MIAMI — Miami International Airport passed the 45 million passenger milestone for the first time ever in 2018, serving nearly one million more travellers than the previous year.

MIA served nearly 21.9 million international passengers for the year – up 403,380 from 2017 – and more than 23.1 million domestic travelers in 2018, compared to 22.6 million the previous year. The airport’s audited 2018 traffic statistics were finalized this week.

Hub carrier American Airlines launched new international routes to Bonaire, Netherland Antilles on June 20, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on December 15, Pereira, Colombia and Georgetown, Guyana on Dec. 20, as well as new and increased service to 11 domestic destinations.

MIA also added four new passenger airlines to its roster. Sunwing Airlines began 10 weekly flights to Montreal, Quebec City, Toronto and Ottawa on Dec. 1. Flair began weekly service to Edmonton, Winnipeg and Toronto on Dec. 15. Air Italy and Brazilian low-cost carrier GOL also added new flights.

Meanwhile four international carriers have scheduled entries into the Miami market in 2019. Low-cost carrier Norwegian will begin first-ever service at MIA on March 31 to London Gatwick Airport; Moroccan national carrier and four-star airline Royal Air Maroc will launch the first-ever Miami-Casablanca route on April 3 – MIA’s first passenger flights to Africa since the year 2000 and Florida’s only nonstop service to the continent; LOT Polish Airlines will begin four weekly flights to Warsaw on June 1 – MIA’s first service to Poland and the only nonstop route between Florida and Eastern Europe; and French airline Corsair will launch service to Paris Orly Airport on June 10, with four weekly flights.