Hotels Near Miami Airport Tri-Rail Station

Want a convenient and hassle-free hotel stay near the Miami International Airport (MIA)? Then pick one of the hotels near Miami Airport Tri-Rail Station so you don’t have to depend on shuttles or taxis. 

There are four reasonably priced chain hotels in a row just a block from that train station and just above that is the airport Skytrain that will take you to or from the terminals. You have a choice of a Staybridge Suites, an Element Hotel, Even Hotel, or Radisson. 

Miami Airport to Tri-Rail

If you’re landing in Miami and headed to an airport hotel, you can stay at one near the Tri-rail station and take an airport train directly there instead of calling your hotel for a shuttle and waiting around after finding the right pick-up spot. Just look for the Tri-rail signs or take the Skytrain to the rental car annex area.

You just come down the elevator or escalator once you get to the end. Roll your bag a couple of blocks to where the four hotels below are right in a row. When it’s time to fly out, you catch the Miami Airport Skytrain by retracing your tracks and going up. 

Alternatively, if you’re spending a night at a Miami airport hotel in order to catch an early flight out like we were, you can take the Tri-rail train from as far north as Palm Beach (or eventually in combo with Brightline, from Orlando) and get off at the same station, the end of the line. This commuter train line also serves the Ft. Lauderdale airport. 

Note that Amtrak shares many of the same tracks and gets you almost to the Miami airport. So if you switch to Tri-rail for the last part, you could be coming from anywhere north that Amtrak serves and arrive directly at the Miami airport by rail. 

Last, Megabus arrives in the same area as the Tri-rail airport station, so these hotel recommendations work if you’re taking a bus here instead.

Staybridge Suites Miami International Airport

The Staybridge Suites was where we stayed near the airport when I was coming down from visiting relatives in Boca Raton. We arrived by train, wheeled our luggage for a few minutes and crossed at stoplights, then we were there. To save ourselves a few minutes and hauling hassle when it was still dark and we had to leave the next morning, we called an Uber and went to the gate area for eight bucks. 

I chose this hotel because the rates were good and I wanted to earn some IHG points I could cash in for an upcoming stay I had planned in another city. I earned enough points here to top off my account to the needed level, so it worked out well. This being a suite hotel, we got a nice room with a separate living room and kitchen. It was quiet and comfortable and we left with a good night’s rest before flying off to Peru the next morning. 

We got a happy surprise when we discovered that there’s a daily complimentary happy hour with beer and wine plus some hot snacks. We got up too early to enjoy the complimentary breakfast, but it gets high marks from guests who have stayed there, with a good variety. There’s also a swimming pool, a bar, and a fitness gym that’s not huge, but ample. 

I would stay here again, especially if we could get the kind of rate we did on this stay: $120. Check you own dates at IHG or at Hotels.com. 

Element Miami International Airport

If you want to earn or use Marriott points, check into the next one on the block, Element Miami International Airport. We reported on this hotel back when it opened as one of the first Element brand hotels. I really enjoyed the layout and the eco-friendly efforts back then and the hotel is still looking good today. 

You get a nice suite hotel room here, kitchen and sofa lounging space included, as well as a nice ergonomic chair at a work desk. There’s a swimming pool outside and a better-than average fitness center. This brand does half-heartedly promote wellness, so if you like to eat healthy at breakfast instead of being confronted with an endless wall of sugar, Element is your brand to choose among Marriott’s 30+ logos. 

You can drink and dine in-house here, which is good since there’s not much else around besides the other hotels, plus they have a limited store with takeout items. 

Rates are quite competitive here whether you’re paying outright or using Bonvoy points. The latter will usually run around 20K points—not bad by Marriott standards these days—or rates are anywhere from $125 to $240. Check them for your dates here. 

Even Hotel Miami Airport

Even is a lesser-known brand from IHG, so you have two choices on this strip if you’re trying to use or earn points with IHG Rewards. As with Element next door, there is a bit more of a focus on wellness than usual, with a spacious fitness center and more healthy options at breakfast and at the restaurant. Rooms can be set up with yoga mats or exercise bands and there’s a stand-up desk option, something you don’t see very often at hotels. 

I haven’t stayed at this property, but we did have dinner and a drink here when we were checked in at the Staybridge Suites two doors down. My wife got a big healthy salad and I got a nice flatbread (one of several offered) with chicken and roasted red peppers. 

The pool here has a view of an adjoining lake and is long enough for laps, surrounded by an ample array of lounge chairs. 

This is not an all-suite hotel so perhaps because of that, at times it has the lowest room price on the strip for a standard. Sometimes you can stay here for less than $100 per night. Check rates at the official website or at Expedia. 

Radisson RED Miami

If you’d like to check into a place that feels different than your standard hotel chain, book a stay at the Radisson RED Miami Airport. That’s the hotel’s very red restaurant pictured at the top of this post. 

The first clues that this place is a bit different are the ping-pong and foosball tables you pass on your way to the check-in desk. Then you get a view of the bar and restaurant area, which are designed for fun and socializing. The bar also has the best craft beer selection on this strip by a wide margin, including some Miami-area brews. 

Rooms are rather minimalist, with exposed concrete ceilings and utilitarian furniture, but they’re artistically designed with bold wall art and have laminate hardwood floors. Large smart TVs and refrigerators help you cozy up for the evening. 

There’s a standard rectangular outdoor swimming pool with lounge chairs and a fitness center that covers the basics. Rates generally run $120 to $240 before taxes and breakfast is not included. See more at the official website and book there or at Hotels.com. 

Final Notes on These Hotels Near Miami Airport

All four of these hotels will allow pets as long as you pay a hefty damage deposit. Parking is reasonable at all of them, averaging $15 plus taxes, so for a short trip it would be better to work out a deal to leave your car at the hotel rather than park at the airport. 

All four of these hotels have airport shuttles, but on a limited schedule that starts too late for early morning flights. If you don’t want to leave at the designated times, it can be more convenient to just wheel down the sidewalk and catch the airport Skytrain to your check-in counter. 

You probably won’t want to stay at any of these airport hotels if you’re planning to head to South Beach or other resort areas in Miami, though if you have business downtown they could work because of the easy rail connection. 

Article and photos by Hotel Scoop editor Tim Leffel, who was not hosted at any of the reviewed properties. 

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