Airport code to change from PBI to DJT on Aug. 18
Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Fla., was officially renamed the President Donald J. Trump International Airport on Thursday, the Federal Aviation Administration said. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis had signed a law in March authorizing the renaming.
The airport’s IATA three-letter code will change from PBI to DJT on Aug. 18, according to an International Air Transport Association spokesperson. IATA said it acted on a request from airlines serving the airport — including Delta, United, American Airlines, JetBlue and Southwest — to change the code along with the location name.
Airport codes managed by IATA “are almost never changed — and then only with strong justification, primarily concerning air safety,” according to the IATA website.
Henry Harteveldt, airline industry analyst at Atmosphere Research Group, told CBS News that airlines have “hard coding” in their reservations, passenger service and other systems to ensure passengers and bags reach the correct airport. He said airlines told him that, initially, passengers using the PBI code to search for flights would be directed to flights from what will now be called DJT. Harteveldt said he had also been told that flight attendants would be given leeway to say “welcome to West Palm Beach” rather than “welcome to Donald J. Trump International Airport.”
The airport’s website asks passengers to keep using the PBI code until the change in August. “While we recognize that the required name change may be received in different ways by our passengers, we’re grateful for your continued support through this transition period,” the website states. “We remain committed to serving all passengers and ensuring a positive travel experience.”
Nearly 8 million passengers fly through the airport annually, according to airport officials.
Under the agreement, Trump cannot receive royalties, fees or revenue from merchandise sold at the airport, but the airport can use his name, image and likeness to advertise. As MSI previously reported, the Trump Organization had sought trademark rights for airports using the Trump name around the time of the Florida Senate’s approval of the renaming in February.
Twelve airports in the United States are named after presidents, but this is the first to be named while the president was still in office.
Eric Trump, executive vice president of the Trump Organization, said the president’s plane was the first to land at the renamed airport at 5:01 a.m. Thursday. “There is no person who has done more for Florida and our country, and no one more deserving of this incredible honor,” he posted on X. “As a son, and someone who flies out of this airport nearly every day, I will forever be proud to see the initials ‘DJT’ on my boarding pass.”
The renaming has drawn opposition. U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel, a Democrat, said in a May statement that “airports named after presidents have traditionally been designated once they leave office and through decisions made by local communities and local authorities — not imposed from above.”
“While the county has to comply with state law, what we are seeing is a clear overreach by the state Legislature that forced through this change without meaningful input from the people who actually live here, work here and rely on Palm Beach International Airport every day,” Frankel said. “Naming a major public asset should reflect community consensus and respect local voices. That is not happening here.”
Two lawsuits opposing the name change have been filed in Palm Beach County, and both are pending.