Miami Airport today launched its new mobile app, which is designed for passengers and all airport users. This is the first airport app in the USA to use the latest technologies, including Bluetooth beacons, to get the right information to the right people, when and where they need it. Developed by IT provider SITA, the app presents an easy-to-use interface and gives travelers personalized updates, directions and tips based on their location and needs.
Described by the airport as “Your Personal Travel Assistant,” the MIA Airport Official app can be used on iOS and Android devices from anywhere in the world. When the user opens it, options are provided based on location, so a user in Miami will get a different experience than someone opening it in London, Bogotá or New York.
As travelers make their way through the airport, the app provides information and support that is relevant to their individual journey, including updates on their gate, flight times and baggage collection, as well as nearby food and retail outlets, prioritizing suggestions based on their current location. The app beautifully presents the most accurate and up-to-date indoor maps. And with ‘blue-dot’ functionality, map rotation, turn-by-turn directions, ‘walk times’ and a ‘near me’ feature, they allow passengers to quickly locate virtually anything inside the airport.
“MIA Airport Official 2.0 is the latest example of how we are leveraging new technology to make travel through our airport easier than ever,” said Miami-Dade Aviation Director Emilio T. González. “Thanks to the installation of data beacons, our mobile app can now guide you from your driveway to the runway with personalized, user-friendly instructions.”
Matthys Serfontein, Vice President, Airport Solutions, SITA, said: “There are a multitude of airport and travel apps but at SITA we have taken the initiative to develop one that provides a truly personal experience. We’ve incorporated the latest technologies, including Miami’s beacon infrastructure and a selection of SITA’s industry APIs, to provide a context and location-aware experience.
“What this means is that anyone who uses Miami International Airport will find this app incredibly useful. We have drawn on our decades of experience with airlines and airports and worked very closely with the team in Miami to deliver the world’s most technologically advanced airport app.”
Traditional airport apps do not know when you are flying or where you are, how you are getting to the airport or what you want to do once you arrive…they are passive. SITA’s Day of Travel Airport App is the smarter airport app. It recognizes the user and makes sense of the vast amounts of data that are available at the airport adding real-time business intelligence to create an outstanding user experience. It uses data delivered via SITA’s industry-leading APIs to present the user with a seamless experience on their device of choice.
The MIA Airport Official app can be used on mobile devices running iOS or Android, and is available today in the Apple App Store and in Google Play. Updates and new features will be made available over the coming months to further improve the day-of- travel experience in Miami.
This app was designed to make use of the latest beacon technology based on the Common Use Beacon Registry standards. The registry was developed by SITA and is currently managed by the organization on behalf of the airlines and airports of the world.
