America’s flower gateway expects to receive 1,500 tons of imports daily
(MIAMI, February 11, 2025) – Business has been blooming at Miami International Airport in the weeks leading up to Valentine’s Day, with the cargo gateway projecting that more than 1,500 tons of cut flowers will arrive daily between January 1 and the end of February – a 3% increase over the airport’s record-breaking peak season in 2024. America’s largest gateway for flowers, which welcomes 91% of all imports by air to the U.S., expects to receive 90,154 tons of cut flowers valued at more than $400 million during this year’s Valentine’s Day rush.
Flowers continue to be MIA’s largest imported product by weight, accounting for 359,396 tons annually worth $1.65 billion. MIA benefits from having the nation’s most extensive air route network with Colombia and Ecuador, the two top flower-producing countries in the region that account for approximately 86% of all flowers imported to the U.S. by air. Twelve cargo airlines provide freighter service from Colombia, and nine airlines have freighter service from Ecuador. Additionally, four airlines operate passenger flights carrying belly cargo from Colombia, while two passenger airlines carry belly cargo from Ecuador.
“MIA is proud to be America’s largest gateway for fresh flowers, with more than 1,500 tons projected to arrive daily this year for Valentine’s Day, which would be a 3% increase over last year. Thanks to our strong partnership with the world’s top cargo airlines for transporting flowers and federal support from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, millions of blooms will reach their destinations across the country in time for the holiday.”
Ralph Cutie, MIA Director and CEO.
Miami International Airport, America’s busiest airport for international freight and the second busiest for international passengers, is receiving an unprecedented investment of $9 billion in capital improvements and maintenance upgrades. MIA offers more flights to Latin America and the Caribbean than any other U.S. airport and is also the leading economic engine for Miami-Dade County and the state of Florida, generating business revenue of $118 billion and approximately 60 percent of all international visitors to Florida annually.
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