Spotlight On: Juan Carlos Liscano, Senior Vice President of MIA Operations, American Airlines

Key points:

• • American Airlines is expanding Miami’s role as a global gateway through new routes, infrastructure investments, and operational improvements.
• • Technology and AI are enhancing reliability, customer experience, and hub efficiency.
• • Miami remains central to American’s long-term international growth, supported by its unmatched network across Latin America and the Caribbean.

July 2026 — Invest: spoke with Juan Carlos Liscano, senior vice president of MIA operations at American Airlines, about the airline’s role in Miami’s evolution as a global gateway. “What is good for Miami-Dade County is good for American Airlines,” Liscano said.

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How is American Airlines leveraging Miami’s role as a key gateway to Latin America and the Caribbean to support its broader network strategy?

American Airlines has a unique history in Miami. We just celebrated 100 years as an airline, and I have been with American for 32 of those years. I started my career in Miami, and I have been able to see this journey since we became a hub in 1989, when we purchased the routes of Eastern Airlines and went almost overnight from 19 to 200 flights.

At that time, Miami was not the center of the universe. But today, Miami is indeed the center of the universe.

Throughout that journey, American Airlines has had its DNA interwoven with Miami-Dade County. You can follow the growth in population, GDP, destinations, and the number of team members at American Airlines and see how we have grown together. As communities continued to migrate to South Florida for political or economic reasons, those investments came here in waves, and we have participated in enabling that growth.

We have the largest depth and breadth of service to Latin America and the Caribbean, helping connect economies, bringing investors and families, and supporting trade and commerce. We often say what is good for Miami-Dade County is good for American Airlines. Today, we are flying to 170 destinations across 46 countries and territories, and we will be running 400 flights this summer. We also have 15,500 team members, making us the largest private employer in Miami-Dade County.

How are American Airlines’ infrastructure investments at Miami International Airport improving operational efficiency and the customer experience?

We are fully leaning into the customer experience. There is no decision being made without the customer at the center of the conversation.

In Miami, we are about to reach 40 years as the hub carrier and hometown airline. Our vision is future growth and investment, while providing an exceptional customer experience at a global level.

We recently announced the new Gate D60 project that will deliver additional gates and reimagine Concourse D. The $1.1 billion project will create 17 new gates, adding to our hub’s capabilities to support even more international flights. It will also come with another lounge offering, among other customer amenities, to enhance the experience.

We are also opening a new 40,000-square-foot Flagship Lounge here at MIA. In fact, we are going to combine our existing lounges to create the largest Admirals Club in our system.

This new lounge will provide an elevated experience and enhance what we offer premium customers while supporting Miami’s evolution as a world-class airport.

How is American Airlines using technology to enhance reliability and minimize disruptions for passengers connecting through Miami?

We can’t control the weather. However, what we can control is how we recover, how we react, and how we take care of our customers when disruption happens.

Today, we recover from irregular operations quickly, which I have seen our airline improve upon consistently throughout the last 30 years. Technology is helping us determine whether it makes sense to hold a flight and connect customers when the decision points align. When you run a better operation, you can take those small delays to connect customers when it matters most.

We are also using AI technology for smart gating. We are gaining efficiencies in how we gate airplanes and move them throughout our major hubs. All of those things save time, which gives people and bags a better opportunity to connect while improving resource utilization.

How do new routes, including Milan and Caracas, fit into American Airlines’ long-term international growth strategy in Miami?

Miami is American Airlines’ largest international gateway, connecting the U.S. with 46 other countries and territories. Leaning into international service is a big part of our growth, which also comes with a different level of complexity. The international connections that we provide is something I really enjoy, showcasing a big aspect of where we fly, who we serve, and how we take care of our customers. 

American is also the strongest domestic carrier, so providing domestic feed is important. With nonstop flights to more than 170 destinations around the world, our Miami hub is a key point of connectivity. It is not just originating traffic; it is connecting traffic flowing through here to the Caribbean and Latin America.

While Latin America and the Caribbean are our strengths, we have also leaned into Europe. We continue to grow our offerings with added service to Rome and Milan.

We also have strong partnerships through our alliance network, allowing connectivity across Europe, the Middle East, and beyond. That expands our reach and strengthens Miami’s position as a global hub.

What differentiates Miami as a strategic hub for American Airlines amid increased competition?

Being Miami’s hometown airline is a point of pride for us. We have invested more than three decades in doing that.

Miami is an incredible airport, and it is approaching 100 airlines, but no one offers what American does. There is a benefit to having a hub carrier with the depth and breadth of experience that American has flying to this region.

We can bring customers from across the United States into Miami while also serving the originating traffic in South Florida. That allows us to serve a wide range of markets, including smaller ones that are critical to connectivity and economic development.

There are hubs all over the United States, but there is only one in Miami. There is only one airline that has that hub. That allows us to provide a network that is unparalleled and supports Miami’s role as the capital of the Americas.

What impact are operational improvements having on performance and passenger satisfaction?

The Department of Transportation publishes on-time performance reports, and American Airlines was the No. 1 on-time U.S. airline out of MIA in December 2025. That was our biggest schedule ever in Miami, which added a high level of complexity. We are leaning into operational performance and our ability to deliver for our customers.

We also had our best baggage performance in 2025, and we just closed out April with our best baggage performance ever in the history of this hub. These results are a reflection of our team’s focus on executing a reliable operation and caring for our customers.

We are also seeing strong improvement in customer satisfaction rankings. Seeing this movement toward execution and delivering what customers expect is exciting.

Looking ahead, how do you see hub operations evolving?

There is a stronger focus on the premium customer, and those expectations are high. If you want to be the airline of choice, you have to deliver the right offerings.

I have been doing this for more than three decades and have seen economic cycles, crises, and disruptions. As the hub carrier in Miami, we are exposed to global events, not just domestic ones.

Despite that, I have never felt more positive about where we are headed as an airline and am confident we will continue leading the path for the industry and leaning into innovation for years to come.

What message would you like readers to take away about American Airlines’ role in Miami?

This year, American is celebrating its centennial. Not many companies reach that milestone. In Miami, we have 15,500 team members, many of whom have been here since we became a hub in 1989. They have been critical to our growth and evolution.

All of our success is predicated on the hard work of our frontline team members. They have shown up during storms and during the pandemic. That effort should never be overlooked. There are many hardworking people who define who we are.

Want more? Read the Invest: Miami report.