OREANDA-NEWS. For the fourth year in a row, Miami International Airport set a new all-time record for passenger traffic with 40.5 million passengers in 2013. The airport also set a new all-time record for cargo with 2.1 million tons of goods moving through the global gateway last year. MIA’s annual passenger total increased by 2.75 percent, up nearly 1.1 million passengers from 2012.

The final 2013 tallies also revealed that MIA enjoys a nearly 50-50 split between domestic and international passengers, with domestic travelers barely outpacing international passengers by a slim 160,000 margin. MIA is only one of two U.S. airports to share this distinction, along with New York’s JFK airport where 53 percent of passengers were international. However, MIA currently offers more international passenger flights than any other U.S. airport.

“Congratulations to MIA and the entire team at MDAD on another record-breaking year,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez. “MIA continues to be the economic leader for our community and I appreciate the hard work of all of our employees there.”

A robust 4.3 percent increase in international passengers drove overall growth at MIA in 2013, with more than 20.2 million international travelers passing through America’s second-busiest port of entry. Domestic passenger traffic at MIA grew by 1.3 percent for the year to 20.3 million. A total of seven new international destinations were added to MIA’s growing global route network last year, helping to fuel the jump in international passengers. Canadian low-cost carrier WestJet added direct service to Calgary, Canada, while hub carrier American Airlines added service to Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe; Fort-de-France, Martinique; Cozumel, Mexico; Milan, Italy; and Curitiba and Porto Alegre, Brazil.

Brazil remains MIA’s top international market, and the airport now serves nine destinations in South America’s largest and most populous nation, more than any other U.S. airport. A tenth Brazil destination, Belem, will be added next month in advance of the 2014 World Cup. New service to Brussels, Belgium will begin in April and direct service to Doha, Qatar in the Middle East by global airline leader Qatar Airways will commence in June.

Cargo volume at MIA grew by a modest 0.6 percent in 2013 despite a challenging year for the global air cargo industry. MIA still holds the distinction of being America’s #1 airport for international freight.

“2013 was another banner year for MIA, and we’re excited to build on that success in 2014 with an expanded global route network and an improved customer experience,” said Miami-Dade Aviation Director Emilio T. Gonzalez. “Our positive growth isn’t simply about moving passengers and cargo, however – it’s about creating new jobs for our residents, spurring trade and commerce, and propelling the economy forward here in Miami-Dade County and across the Sunshine State.”