Soaring cargo growth lifts Miami International Airport to #1 in the U.S., #3 in the world

From left: Miami-Dade County Chief Operating Officer Jimmy Morales, Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, PortMiami Director and CEO Hydi Webb, and MIA Director and CEO Ralph Cutié at World Trade Center Miami’s annual State of the Ports luncheon.

Gateway airport surges in new rankings by Airports Council International

Freight shipments at Miami International Airport skyrocketed by 13.6% to nearly 3.5 million tons in 2025, giving the global cargo hub a new claim to fame, based on the latest rankings by Airports Council International: Busiest freight airport in the Western Hemisphere.

MIA leapfrogged Louisville and Memphis – the global hubs for UPS and FedEx, respectively – to become the busiest airport for total freight in the U.S. In the world, MIA ranked third behind only the Asian cargo hubs in Hong Kong and Shanghai. Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava and MIA Director and CEO Ralph Cutie revealed the new rankings at World Trade Center Miami’s annual State of the Ports luncheon on April 27.

“Congratulations to the MIA team on reaching its highest global rankings ever in both passenger and cargo service. Our sustained, industry-leading growth is the latest testament to the teamwork and dedication of our partner airlines, federal agencies, cargo logistics providers, and community organizations. As MIA continues to attract new business and expand into emerging markets, the sky is the limit for how high our global gateway can soar among the world’s best airports.“

Thanks to MIA surpassing 55.3 million annual passengers in 2025, it also rose by two spots to be the 8th-busiest passenger airport in the country and jumped from #9 to #8 in total flights among U.S. airports.

MIA improved in three other global rankings: 6^th to 4^th in total cargo (freight plus mail), 5^th to 4^th in international freight, and 13^th to 11^th for total flights. MIA’s soaring cargo growth has carried over into the first quarter of 2026, when freight shipments increased by 15.7% over last year.