Miami Airport Sees Surge in Valentine's Day Flower Imports

Customs officials process nearly 1 billion flower stems ahead of the holiday despite tariffs

Published on Feb. 6, 2026

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Miami International Airport is processing around 990 million stems of cut flowers in the weeks before Valentine's Day, with 90% of the fresh cut flowers being sold in the U.S. for the holiday coming through the airport. Roses, carnations, and other popular flowers arrive on hundreds of flights from Colombia and Ecuador, with the airport's largest flower importer, Avianca Cargo, transporting about 19,000 tons of flowers on 320 full cargo flights.

Why it matters

Miami International Airport is a critical hub for the floral industry, handling over a quarter of the country's Valentine's Day flower imports. This influx of flowers is an economic driver for the region, but also requires rigorous inspections by customs officials to prevent the introduction of plant pests and diseases.

The details

Agricultural specialists at Miami International Airport will process about 990 million stems of cut flowers in the weeks before Feb. 14, with around 90% of the fresh cut flowers being sold for Valentine's Day in the United States coming through Miami. Roses, carnations, pompons, hydrangeas, chrysanthemums and gypsophila arrive on hundreds of flights, mostly from Colombia and Ecuador. Miami's largest flower importer, Avianca Cargo, is transporting about 19,000 tons of flowers on 320 full cargo flights, more than twice as many as normal.

  • Miami International Airport receives almost 3.5 million tons of cargo annually, with flowers accounting for about 400,000 tons.
  • More than a quarter of those flowers are shipped before Valentine's Day, marking a 6% increase over last year.

The players

Miami International Airport

A major international airport that serves as a critical hub for the floral industry, handling over 90% of the fresh cut flowers being sold for Valentine's Day in the United States.

Avianca Cargo

The largest flower importer at Miami International Airport, based in Medellín, Colombia. The company is transporting about 19,000 tons of flowers on 320 full cargo flights for Valentine's Day, more than twice as many as normal.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Agricultural specialists at Miami International Airport who process the incoming flower shipments and inspect them for potentially harmful plant pests and diseases.

Association of Floral Importers of America

An organization representing floral importers, whose executive vice president Christine Boldt noted that tariffs and a new minimum wage in Colombia have led to increased costs for consumers buying Valentine's Day flowers.

Ralph Cutié

The director of Miami International Airport, who stated that the airport takes pride in being a critical hub for Valentine's Day flower imports.

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What they’re saying

“We fly flowers for the whole year, but Valentine's is special. Much more concentrated on roses, red roses especially. More than 50-60% are red roses at this time.”

— Diogo Elias, CEO, Avianca Cargo

“This adds significant dollars to the bouquets that are coming in. Every consumer is gonna have to face additional costs.”

— Christine Boldt, Executive Vice President, Association of Floral Importers of America

“The mother, the wife, the girlfriend in Omaha, Nebraska, that gets their flowers for either Valentine's or Mother's Day, chances are those flowers passed through our airport. And that's something we take a lot of pride in.”

— Ralph Cutié, Airport Director, Miami International Airport

What’s next

Customs officials will continue to closely inspect the incoming flower shipments in the days leading up to Valentine's Day to ensure no pests or diseases enter the country.

The takeaway

Miami International Airport's role as a critical hub for Valentine's Day flower imports highlights the complex logistics and regulatory oversight involved in bringing millions of romantic bouquets to consumers across the United States each year.