What happened
One Mile at a Time reports that a 451-key Westin with direct terminal access at Miami International Airport will not be built. The FAA rejected the 150-foot design over a radar blind spot, and developers decided after nearly two years of redesign talks that a reworked building was not economically viable.
The hotel was announced in early 2024 and originally aimed to open in 2026 as part of the airport's modernization. Developers had won a lengthy bidding process that would have paid the airport $2.5 million a year or 3.5% of gross revenue, whichever was greater.
Points travellers will not get a new Marriott Bonvoy Westin connected to the terminal in 2026. Miami International already has an older in-terminal hotel and a costly Wait N' Rest nap facility. One Mile at a Time does not expect any replacement hotel before 2030 even in a best case.
Do not plan a Miami airport stay around a new Westin; use the existing in-terminal hotel or a nearby property instead.
- Numbers
- 451 keys: planned size of the Westin
- 150-foot height: hotel height the FAA rejected
- $2.5 million: minimum annual payment the airport would have received
- 3.5%: share of gross revenue payable to the airport if greater than the minimum
- Where
- Miami International Airport, Westin Miami Airport
- Takeaway
- Do not plan on a Westin at Miami Airport; use existing airport or nearby hotels and treat any replacement project as a long-shot, multi-year prospect.