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Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava recently announced the creation of the MIA Forward Flight Team, a resident-driven group of industry experts that will enhance operations and improve the passenger experience at Miami International Airport (MIA).
MIA is the global gateway to Miami-Dade County, and one of the major engines of not only the local economy, but the state’s as well. Last year alone, MIA served over 55 million travelers, an increase of nearly 50 percent since 2021.
Since Mayor Levine Cava took office, Miami-Dade County has launched a $9 billion Modernization in Action Plan to accelerate critical infrastructure projects across the airport. Mayor Levine Cava also launched the Lightning Crew to improve customer service and rapid repair response times.
These ongoing efforts are delivering clear results: last year, MIA was named the most improved large airport in the nation for customer satisfaction.
“We’ve made historic investments at Miami International Airport, and you can already see the results,” Mayor Levine Cava said. “With customer satisfaction up, record growth ahead and MIA’s biggest year yet on the horizon, this is the moment to raise the standard even higher and take the next bold step forward.”
The 14-member Team will swiftly begin a review of existing operations and identify key areas of opportunity for enhancement at MIA. The work of the task force will center on four key objectives:
• Operational Excellence – Addressing congestion, ride-share pickup, aging infrastructure, staffing shortages, customs efficiency, and on-time performance through data-driven reforms.
• Passenger Experience and Innovation – Modernizing terminals with smart technology, streamlined security, multilingual services, and hospitality-forward design reflective of Miami-Dade’s brand as a leading tourism destination.
• Aesthetics, Beautification and Cultural Experiences (ABCs) – Identifying immediate, short, mid and long term investments and launch programs that upgrade aesthetics, create even more opportunities for beautification and deploy cultural experiences throughout the airport. From swift pressure washing of the facades to partnerships with cultural institutions to showcase local artists, the MIA will double down on the ABCs to immediately enhance the airport experience for residents and visitors alike.
• Brand Management – Strengthening MIA’s brand through recruitment, training, and retention across aviation, security, customs, hospitality, and logistics workforce, and embracing global signature events like 2026 FIFA World Cup Miami by enhancing the brand and upgrading the customer experience.
The Team will be composed of the following appointees representing diverse perspectives across our tourism industry partners and workforce:
Rolando Aedo, COO, Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau
Juan Alfonso, president and COO, CES Consultants
Curtis Crider, president and CEO, Greater Miami and the Beaches Hotel Association
Daniel Diez, AIA, project director, Turner & Townsend-Heery
Jerome Falic, CEO, Duty Free Americas
Raymond Francois, executive director, New Vision Drivers Association of Florida Inc.
Yambeli Gomez, Florida Political Director, SEIU32BJ
G. Eric Knowles, president and CEO, Miami-Dade Chamber of Commerce
JC Liscano, vice president of Miami Hub Operations, American Airlines
Andria Muniz-Amador, chief of staff and senior strategic advisor for marketing, Miami-Dade Aviation Department
Lizzie Pittinger, Public Policy associate, Uber
Alfred Sanchez, president and CEO, Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce
Franklin Sirmans, Sandra and Tony Tamer director, Perez Art Museum
Wendi Walsh, general vice president, UNITE HERE International
The MIA Forward Flight Team will prepare a set of actionable deliverables within 180 days.
This team will complement County Commission chair Anthony Rodriguez’s proposed advisory board as part of a shared effort to strengthen MIA.
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