US cruise homeports gain on airports' international traffic: BAUS cruise homeports gain on airports' international traffic: BA

Serving millions of passengers with far fewer resources than airports, cruise terminals have proven they can be just as vital to the global travel network, a new 'BA Perspective' noted.

Miami-based BA has experience designing facilities streamlined for continuous flow with minimal wait times and touch points, integrating technology to complete key processes before passengers arrive at the terminal and enhancing building comfort and atmosphere to improve the overall experience.

The firm has been involved in US cruise terminal design spanning PortMiami, Port Canaveral, Galveston, Seattle, New York, San Francisco, San Diego and Boston, with New Orleans planned.

Cruise terminals on par with some of the busiest airports

As detailed in the 'BA Perspective,' cruise terminals in Florida and Texas handle millions of passengers each year — on par with some of the busiest airports in the US. Miami, Canaveral and the Port of Galveston manage high volumes of international passengers and, with plans and berthing agreements with major cruise lines, they're on track for substantial growth.

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Already, cruise homeport numbers now sometimes outpace nearby international airports, with Port Canaveral surpassing Orlando International Airport (MCO) in international passenger volume. And Canaveral's cruise traffic is projected to rise from 6.9m in 2023 to 8.4m in 2025.

BA also pointed out PortMiami is expected to reach 9.4m cruisers by 2028, up from 7.3m in 2023. This puts Canaveral and Miami in the Top 10 US international travel hubs. And Galveston's fourth cruise terminal is projected to reach 4m cruisers annually by 2026, placing it 'in the same league as the 14th- and 15th-ranked airports, Seattle and Charlotte Douglas (North Carolina).'

'Crush load'

Passenger flow differs between cruise and airport terminals, as BA notes: Airports operate on a 24/7 model while cruise terminals manage large volumes of passengers in concentrated crush periods, disembarking thousands then embarking thousands more within a few hours.

This 'crush load' demands precise coordination: '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 US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) procedures,' BA said.

For US international airports, after deplaning, a passenger may need to walk up to 15 minutes just to arrive at CBP. 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.

Cruisers 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 ship.

Well-designed and strategically planned cruise terminals are capable of moving passengers quickly and effectively.

For further comparison, BA calculated the potential crush loads at homeports compared to the theoretical similar crush at an airport: 

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Miami International Airport (MIA), second largest in the US for international arrivals, has 167 gates. BA calculated: '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 manage 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.'

The full 'BA Perspective' report can be accessed at https://bacruisebulletin.com/.