Florida’s Legislature passed a law that will rename Palm Beach International Airport for President Donald Trump. It gives the state authority over the names of “major commercial service airports” (FAA medium and large hub airports) and renames the West Palm Beach (PBI) “currently known as ‘Palm Beach International Airport’” as “President Donald J. Trump International Airport.” This is conditioned on:
- FAA approval (presumably the Trump administration’s FAA will approve)
- “Execution of an agreement with the rights holder authorizing the commercial use of ‘President Donald J. Trump International Airport’ by Palm Beach County” at no cost for signage, advertising, marketing, merchandising, promotions, and branding.
There had been concern when the Trump Organization trademarked the name that it would be an opportunity to extract payment from Florida for the renaming, but this legislation does not permit that (they can do their own merchandising and licensing though, beyond the airport’s free use).
The law also is clear that no new legal entity is created by this, so existing contracts stand and don’t need to be updated because of a renaming.
Passage was on party lines, 81-30 in the House and 25-11 in the Senate, and needs to be signed by Governor Ron DeSantis before going to the FAA. It’s effective July 1, 2026. The White House, via communications director Steven Cheung, celebrated the move:
Has a GREAT ring to it…
President Donald J. Trump International Airport pic.twitter.com/odnPLHfoE3
— Steven Cheung (@StevenCheung47) February 20, 2026
Typically IATA and ICAO designations don’t change after a renaming. So this legislation doesn’t automatically change ‘PBI’ to ‘DJT’ (or KPBI to KDJT).
Several airports are named for Presidents, such as JFK; Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA); George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH); Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR); Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport (ICT); Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport (LIT); Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport (SPI); and Dickinson Theodore Roosevelt Regional Airport (DIK) to name a few. There are also smaller airports named for Presidents.
And airports have been named for people living (e.g. George H.W. Bush in 1997, Ronald Reagan in 1998, Gerald R. Ford in 1999, Clinton in 2012).
While no sitting President has had an airport named for them while still in office, airports have been named for other politiicans politicians and government officials who were:
- Ted Stevens Anchorage International was renamed in 2000
- Las Vegas was named for U.S. Senator Pat McCarran (before being changed to honor Senator Harry Reid) in 1948
- LaGuardia Field was named for Mayor La Guardia
- San Jose was renamed for Norm Mineta in 2001 while he was serving as Secretary of Transportation
New York LaGuardia Central Terminal
Palm Beach is Trump’s primary residence. Other Presidents get airports. It seems like this could have waited until he was out of office? The good news is that like I still call Baltimore ‘BWI’ and DCA is “Washington National” rather than “Reagan National” because I lived in Northern Virginia and that was my home airport before it was renamed, locals can still call it Palm Beach or PBI.
I don’t love naming major public infrastructure after whatever party is in power, though! And that’s not a political point, or anti-Trump in the slightest. I didn’t like it when Chicago was talking about renaming an airport for Obama, I was critical of renaming Las Vegas airport for Harry Reid, and criticized renaming Atlanta Hartsfield International Airport Hartsfield-Jackson in 2003.
Hopefully, though, naming Palm Beach International for President Trump will forestall naming Washington Dulles after him. Surely we don’t want more than one airport with the same name! That’s just a recipe for confusion, passengers flying to the wrong place, and misdirected bags.
On the other hand, that didn’t stop New York JFK and JFK Memorial Airport in Ashland, Wisconsin (ASX), and both Warm Springs, Georgia (5A9) and Sint Eustatius (EUX) have airports named for FDR.
One less airport to worry about now.
One thing USPS does right , they issue no stamps with the image of a living person. Have to wait at least 5 yrs after person died before his/her pictured is put on a stamp. Would be a good rule for airport renaming, too.
According to the ancient lawgiver Solon, the happiest men are those who have:
Moderate Wealth: Having enough to live comfortably, but not an excessive amount.
Virtuous Family: Raising respected children.
Noble Death: Dying in service to the city or in a state of honor.
His ideal was Tellus, a moderate, respectable man who lived in a well-governed city, had good children, and died with honor in battle.
He also noted the unpredictability of fate. Wealthy people are not necessarily happy because they are still subject to the changing whims of fortune.
Contrast with the lust to put one’s name on everything and in gold are best left to the reader. But remember, Midas did not end well.
Airport code should be renamed from PBI to PAB
*slow clap* This is fitting for him and PBI. When the seas rise and overtake much of South Florida soon enough, it will be even more so. “Clean” coal.
I heard they’re negotiating with Pendopo to be able to change the IATA code from PBI to PDO.
I’ll be here all week. Don’t forget to tip your server.
@TheJetsFan — *ba dum tss*
I’ll be calling it POS
I think we should name an airport after Gary Leff. Why not?