Quick Summary:
- Allow 60 to 120 minutes from landing to car hire desks.
- Add 30 to 60 minutes at peak international arrival waves.
- If checking bags, budget 20 to 45 minutes after clearing immigration.
- Leave extra time for the MIA Mover to the Rental Car Center.
Timing your car hire pick-up at Miami Airport is mostly about what happens before you ever reach the rental counters. Immigration queues can be quick or slow, baggage can arrive promptly or late, and the route to the Rental Car Center adds a fixed transfer you should not ignore. The aim is not to sprint, it is to set expectations so you can clear formalities, collect bags, and arrive at the desks ready to drive.
Miami International Airport (MIA) handles a high volume of international arrivals. That means border control can fluctuate sharply depending on how many flights land around the same time, staffing levels, and whether you can use automated passport control. If you plan a realistic buffer, you reduce the risk of turning a travel day into a stressful dash and you also protect yourself against rental counter delays at busy times.
Rule of thumb: total time from touchdown to car hire desk
For most travellers, a sensible planning range from wheels down to arriving at the car hire counters is:
Domestic arrivals (US to Miami): typically 30 to 75 minutes, depending on bags and distance to the MIA Mover.
International arrivals (non-US to Miami): typically 60 to 120 minutes, and 90 to 150 minutes at peak periods.
These ranges assume you are travelling normally, not running. They include walking, queueing, and the transfer to the Rental Car Center. If you are picking up a car hire vehicle for the first time at MIA, planning nearer the top end is usually more comfortable.
What actually takes time at MIA: a step-by-step breakdown
To estimate your own timing, it helps to treat the process as a chain. A delay at any link pushes everything back, and some links have minimum durations you cannot shortcut.
1) Taxi to gate and deplaning (10 to 25 minutes)
After landing, aircraft can spend time taxiing and waiting for a stand. Deplaning also varies. If you are seated at the back, add a few minutes. If you are travelling with children or need assistance, add more.
2) Walk to immigration or exit corridor (5 to 20 minutes)
MIA terminals are large and international gates can involve long corridors. Even without queues, the walk can be significant.
3) Immigration and border control (15 to 75 minutes, sometimes longer)
This is usually the biggest variable for international arrivals. Factors include arrival waves, passport type, whether you can use automated kiosks, and secondary checks. Even if you are well prepared, you cannot control the line length.
4) Baggage claim (0 to 45 minutes)
If you have hand luggage only, you skip this. If you have checked bags, the wait starts after immigration. Bags can arrive quickly, but on some days the belt starts late or luggage is split between flights and arrives unevenly.
5) Customs exit and onward walking (5 to 15 minutes)
Clearing customs is often quick, but there can be occasional checks. After exiting, you still need to follow signs to ground transport and the MIA Mover.
6) Transfer to the Rental Car Center (15 to 30 minutes)
The MIA Mover is the automated train connecting the terminals to the Miami Intermodal Center, where the Rental Car Center sits. Include time to reach the station, wait for the next train, travel, then walk into the building to the appropriate floor.
7) Counter time and vehicle handover (15 to 45 minutes)
This is outside immigration, but it affects when you actually leave. The counter can be quick if you are already arranged and documents are ready, or slower if there is a queue, questions over insurance, or a vehicle category swap.
How much time to allow by traveller type
Your best estimate depends on how you travel, not just which country you flew from.
Hand luggage only, confident traveller: For international arrivals, plan 60 to 90 minutes to reach the car hire desks in typical conditions. Your big variable is immigration, but skipping baggage claim often saves 20 to 45 minutes.
Checked baggage, average queues: Plan 90 to 120 minutes for international arrivals. The combination of immigration plus baggage claim is where most schedules slip.
Families, first-time visitors, mobility assistance: Plan 120 to 150 minutes. Walking speed is slower, you may need loo stops, and you are more likely to need extra time at the counter.
Late evening or early morning arrivals: These can be faster, but not always. Reduced staffing can cancel out lower passenger volume. Keep at least a moderate buffer.
Peak times that can stretch immigration queues
Miami has heavy international traffic, and queues often spike when several long-haul flights land close together. While exact patterns change by season and airline schedules, the safest approach is to assume slower processing if you land during common transatlantic and Latin America arrival banks.
If you land in a peak wave, add 30 to 60 minutes to your expectation. This is particularly important if you have checked baggage because a long immigration queue can cause you to miss the earliest baggage belt activity, then you arrive to find your bags still not delivered or already removed to a holding area.
Don’t forget the route to the Rental Car Center
At MIA, the main car hire desks are located in the dedicated Rental Car Center rather than inside every terminal. That makes the process predictable, but it also adds a transfer step you must budget for.
Even when everything is flowing, the walk to the MIA Mover, the wait for the next train, and the walk into the centre can easily take 15 to 30 minutes door to door. If you are travelling with several bags, this can feel longer. Treat this transfer as a fixed part of your schedule, not an optional extra.
Car hire desk timing: what “arrival time” should you plan for?
When you are choosing a pick-up time, aim for a time when you realistically expect to be standing in front of the desk, not when the aircraft touches down. For international arrivals, a good planning approach is:
Pick-up time = scheduled landing time + 90 minutes as a baseline, then adjust.
Adjust down to +60 to 75 minutes if you have hand luggage only and you are comfortable with airports. Adjust up to +120 to 150 minutes if you land at a busy time, have checked bags, or are travelling with family.
If your flight is prone to delays, build extra buffer. Being early is usually easier to handle than being late, because you can use the time to regroup, organise documents, and get your bearings before driving.
Documents and prep that reduce counter delays
Immigration timing matters most, but you can also avoid losing time at the car hire desk by being prepared. Have these ready and accessible rather than buried in your hand luggage:
Driving licence (and any required international permit, if applicable to you).
Passport and your entry permission details if needed.
Payment card in the main driver’s name.
Booking confirmation details and the exact name used.
If you want to compare options for pick-up locations around Miami rather than only at the airport, you can review Hola Car Rentals pages such as Hertz car rental Miami (MIA) and the broader car rental in Downtown Miami to understand what collection scenarios might suit your itinerary.
Planning for connecting flights and tight schedules
If Miami is not your final destination and you have a connection before picking up your car hire vehicle, add another layer of buffer. A domestic connection can be straightforward, but international-to-domestic transfers can require immigration, baggage collection, customs, then re-checking bags before moving onward. That can consume the same time you were hoping to spend reaching the Rental Car Center.
In those cases, it can be smarter to plan car hire pick-up later in the day or at an off-airport location once you are settled. For example, if you will spend time in the Coral Gables area, you might compare car rental in Coral Gables with an airport pick-up and decide which reduces time pressure.
What if your arrival is delayed?
Flight delays are common, and they affect more than your landing time. A delayed arrival can place you into a busier immigration wave, which compounds the issue. The best protection is a realistic buffer plus a calm plan:
Keep your pick-up time conservative so a moderate flight delay does not automatically make you late.
Make sure the lead driver’s documents are ready to avoid extra counter time.
If you are likely to arrive late night, consider that fewer open counters can mean slower service even with shorter lines.
Hola Car Rentals provides information pages for different providers and areas, including Thrifty car hire in Florida (MIA) and car hire near Airport to Coral Gables, which can help you understand local pick-up context when planning timings.
Comfort buffers: when to add extra time on purpose
Even if you are an efficient traveller, some situations justify padding your schedule:
Travelling with children: queues feel longer, and breaks are more frequent.
After a long-haul overnight flight: decision-making and driving readiness matter. Give yourself time to refresh before heading to the motorway.
First time driving in Miami: you may want a few minutes to study your route, set up navigation, and check toll options calmly.
Storm season disruptions: weather can slow ramp operations, baggage delivery, and airport transport flow.
In these cases, planning 120 minutes from landing to the car hire desk is not overcautious, it is practical.
Putting it together: suggested planning windows
If you want a simple planning table in words, these windows work well for most travellers arriving at MIA:
International, hand luggage only: choose a pick-up time 60 to 90 minutes after scheduled landing.
International, checked bags: choose a pick-up time 90 to 120 minutes after scheduled landing.
International, peak periods or families: choose a pick-up time 120 to 150 minutes after scheduled landing.
Domestic arrivals: choose a pick-up time 45 to 75 minutes after scheduled landing, longer with checked bags.
These planning windows answer the main question: enough time to clear immigration, collect baggage, and reach the Rental Car Center without rushing. If you arrive earlier than expected, you can always use the spare time to organise yourselves before collecting the vehicle.
FAQ
How long does immigration at Miami Airport usually take? It varies widely. Many travellers clear in 15 to 45 minutes, but peak arrival waves can push it to 60 to 90 minutes or more.
How long should I allow from landing to reaching the car hire counters? For international arrivals, plan 60 to 120 minutes in typical conditions. If you have checked bags or land at a busy time, plan 90 to 150 minutes.
Is the Rental Car Center inside the terminal at MIA? No. Most car hire desks are in the Rental Car Center at the Miami Intermodal Center, reached via the MIA Mover. Budget 15 to 30 minutes for the transfer.
What if I have no checked luggage? Hand luggage only can save 20 to 45 minutes because you skip baggage claim. You still need to clear immigration (international) and take the MIA Mover to the Rental Car Center.
Should I plan extra time if I am travelling with family? Yes. Families often need extra time for walking, comfort breaks, and counter discussions. Planning 120 to 150 minutes from landing to the car hire desk is sensible.
