Key takeaways:
- The FAA began identifying the airport as DJT on July 9, but passengers are being told to use PBI for booking and baggage until the IATA code changes on Aug. 18.
- Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the renaming law in March, and Palm Beach County commissioners approved a licensing agreement in May.
- The licensing agreement bars Trump from receiving royalties, fees or revenue from merchandise sales at the airport, while Trump-related trademark applications remain pending.
Palm Beach International Airport officially became President Donald J. Trump International Airport on Thursday, beginning a phased transition that will change signs, branding and aviation codes at the South Florida airport near Mar-a-Lago.
The change took effect after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a state law in March renaming the airport for President Trump. The Federal Aviation Administration authorized the new name for July 9 and now identifies the airport for aviation operations as DJT rather than PBI.
Passengers, however, are being told to keep using PBI when booking flights and checking bags until Aug. 18, when the International Air Transport Association’s three-letter code is scheduled to change. That creates a 40-day period in which pilots, air traffic controllers and aviation systems use DJT while airline ticketing and passenger-facing systems still rely on PBI.
Henry Harteveldt, an airline industry analyst at Atmosphere Research Group, told CBS News that airlines have built safeguards into reservations, passenger service and other systems to make sure travelers and baggage go to the correct airport.
“Airlines have told me that, at least initially, people who use the PBI code on their websites to search for flights will be directed to flights from what will now be called DJT,” Harteveldt said. “I’ve also been told that flight attendants will be given leeway to say ‘welcome to West Palm Beach,’ rather than ‘welcome to Donald J. Trump International Airport.’”
The airport said in an online FAQ that signage, branding and public-facing materials will be updated in phases and that ownership and operations will not be affected. It called the renaming a “branding change only.”
“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,” airport officials wrote. “We remain committed to serving all passengers and ensuring a positive travel experience.”
More than 8 million passengers use the airport each year, and Trump flies there frequently to reach Mar-a-Lago, his Palm Beach estate. NPR reported that the airport had carried the Palm Beach International name for more than half a century. A 4-mile stretch of the main road connecting Mar-a-Lago to the airport was also renamed for Trump in January.
The code change is unusual. IATA says airport location codes are generally considered permanent and “are almost never changed — and then only with strong justification, primarily concerning air safety.” The organization said the request came from major U.S. airlines serving the airport, including Delta, United, American Airlines, JetBlue and Southwest.
“IATA has acted on a request from airlines serving Palm Beach International Airport to change the airport’s IATA 3-letter code from PBI to DJT, along with the change of the location name to President Donald J. Trump International Airport,” an IATA spokesperson said.
The renaming has drawn scrutiny because Trump is the first president to have a U.S. airport named for him while in office, NPR reported. There are 12 airports across the country named after presidents. Florida Rep. Lois Frankel, a Democrat, criticized the law in May, saying airports named for presidents have traditionally been designated after they leave office and through local decisions, “not imposed from above.”
Trump’s company, DTTM Operations, filed trademark applications in February for “DJT,” “President Donald J. Trump International Airport” and “Donald J. Trump International Airport.” Trump Organization spokesperson Kimberly Benza told NPR that filing for trademark protection is normal because the Trump name is “internationally known and a frequent target of infringers, counterfeiters and unauthorized users around the world.”
Palm Beach County commissioners approved a licensing agreement in May allowing the airport to use Trump’s name, image and likeness. The agreement bars Trump from receiving royalties, fees or revenue from merchandise sales at the airport. Benza said “the President and his family will not receive any royalty, licensing fee, or financial consideration whatsoever from the airport renaming.”
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