When most people think of bustling international travel hubs, airports typically come to mind.
However, cruise terminals in Florida and Texas quietly handle millions of passengers each year—on
par with some of the busiest airports in the U.S. Both airports and cruise ports serve a similar
purpose: moving people and cargo efficiently across borders and destinations.
When considering just the numbers, one might assume that international air traffic significantly
overshadows cruise traffic. In 2023, the cruise industry welcomed 31 million international
passengers, compared to 237 million international passengers passing through U.S. airports. While
these airport figures are higher, it is important to note that the U.S. has nearly 120
international airports, whereas there are fewer than 20 cruise homeports. This contrast casts a
different perspective, showing that cruise passenger volumes are closer to air travel figures than
one might initially imagine.
This BA Perspective explores how the world’s largest cruise ports compare to their airport
counterparts and highlights how cruise ports are emerging as key international travel hubs.
Starting with the Numbers, Passenger Movements in 2023: Seaports vs. Airports
Data shows that the largest U.S. international airports handle significantly more passengers than
seaports in terms of volume. However, Florida and Texas boast the world’s four busiest cruise
ports—PortMiami, Port Canaveral, Port Everglades, and the Port of Galveston. With planned
investments and berthing agreements with major cruise lines, these ports are on track for
substantial growth in the coming years.
2023 Top U.S. International Airports & Cruise Ports (in total
movements)
source: Yahoo
finance
Interestingly when comparing cruise homeports with the nearby international airports, cruise
ports look very impressive. Port Canaveral, already is surpassing Orlando International Airport
(MCO) in terms of international passenger volume, and the port’s traffic is projected to increase
cruise passengers from 6.9 million in 2023 to 8.4 million by 2025.
2023 U.S. International Airport vs Cruise Port Counterparts (in total
movements)
source: Yahoo
finance
PortMiami is expected to reach 9.4 million cruise passengers by 2028, up from
7.3 million in 2023. These projected figures will place these ports among the top 10 U.S.
international travel hubs in the U.S.—an impressive achievement for any seaport.
Meanwhile, with the opening of Galveston’s fourth cruise terminal, the port is expected to handle
4 million cruise passengers annually by 2026, putting it in the same league as
the 14th- and 15th-ranked airports, Seattle and Charlotte Douglas (North Carolina).
Passenger Flow & Space Requirements
After comparing passenger throughput, it is important to understand how passenger flow differs
between cruise terminals and airport terminals. Airports operate on a continuous 24/7 model, with
flights arriving and departing around the clock. In contrast, cruise terminals manage large
volumes of passengers in concentrated crush periods dictated by cruise ship schedules. A cruise
ship carrying over 5,000 passengers will disembark its passengers and crew, then re-embark another
5,000-plus passengers within a few hours. This creates an intense but short-lived surge in traffic
to and from the terminal.
This "crush load" demands precise coordination to process passengers and crew
efficiently. Today, the expectation is for passengers to move from curb to ship—or vice versa—in
just 15 minutes at homeports, highlighting the need for operational efficiency, including baggage
check, security, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) procedures. For U.S. international
airports, after deplaning, a passenger may need to walk up to 15 minutes just to arrive at CBP,
depending on the terminal design. CBP processing and baggage retrieval can vary significantly,
influenced by factors such as the airport’s infrastructure, time of day, passenger volume,
citizenship status, participation in programs like Global Entry or Mobile Passport, and the
season.
This is because in cruise travel, passengers typically enter a terminal that serves one vessel,
with direct access to the ship, whereas airports serve hundreds of planes through interconnected
gate systems, each carrying far fewer passengers than a cruise ship.
This highlights the space efficiency of well-designed and strategically planned cruise terminals.
They are capable of moving passengers quickly and effectively in an expedient manner. To further
explore the comparisons, the following table provides a glimpse of the potential crush loads at
homeports comparing to the theoretical similar crush at an airport.
The table shows that cruise homeports are called to handle instant crush loads that dwarf those at
the largest airports in the U.S. Miami International Airport (MIA), the second-largest U.S.
airport for international arrivals, has 167 gates. Assuming an average of 300 passengers per gate,
the airport’s instant crush load—if all planes were to arrive simultaneously—would be 39,300
passengers. In comparison, PortMiami can handle a crush load of 50,000 passengers when 10 cruise
ships are docked, assuming 5,000 passengers per ship (the average today). Looking ahead, with the
introduction of larger vessels, that number could reach 70,000 passengers, assuming 7,000
passengers per ship.
For further comparison, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the largest U.S. airport
by gates, would have a crush load of 58,500 passengers under the same assumptions.
As the cruise industry continue to grow, cruise ports are cementing their place as major hubs for
international travel. Handling millions of passengers with far fewer resources than airports,
cruise terminals have proven that they can be just as vital to the global travel network.
BA’s Role in Shaping Efficient Cruise Gateways
It is not just about capacity; the ultimate measure of success is guest satisfaction. Ports must
find ways to deliver an exceptional experience while managing what can be an insurmountable
logistical challenge. Key innovations include:
- Designing facilities that are streamlined for continuous flow
- Minimizing guest wait times and touch points
- Integrating technology to complete key processes before guests arrive at the terminal
- Enhancing building comfort and atmosphere to improve the overall experience
At the heart of this efficiency are the cutting-edge designs of cruise facilities. Our team has
played a pivotal role in this transformation, streamlining passenger processing through innovative
design in all aspects of the terminal design, including cruise CBP facilities, in key cities
across the U.S. BA’s work has spanned terminal design in the following ports:
- Miami
- Canaveral
- Galveston
- Seattle
- New York
- San Francisco
- San Diego
- Boston
- New Orleans (planned)
Each of these facilities was designed to streamline the passenger experience, from customs
processing to embarkation, while optimizing space and cost. These designs are at the core of why
cruise terminals can rival airports in terms of passenger volume yet do so with far fewer
resources.
To learn more about BA’s role in shaping efficient cruise gateways, visit our website or contact
us at BAmaritime@woolpert.com
1. While this comparison highlights international passenger movements, it's important to note
that airports also manage significant domestic travel, and both airports and seaports handle
cargo operations—though seaports typically manage more. This adds an additional layer of
complexity to their operations.
