Miami International Airport, September 17, 2025
News Summary
County leaders approved two $8.3 million professional design contracts to assess and redesign baggage handling across Miami International Airport and cleared the $600.6 million Concourse K construction project. The design work will inspect conveyors, produce condition reports, design replacements or upgrades and create a centralized database to track progress. Concourse K will add six gates, a ground support maintenance facility, enhanced baggage systems and airfield upgrades. Both efforts are part of a broader $9 billion modernization plan intended to boost capacity and reduce baggage delays, with work advancing under county oversight.
Miami International Airport moves to fix long-running baggage problems with two new $8.3M design contracts; county approves $600.6M Concourse K
Miami International Airport is taking two major steps this year to overhaul baggage handling and expand capacity. The airport’s leadership has recommended two professional-services design contracts, each worth $8.3 million, to assess and design replacements for baggage handling systems across the facility. Separately, county commissioners approved construction of a new Concourse K, a $600.6 million build intended to add gates, upgraded baggage systems and airfield improvements as part of a broader $9 billion modernization program.
Top details
- The Airport Committee recommended the two professional-services contracts by 3-0 votes.
- Each contract is for $8.3 million with a five-year term plus a five-year renewal option.
- The first-ranked firm to receive a contract is Introba Inc. of St. Louis; the second-ranked firm is BNP Associates Inc. of Fairfield, Connecticut.
- Contracts cover architectural and engineering design services to evaluate existing baggage systems and to design replacements and tied components.
- A centralized database will be used to track the baggage-handling work across the airport.
Concourse K approval and scope
The county commission signed off on construction of Concourse K, a major project within the airport’s modernization plan. The project is budgeted at $600.6 million and will deliver six new gates, a ground support equipment maintenance facility, enhanced baggage handling systems, and critical airfield infrastructure upgrades. The general contractor for Concourse K is Lemartec‑NV2A JV, LLC, with Perez & Perez Architects Planners, Inc. serving as lead architect.
Concourse K is scheduled to begin construction after a ceremonial groundbreaking this summer and to be completed by Spring 2029. Project backers say the concourse will increase capacity and create thousands of jobs, and it is a component of the larger plan to ready the airport to serve 77 million passengers and handle 5 million tons of cargo by 2040.
Why the baggage overhaul matters
Baggage handling has been a persistent issue at the airport for decades, drawing repeated complaints from travelers and county officials. Elected officials and airport staff have cited slow delivery times and misrouted luggage as recurring problems that harm customer satisfaction and operational efficiency. A county memo states the design and inspection services will evaluate the condition of existing baggage systems and provide the design services needed to replace those systems and the components that tie into them.
A separate analysis by a packaging and shipping industry firm ranked the airport poorly for baggage handling, estimating the facility loses roughly 306 bags per million flights and about 5.5 bags per 1,000 passengers. That study also noted daily flight volume around 1,000 flights and cited global handler mishandling of roughly 26 million bags annually. Those findings help explain the urgency behind the design contracts and the inclusion of upgraded baggage systems in Concourse K.
Costs, timeline and context
The two design contracts are structured to run for five years with an additional five-year renewal option, reflecting the long lead times and phased work expected for airport-wide baggage modernization. The contracts were recommended to pay the top-ranked professional firms, which will provide architectural and engineering services and inspection oversight during design and construction phases.
The baggage initiative and Concourse K are part of a sweeping modernization program budgeted at approximately $9 billion. Recent airport figures show nearly 56 million passengers and more than 3 million U.S. tons of freight processed in a recent year, reinforcing the need for capacity and system upgrades. The airport is also noted for being a leading U.S. gateway for international freight and for serving significant volumes of travelers to Latin America and the Caribbean.
Operational and traveler impacts
Airport leaders plan to use a centralized database to coordinate and track baggage-related work, intended to reduce service issues during construction and to manage system replacements more predictably. The planned improvements are expected to reduce mishandling, speed baggage delivery, and support additional passenger and cargo growth tied to new concourses and airfield upgrades.
Travelers are advised to allow extra connection time during busy travel periods and may consider using tracking devices for checked bags until system reliability improves. Public accommodations for meetings related to airport planning are available with advance notice, with a specific contact provided for accessible formats and assistance.
Background and related history
Efforts to upgrade baggage systems at the airport date back several years, including earlier votes in 2018 to increase the budget for baggage handling upgrades to $230 million. The current design contracts and Concourse K approval mark renewed momentum in a multi-billion-dollar push to modernize terminals, expand gate capacity and update supporting infrastructure across the airfield.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the two new design contracts for?
The contracts fund architectural and engineering services to evaluate and design replacement baggage handling systems and associated components across the airport.
How much are the contracts worth and how long will they run?
Each contract is for $8.3 million. They are structured for five-year terms with an optional five-year renewal period.
Who will perform the work?
The top-ranked firms designated to receive the contracts are Introba Inc. and BNP Associates Inc., to provide design and inspection services.
What is Concourse K and when will it be completed?
Concourse K is a $600.6 million project that will add six gates, a maintenance facility for ground support equipment, and enhanced baggage handling and airfield upgrades. Construction will begin after a ceremonial groundbreaking this summer, with completion targeted for Spring 2029.
How do these projects fit into the airport’s larger plan?
Both the baggage upgrades and Concourse K are part of a broader $9 billion modernization plan aimed at increasing capacity to serve tens of millions more passengers and to expand cargo handling capabilities through 2040.
Who can I contact for public meeting accommodations?
Requests for accessible materials or meeting accommodations can be sent to the airport’s ADA coordinator email or phone number, with services requested at least five days in advance.
Key project features at a glance
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Design contract value | $8.3 million each (two contracts) |
| Contract duration | 5 years + 5-year renewal option |
| Firms selected | Introba Inc. and BNP Associates Inc. |
| Concourse K cost | $600.6 million |
| Concourse K deliverables | 6 gates; ground support equipment maintenance facility; enhanced baggage systems; airfield upgrades |
| General contractor (Concourse K) | Lemartec‑NV2A JV, LLC |
| Lead architect (Concourse K) | Perez & Perez Architects Planners, Inc. |
| Modernization program total | $9 billion (airport-wide improvements and expansions) |
| Target capacity by 2040 | 77 million passengers and 5 million tons of cargo |
For public meeting accommodations related to airport planning, including accessible format materials, sign language interpreters, or CART services, contact the ADA coordinator by email or phone at least five days in advance. Persons who are deaf or hard of hearing may also use the regional relay service.
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
Additional Resources
- Miami Today News: Airport to modernize baggage handling systems
- Wikipedia: Miami International Airport
- Miami International Airport (official): Concourse K press release
- Google Search: Concourse K Miami International Airport
- Miami New Times: Miami airport loses more luggage than any airport in world
- Google Scholar: Miami International Airport baggage mishandling
- Travel + Leisure: U.S. airport named worst in world for lost luggage
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Miami International Airport
- Airways Magazine: Miami Int. worst hub for handling luggage
- Google News: Miami International Airport baggage
Author: Construction CA News
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