Gate-side empanadas in Terminal D, usually under $5 each
Half Moon Empanadas sits in Terminal D on the North side of MIA and runs as a kiosk-style grab-and-go spot. It’s a quick stop between American Airlines gates when you just want something hot in your hand in under 5 minutes. Rating sits around 4 stars, and the whole thing feels built for tight connections and boarding calls already underway.
Most empanadas land in the $3–$5 range, which is low by airport standards in Terminal D where basic burgers can hit $15. A Google review even mentions grabbing 3 or 4 empanadas as a flight snack instead of a full sit-down meal. You pay at the counter, they hand you a bag, and you’re back walking toward Gate D20 or D30 in under a couple of minutes.
Menu is focused: ham & cheese, beef, and spinach show up again and again in reviews as the best bets. Regulars call out the ham & cheese as the most reliable, with beef a close second if you want something closer to a meal. Spinach gives you at least one decent vegetarian option in a terminal that leans heavily meat-heavy fast food.
What regulars do: they ask, “Which ones just came out of the oven?” and order only from that batch. More than one flyer on Google says they buy a box of 4–6 empanadas here as a full in-flight meal on a 3–5 hour American flight out of D. It packs easier than a salad and doesn’t fall apart at your seat in 23B.
Watch out for empanadas that have been sitting in the warmer; several reviewers complain about lukewarm or greasy ones later in the afternoon, especially after 3 p.m. If the case looks picked over, walk back in 20–30 minutes or ask outright for something fresh. Tip: grab napkins and an extra bag at the kiosk, so your carry-on doesn’t smell like beef and onions for the next four hours.