# Developers abandon 451-key Westin at Miami International Airport

_Oct 10 13:49_

Tags: Marriott Bonvoy, hotel, policy change, safety & operations, hotel opening

Type: Industry news

## Summary

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.

## Key facts

- **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.

## Sources cited

- [One Mile at a Time](https://onemileatatime.com/news/faa-blocks-westin-miami-airport-radar-blind-spot-fears) — FAA Blocks Planned Westin Miami Airport Over Radar Blind Spot Fears

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