tcreath

DH and I have a 5.5 hour layover in Miami in May on the way home from Europe. We arrive in Miami at 4:00 pm and don't leave until 9:30. As with other international flights, I'm assuming we will pick up our luggage to declare in customs and then recheck them, so lugging around our bags won't be an issue. Assuming that we will have at least 3 hours to kill, is it worth leaving the airport and, if so, is there anything to do in the vicinity that would be a good way to kill a few hours? I'm assuming we will be hungry so a nice place to eat would be great. DH has never been to Miami; I've been but its been quite a long time. From looking at the Miami airport website, it looks as thought there are several train options, although I'm definitely not familiar enough with Miami to know where it goes. Any good spots? We don't want to sit in another airport any longer than we have to.

Thanks for any help!
Tracy

TwoFatFeet

I'm not a Miami expert, but I'm going to say no, it's not worth it, because by the time you get to some place cool, it'll be about time to head back. The Miami airport is a nightmare, in my experience. One of the worst I've ever been to as far as organization and customer service.

offlady

I agree. I don't know anything near the airport that would be worth the trip and hassle, and also the risk of missing your flight. Find a nice restaurant inside the airport and relax.

mah1980

Definitely not worth it. We've had many long layovers in Miami on AA flights. The airport is really spread out and the lines can be pretty long. There are a number of restaurants and shops in the airport that you can spend your time at.

NeoPatrick

You have my sympathy. I think I'd rather spend a weekend in Baghdad that have to go through the Miami Airport, which I do fairly often.

You might be surprised how long it takes you to clear immigration and to claim your bags -- I think our record was a little over 2 1/2 hours. Many people missed their connections simply because they couldn't get their luggage to claim.

One simple thought. On the fringes of the airport is a "theme" restaurant called 94th AeroSquadron. It won't be the greatest meal you ever had, but it's decent enough, and the atmosphere is kind of relaxing -- World War I theme. You can get a taxi there and it will take about 10 minutes. I'd rather go there for an hour or two than wander that horrible airport. There's also a hotel and restaurant IN the airport, but frankly I think it's pretty dismal. Unless you really get off on the smell of hot dogs and looking at overprice t-shirts that say Miami on them, I agree to get out for awhile.

tcreath

Thank you all for your replies. I didn't realize MIA was that bad! And here I was excited about finally getting away from O'Hare, which I seemingly can't avoid on layovers to Europe, or the US for that matter.

I hate spending time in airports. We will be flying from Venice to Madrid to Miami to Charlotte, which makes for a long day. I was hoping to get out of the airport for awhile but I think I'll just play it by ear and see how long it takes to clear customs and how busy the airport looks. Neo, thank you for the suggestion. At only 10 minutes away, that sounds like a good option.

Thanks!
Tracy

NeoPatrick

There are other places you could go for a dinner -- particularly some "local" Cuban place for example, but if you're like me, I get nervous about getting stuck in traffic and not making it back in time. That place on the grounds solves the issue, but the entire highway system around the airport is like a huge construction zone now and I'd get nervous about trying to head off to South Beach or even Coral Gables and get back.

tmt

Absolutely do not even think about leaving the airport. There is nothing 10 minutes away from the airport - especially with Miami traffic. It will take 10 minutes just to get on the highway.

So even if the lines at Miami airport were short (which they seldom are) the highway lines of traffic are worse.

Have a mojito and a cuban sandwich at the cuban restaurant and relax or do a bit of shopping and get yourself a University of Miami sweatshirt at one of the shops. At the American Airlines terminal there is an outdoor area where you can catch some rays too. There might be areas like this in other terminals as well.

NeoPatrick

tmt, have you ever driven the service road to the 94th Aerosquadron restaurant? I have. So please don't make blanket statements that there is nothing within 10 minutes of the airport.

tampatwo

I wouldn't even think of leaving the airport. THere is nothing around it and it is without a doubt the worst airport I have ever been in..believe me O'Hare is a piece of cake compared to Miami. It is confusing, the lines are dreadful. Watch for gate changes even when you are sitting in the area.

Myer

Depending how quickly you get thru customs, etc there might be one thing.

Patrick, how long would a taxi drive be to Miracle Mile in Coral Gables?

Is it more than 10-15 minutes max? Some very nice restaurants on/off the street.

An idea?

NeoPatrick

That should be 10 to 15 minutes. But I've sat in stuck traffic on LeJuene (sp?) longer than that unable to move.

amcc

At around 5ish, especially on a weekday, it will take at least 30 minutes to get out to Coral Gables, perhaps a bit more. If it's on a weekend, I don't think you could make it in less than 20 minutes because the construction around the airport is awful.

Patrick, the exit from the airport to Perimeter Road that will drop you off at 94th Aero was closed as of three weeks ago. While that is definitely the best way to get out of the airport, all traffic pretty much has to exit out through LeJeune. By May, the road may be open, but seeing how cosntruction around the airport moves at glacial speed, it might not be.

If you must get out of the airport, there is a restaurant on LeJeune, probably 10-15min in a taxi called Hereford Grill that is pretty good. It's a Venezuelan steak house. I prefer it to 94th Aero. there's also a fish joint that has pretty popular happy hours on LeJeune.

A mojito and a cuban sandwich at the Carreta and the Bacardi Bar are probably the best idea for that small amount of time. There are really no train options - Tri-Rail won't take you anywhere you would want to go for that amount of time, and the Metrorail goes nowhere near the airport (how logical is that?).

JohnInMiami

Stay at the airport. Let me say that again - stay at the airport.

You are going to have to deal with:
- Customs
- Immigration (also known as la migra)
- Security
- Wicked bad construction around the airport
- Rush hour
- Non-english speaking cab drivers
- Notorious last-second gate changes that are announced over the PA system in a language sounding like garbled Esperanto.

If you are a gambler and want to take your chances on leaving, good luck. Otherwise, take a good book, get a meal & a glass of wine, go shopping or do whatever - but don't leave the airport!

tcreath

I guess we'll just suck it up and stay at the airport. Reading sounds nice but after spending countless hours at airports and in flight I doubt I will want to read any more. I'll be exhausted, no doubt, so guess I'll just have to sleep in my seat until our plane starts boarding.

I'm actually considering changing our flights because of this. Normally there is a change fee involved but our flights have been changed (although not in our favor) so we may be able to change them and get around the long layover. I love traveling abroad but at this point I don't have much patience for sitting around in airports for countless hours anymore!

Tracy

NeoPatrick

If staying at the airport, do you have access to a lounge? AA has a beautiful lounge (Admiral's Club) -- actually a couple of them at Miami, and you can buy a day pass for less than you'd spend on a taxi two ways to a restaurant. Sure beats the smell of hot dogs.

hills27

Completely agree. The AA lounges in Miami are very nice. Especialy the one in D. You can even take a shower.

A day pass is $50.

OO

You may even need all that time. MIA is unbelievable for international flights. For the record, although we've cleared customs in about 2.5 hours, our bags have yet to make it to our connecting flight. Not once.

Oh, don't make the mistake of plugging your cell phone into an outlet on one of those pillars in customs. They'll rip the plug out of the socket and tell you you are NOT to use their electricity. Too funny at that point! They are a real friendly bunch.

Baghdad really might be more welcoming!

Abby43

Look, it is better to be safe than sorry. Pay for the full day at the AA Admirals Club or equivalent. Or suck it up and treat yourself to fun crappy magazines and food. You say you will be settled at 4 and your flight is at 9 something-it's 5 measley hours. Hopefully you and your partner can entertain yourselves. There is nothing in Miami worth seeing to miss the flight back home. I mean no disrespect to Miami residents but South Beach is no big deal! Not worth missing your flight for, so just stay at the airport and buy a few books to read.

tcreath

Abby, I understand its a "measily five hours." Its just that I have a "measily two hours" at the airport in Venice and a "measily three hours" at the airport in Madrid, not to mention countless in flight hours, before I finally get to Miami for my "measily five hour" layover. Yes, I can entertain myself. I've done it countless times before at airports and I'll have to do it all that day as well. I was just trying to find out if it was worth leaving the airport to try to enjoy myself at least a little bit. Honestly its not that big of a deal. I'll manage...unfortunately its part of traveling overseas that I choose to accept because I love to travel.

Thank you, neo, for suggestion the Admirals Club. I've never used one before so I didn't even consider it. Sounds great though, so that's probably what we will end up doing.

Thanks everyone!
Tracy