American Airlines investing $1 billion in Miami International Airport expansion

American Airlines is investing $1 Billion in a concourse expansion at its Miami International Airport hub, the carrier announced this week.

The three-level expansion is being called the “Gate D60 project” and will create 17 new gates built to accommodate larger aircraft. The concourse is currently built to support ground operations for small regional jets.

The project, which will break ground in 2027, will also allow the airport to expand a single, shared boarding area to include boarding spaces for every gate.

Once completed, the concourse will be equipped to handle international arrivals and provide direct third-floor access to the airport’s customs hall, American said.

“The D60 expansion is one of the most monumental customer service improvements within our unprecedented airport-wide modernization plan, which will transform the passenger experience at MIA from the cabin to the curb over the next five years,” Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said in a statement.

The new concourse will also include new dining and shopping options for customers.

The project is the latest in a string of investments that Fort Worth-based American has made at its Miami hub.

Previously, American announced plans to open a new, premium Flagship Lounge, and convert its existing Flagship Lounge into an expanded Admirals Club lounge.

It operates its central hub out of Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, but is also the dominant carrier at MIA, offering upwards of 21,000 flights there this month, according to data from Diio by Cirium.

“Miami is an essential hub and international gateway for American, and it’s a key part of our history and our future,” American Airlines CEO Robert Isom said in a statement.

“This investment — alongside new premium lounges and new routes — reflects our shared commitment with Miami-Dade County and the airport to ensure Miami remains the preeminent U.S. gateway to Latin America.”

The project’s announcements comes just weeks after American’s Chief Financial Officer Devon May said the airline’s capacity plans for this year included “significant growth” at Miami and at its hubs in Philadelphia and Phoenix.

American currently operates around 400 departures per day out of MIA, it said. And the company plans to operate its largest summer schedule ever this year from the South Florida hub, with more than 380 peak daily flights to 155 destinations across 45 countries, according to the airline.

The airport is also one of American’s top international gateways, especially to Latin America and the Caribbean. Customers can access over 90 unique destinations that are exclusively served by American. This year, the airline is launching new service to Milan and recently began nonstop service to Bimini in the Bahamas.

Similar to its presence in the D-FW metro, American has become an economic powerhouse in south Florida. The airline is the largest for-profit employer in Miami-Dade County.