Miami International Airport (MIA) has resumed normal operations after a precautionary, partial evacuation of the South Terminal departures area on Sunday, January 25, 2026, prompted by unattended luggage reported near Departures Door 21.
According to local authorities and airport officials, the incident began shortly after 5:00 p.m. when the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of an unattended bag at Door 21 on the South Terminal’s Departures level. As a safety measure, deputies cleared the immediate area while the situation was assessed. The disruption extended to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screening points serving Concourses G, H, and J, as well as areas evacuated and temporarily closed, along with portions of the adjacent curbside roadway, creating localized congestion and delays for passengers attempting to access the terminal.
The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad was called to investigate the item. After completing safety checks, authorities issued an all-clear in the early evening, reported as around 7:30 p.m. (with some outlets noting the clearance closer to approximately 7:40 p.m.), and the airport began reopening the affected checkpoints and surrounding areas. With the all-clear given, passenger processing and access to the impacted concourses restarted, and the airport indicated it was returning to standard operating posture.
Operationally, incidents like this typically produce a “recovery tail” even after reopening: passengers are re-screened, queues rebuild, and gate holds can ripple into departure sequencing. Travelers moving through the South Terminal on the evening of January 25 were advised to allow extra time, as expected flows were expected to re-stabilize.
Images: @EugeneKatchalov