Miami International Airport (MIA) is the main gateway, with direct flights from most major US cities and extensive connections to Latin America, the Caribbean, and Europe. It sits just west of downtown — a taxi or rideshare to South Beach takes about 30 minutes depending on traffic.
Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL), about 30 miles north, is often significantly cheaper to fly into. Budget carriers like Spirit and Frontier use it heavily. Getting from FLL to Miami takes 45 minutes to an hour by car, or you can take the Tri-Rail commuter train south.
Amtrak's Silver Service runs from New York and Washington, D.C. to Miami Station, though it is a long ride — roughly 28 hours from New York. Greyhound and FlixBus also serve Miami from cities up and down the East Coast.
If you are driving, I-95 runs straight into the city from the north. From the west, take I-75 (Alligator Alley) across the Everglades from Naples and the Gulf Coast.