Three hours in MIA is not long when you consider negotiating gate to gate, possibly stopping for a snack in the Cuban Cafe (I love the food, but it may not be for everyone.) and checking in on time. The true Cuban Coffee (cafe con leche) is not sold in the cafe, but in a coffee shop adjacent - get your fix there. The duty free shops are ok - plenty of them.

Concourse E is where most International flights depart - subject to change of course depending on your airline. There is a hall between Concourse D and E to avoid security again but you have to watch for it. If you haven't already, go to www.quickaid.com and look at info in MIA re airport map and locations of restaurants and shops.

Just at Concourse E where the MIA Hotel is located you can take the elevator up to 6th floor then another elevator up to 8 floor to a restaurant (sandwiches, etc) watch the planes take off, swim in the pool or use health club facilities (small charge I think). The elevator info may have changed, but info is posted in elevators.

I haven't been in the Admirals Clubs in MIA in several years - they finally priced me out of the market. However, it is a nice, quiet place to be to have a drink, coffee, tea, cookies, without the mob scene that is always everywhere else. MIA is always very very crowded. We here in FL just consider it a necessary evil.

We have just returned from a great tour with Globus of New Zealand and Australia. Managed to elude the crowds of the Commonwealth Games (we were there earlier) and the 14" of rain flooding in Cairns (we left the morning before it rained in the afternoon) and the coming typhoon with 175mph winds heading for Cairns. Still suffering jet lag! But it was all worth it.

Ruth in SW Florida