST SPOTS JUST MADE A BET ON HOT MIAMI. AIRPORT ADDS NEW FLIGHTS
Here are the details to make travel plans. | Published February 1, 2025 | Read Full Story by Vinod Sreeharsha
The holiday decorations near U.S. Customs at Miami International Airport on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024. By D.A. Varela
NO. 3: WHAT DOES RECORD-BREAKING GROWTH AT MIA MEAN FOR YOU? MORE TRAVELERS, CARGO — AND CHANGES
What to know about Miami International Airport's status as a global hub. | Published February 24, 2025 | Read Full Story by Vinod Sreeharsha
Arajet 737-8 takes off, June 10, 2024
NO. 4: AIRLINES ARE PLANNING NEW FLIGHTS AT MIAMI AND FORT LAUDERDALE AIRPORTS. TAKE A LOOK
Here are details on destinations. | Published March 8, 2025 | Read Full Story by Miami Herald Archives
Avianca opens a new lounge at the J Terminal in Miami, Florida. The lounge features a playroom, business center, food bar, and large windows, aimed at enhancing the travel experience for passengers at Miami International Airport. By Carl Juste
NO. 5: COLOMBIAN AIRLINE AVIANCA OPENS NEW LOUNGE AT MIAMI AIRPORT. TAKE A LOOK
Come learn details and see images of new lounge at MIA | Published March 19, 2025 | Read Full Story by Vinod Sreeharsha
This report was produced with the help of AI tools, which summarized previous stories reported and written by McClatchy journalists. It was edited by journalists in our News division.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Miami Herald
11 hours ago
- Miami Herald
As demand for US passports grows, here are the states with the most aspiring world travelers
More Americans than ever before are gaining access to international travel with a U.S. passport. According to the Department of State, in 1990, only 5% of U.S. citizens had a passport. As of mid-2024, 48% of Americans have a passport. Pew Research from 2023 says half of Americans have visited between one and four countries in their lifetime, and about a quarter of Americans have visited five or more countries. Although airlines have adjusted their 2025 forecasts to account for lower demand for flying due to uncertainty in the economy, with the May 2025 deadline for a Real ID needed in order to travel domestically, the need for a passport, an alternative form of accepted identification, may continue to increase demand. In the next two years, the Department of State plans to open six new passport offices across the country to meet the need for urgent passport requests. For those with nonurgent requests, a new online renewal application process allows current passport holders to renew their passports in less than two weeks in some instances. In the future, you may not need a physical passport at all to travel-the department is considering digital passports in the next decade, much like the digital driver's licenses Arizona, California, and Georgia have already issued. Such international travel documents would be a world of difference compared to the beginnings of passports. In ancient Persia, before the common era, travel documents were simply papers signed by a king or dignitary to ensure someone's safe journey into foreign lands. The modern-day passport used in the U.S. didn't exist until after World War I, when the country began to try to curb the number of immigrants coming to its borders. Today, whether traveling for business or pleasure, very few places are accessible without this important traveling document. Spokeo used data from the Department of State to see where the rate of passports grew the most. The number of U.S. passports in circulation has skyrocketed over the last 30 years, from around 15,000 U.S.-issued passports per 100,000 people in the early 1990s to more than 45,000 today. By 2007, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection began to implement new programs, including the Trusted Traveler Program, to help make it easier for U.S. citizens to reenter the country after international travel. Programs such as Global Entry allow U.S. travelers enrolled in the program to "fast-track" through Immigration and Customs lines upon arrival in the United States. The Mobile Passport program allows travelers to get through Customs faster via a digital document while they're on their return flight or cruise before reentering the U.S. These programs facilitate faster, easier international travel for U.S. passport holders. District of Columbia residents are more ready for international travel than U.S. residents in any other part of the country. Washington D.C. far outpaces the rest of the country, with more than 35,000 residents out of every 100,000 in D.C. having valid passports. A few factors may be behind its ranking, including the area's higher-than-average median income and its place as an international hub of major government, nonprofit, and research organizations with global reach. D.C. passport holders also have greater access to foreign embassies, making it easier for them to apply for visas in person. Following behind D.C. are coastal states such as New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, California, and Hawai'i. Many of these states are among those with the most foreign-born citizens, who may be more likely to continue traveling internationally. Residents may also be more likely to travel abroad given their access to international airports, such as John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, Boston Logan International Airport in Massachusetts, and Los Angeles International and San Francisco International airports in California. These airports are more likely to offer cheaper or direct flights to international travel hubs such as London's Heathrow Airport and Singapore's Changi Airport. Story editing by Carren Jao. Copy editing by Kristen Wegrzyn. This story was produced by Spokeo and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker. © Stacker Media, LLC.
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Yahoo
American Airlines Announces Big TSA Change for Select Travelers
In late May, American Airlines announced a major change at Philadelphia International Airport. Those traveling through the popular airport will now "have a 25,000-square-foot oasis awaiting them in the A-West Terminal," as the airlines debuts two new lounges just before Memorial Day on May 22. The lounges are open to eligible AAdvantage members, qualifying OneWorld members and customers traveling in premium cabins on qualifying same-day flights, according to the announcement. Just a week later, American Airlines announced another big change for AAdvantage members at four major airports across the country. Starting May 29, AAdvantage members traveling through Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, LaGuardia Airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Salt Lake City International Airport will be eligible to enjoy a streamlined process at Transportation Security Administration (TSA) airport security checkpoints through TSA PreCheck Touchless ID. 'We're examining every aspect of the customer experience,' Heather Garboden, American's Chief Customer Officer said in a statement. 'TSA Precheck Touchless ID helps streamline our customers' travel experience and makes travel with us even more enjoyable. We look forward to it becoming available to even more customers in the coming months.' This program provides eligible members who choose to participate with the ability to move through security with ease at select airports. American Airlines described the new technology: "After an identity match compares a customer's image to photos they previously provided to the government, such as those in a passport, Global Entry or a visa card, the customer will be able to move through security faster with ease." Expansion will continue at airports across the system in the coming months in close collaboration with TSA, with a focus on hub Airlines Announces Big TSA Change for Select Travelers first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 2, 2025
Business Insider
18 hours ago
- Business Insider
I flew business class with Qantas, Singapore, and American Airlines. Here's how they compare — and which is my favorite.
Although I typically take at least 50 flights a year, I never turned left when I boarded an airplane until 2024. That's when I first tried flying business class. Between top-notch service and lie-flat seats, the upgrade made my flights feel like a vacation before my vacation. I've now gone on business-class flights with three different airlines: 16 hours on Qantas Airlines from Los Angeles to Melbourne, Australia, on an Airbus A380 (and then on a return flight from Sydney back to LA) 13 hours on American Airlines from Dallas to Tokyo on a Boeing 787-8 16 hours on Singapore Airlines from Singapore to Los Angeles on an Airbus A350-900 Here's how my business-class experiences compare — and which has been my favorite so far. Singapore Airlines had my favorite seat. I liked my seat on the Singapore Airlines flight the best, thanks to the plush bedding and three pillows provided when it was turned into a bed. My setup was so comfy that I slept soundly in the air for six straight hours. This seat's storage options also impressed me the most. I had a separate surface to keep my drink out of the way and a spot perfect for storing my Kindle and other in-flight essentials. Plus, the space included a built-in mirror, which was key to my pre-landing makeup refresh. My seat on the American Airlines flight was nice, but it didn't have as much storage. In terms of seats, American Airlines came in second for me. I liked that the seat was more angled toward the windows, which made it feel more private than the other two. Unfortunately, I didn't feel I had as many storage options, and the bedding felt a little less plush than what I had with Singapore Airlines. However, this lie-flat bed setup still felt cozier than the one on my Qantas flights. I was probably the least impressed by my seat on the Qantas flights. In my opinion, Qantas's bedding was the least plush of the three. I had a tougher time getting comfortable with less padding and just one pillow. That said, there was a really great amount of storage at my seat, which meant I never had to pull things in and out of the overhead bins during my flight. I got amenity kits on each flight. All three airlines provided me with an amenity kit. The contents varied a bit, but often included lip balm, earplugs, an eye mask, socks or slippers, and a dental kit in reusable toiletry bags. I got headphones on every flight, but I liked the Bang and Olufsen noise-cancelling models from Singapore Airlines and American Airlines the best. Only one airline gave me pajamas. Who doesn't love changing into a pair of pajamas for a long-haul flight? Qantas is the only one of these three airlines to provide me with a set, and they were super cozy. The pajamas were so comfortable that I've even continued to regularly wear both pairs I acquired at home. I'm glad I sized up, as they've shrunk a bit in the dryer. In terms of amenities, Qantas also stood out by having an in-flight lounge area. I also liked that Qantas had a lounge area on my deck, a cozy space where business-class passengers could grab snacks and drinks from coolers. It was also nice to be able to stretch a bit and try different seats — some even had tables. I felt Singapore Airlines had the most impressive dishes. For me, Singapore Airlines absolutely wins the food category. I'd give the airline top marks for the delectable food presentation and a wide variety of menu options — plus every dish I ate was full of flavor. The Singapore chicken satay with spicy peanut sauce was the most delicious thing I've ever eaten on a plane, and I still think about it months later. My Qantas Airlines meals were also solid. I was also happy with the tasty, hearty dishes I had on my Qantas Airlines flights. The Australian charcuterie appetizer stood out to me as a thoughtful touch when I was traveling to Melbourne. Plus, the breakfast I had before landing was quite satiating, with eggs, sausages, veggies, fruit, and a muffin. American Airlines' food was probably my least favorite. When compared to Qantas and Singapore, American let me down with its food. The dishes I had seemed less visually appealing, a bit more bland, and not as unique. The beef I ate was OK (although it wasn't as hot as I'd prefer), and the broccoli seemed overcooked. I think both could've used more flavor. My in-air snack also felt pretty carb-heavy and underwhelming: a sandwich with very sparse filling served with pasta salad. Each airline offered ample entertainment options, but Qantas let me down by not offering WiFi. Qantas doesn't offer WiFi on international flights. (That said, a representative from the airline told me it plans to start offering it on select aircraft sometime this year.) I was disappointed, and I didn't realize until about an hour into my flight. Although some passengers may have enjoyed the ability to disconnect, I'd been planning on getting work done. Thankfully, the robust in-seat entertainment kept me busy. In this category, American Airlines and Singapore Airlines are tied. Both had WiFi (although I had to pay extra for it) and large in-seat screens with plenty of movies and TV shows. I was impressed by the crew and service on each of these flights. All three airlines had such impressively friendly and helpful crew members that the service category is a complete toss-up for me. The Qantas crew offered me a guided tour of the airplane, including a peek into the first class below (business class was on the upper deck) and a secret set of stairs. The Singapore crew saw me struggling to transform my seat into a bed and quickly stepped in to take care of it. A member of the American crew noticed I was drinking a lot of water and brought me a huge bottle to enjoy for the rest of the flight, plus a second one to take with me. Of these three flights, the one with Singapore Airlines was my favorite. Traveling with Singapore Airlines was a bucket-list experience that exceeded the expectations I'd built up in my head for years — the flight attendants, culinary program, seat, and entertainment were all top-notch.
