MIA rolls out the latest in checkpoint screening technology

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MIA rolls out the latest in checkpoint screening technology

New express lanes are designed to decrease screening time by 30%

Ahead of the Thanksgiving travel season, Miami International Airport (MIA) has upgraded one of its busiest passenger checkpoints with the latest screening technology, designed to be 30% faster than the traditional checkpoint lane.

In partnership with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), MIA's new TSA Checkpoint 2 at Concourse D features four Analogic eXpress passenger screening lanes, each equipped with state-of-the-art 3D computed tomography (CT) explosive detection scanners and fully automated bin return conveyance systems that can screen 500 bins per hour. MIA is one of the first U.S. airports with the new eXpress lanes.

The new checkpoint made its debut on November 1, following a temporary closure in August for the $5.3 million renovation. The project is part of MIA's $9 billion Modernization in Action (M.I.A.) Plan to renovate the entire airport over the next 5 to 10 years. Concourse D is home to hub carrier American Airlines, which serves 31 million passengers annually at MIA. American recently announced plans to operate a record-breaking 430 peak daily departures from MIA this winter travel season.

Automated conveyor belts transport carry-on bags into the CT machines and then return the bins to the queue line after screening is completed. Bags with a potential threat can be directed to a separate area, allowing other bins behind them to continue through the system uninterrupted. Analogic eXpess lane property bins are also 25 percent larger than bins in regular screening lanes, which improves speed and efficiency. Unique Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags are attached to each bin to provide additional accountability for items as they travel through the system.

MIA's new Checkpoint 2 is one of more than 200 projects within the M.I.A. Plan. Other major renovation and expansion projects include: modernization and preventive maintenance for more than 600 elevators, escalators, and moving walkways; the new 2,240-space Ibis garageopening this December; the new Concourse K expansion scheduled to open in 2029; and the $745-million Central Terminal redevelopment project, which will modernize MIA's oldest terminal area by 2031.