Overview
- The airport’s public name change took effect on July 9 after Florida’s legislature passed a bill signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in March to rename Palm Beach International Airport for President Trump.
- Hundreds of comments obtained via public‑records requests show many travelers and at least one business vowed to boycott or reroute around the renamed airport, with dozens citing Fort Lauderdale or Miami as alternatives.
- An industry blog published an internal United Airlines memo telling agents to offer Miami or Fort Lauderdale as free alternatives for customers who objected, and United later called that memo “poorly worded and not accurate” while noting agents still have limited discretion under existing change rules.
- Federal aviation updates are underway: the FAA issued guidance for operational changes and the commercial passenger code will shift from PBI to DJT on Aug. 18, requiring airlines and reservation systems to update displays and manuals.
- Costs and legal questions remain unresolved, with airport officials estimating about $5.5 million for the phased rebrand, a $2.75 million state appropriation, a royalty‑free trademark license with the Trump Organization that gives the family approval rights over some uses, and at least two lawsuits challenging the renaming process.