Not only will Palm Beach International Airport (KPBI) be renamed President Donald J. Trump International Airport, but the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in a rare move will change its location code.
According to the association’s website, hundreds of electronic applications for passenger and cargo air traffic are built around these codes, which are almost never modified.
Per a June 15 IATA special industry notification viewed by FLYING, the name and code change—from PBI to DJT—will take effect July 9.
In March, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed legislation that approved the name change. The airport in a news release said separate federal legislation had been introduced to change the location code, which requires a more thorough FAA review and updates to charts, databases, and other resources.
Also July 9, the airport’s FAA locational identifier and International Civil Aviation Organization codes will change to DJT and KDJT, respectively.
Unusual Move
The renaming of an airport after a U.S. president is not without precedent. John F. Kennedy International (KJFK) was known as Idlewild Airport before Kennedy’s 1963 assassination. Trump has held a permanent residence in Palm Beach County since 2019.
Per an IATA FAQ, though, “assigned three-letter location identifiers are considered permanent and are almost never changed—and then only with strong justification, primarily concerning air safety.” Washington Dulles International Airport previously used the code DIA before switching to IAD, in order to avoid confusion with adjacent Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA).
According to IATA, location codes “cannot be changed unless there is a strong justification for such a change.” “Improvement in the marketing or branding of the airline,” for example, would be considered a weak rationale.
Per Monday’s special notification, the change from PBI to DJT was requested by American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines.
In May, the Palm Beach County Commission approved a licensing agreement, allowing the county to use “Donald J. Trump International Airport” for signage and merchandising purposes but giving the Trump Organization control over the name. According to intellectual property lawyer Josh Gerben, the airport will need to source from vendors approved by the company.
The rebranding has been estimated to cost about $5.5 million. One local pilot is suing the state, DeSantis, and Florida Department of Transportation over the burden on taxpayers, though at least some of the funding will come from airport revenues.
Palm Beach Airport serves about 8.6 million passengers annually. The airport in an FAQ about the name change said that “transition activities, including updates to signage, branding and public‑facing materials, will occur in phases” and that “airport operations and services will continue without interruption.”
The transition could also divide the community as it did the county commission, which approved the Trump Organization licensing agreement in a narrow 4-3 vote. According to Florida voter data, there are more Palm Beach County residents registered to the Florida Democratic Party than to the Republican Party of Florida.
“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 airport’s FAQ reads. “We remain committed to serving all passengers and ensuring a positive travel experience.”