Flower imports blossom at MIA before Mother’s Day

Flower imports at Miami International Airport have been in full bloom over the past month leading up to Mother’s Day, the busiest season for the U.S. flower industry.

With MIA handling 89% of all flower imports to the U.S. by air, the global gateway has been receiving more than three million flower stems per day during its peak season, which is triple what arrives on an average day.

Mother’s Day spending is expected to total $31.7 billion this year, with 72% of shoppers planning to buy flowers, according to a 2022 survey by the National Retail Federation. That’s more than the $24 billion Americans spent on Valentine’s Day, with 37% of those shoppers buying flowers.

In 2021, MIA handled more than 327,000 tons of cut flowers valued at nearly $1.6 billion, for a 39% increase in weight and a 34% increase in value, making flowers MIA’s largest trade commodity in weight and its fifth-largest commodity in value. MIA’s flower power is expected to get even stronger in 2022, with the Association of Floral Importers of Florida projecting a 10% increase in flower shipments this Mother’s Day season compared to last year.

Most of MIA’s flowers come from Colombia and Ecuador, with 70% from Colombia and 22% from Ecuador. MIA’s blossoming flower imports are a big reason why it continues to rank as the busiest airport in the U.S. and the ninth busiest in the world for international freight.