Trump's New Palm Beach Airport Will Mark Your Boarding Pass 'DJT' Instead Of 'PBI'

Travellers heading to Florida's Palm Beach coast are now booking into President Donald J Trump International Airport after the former Palm Beach International Airport officially adopted the new name on 9 July 2026. The change also comes with a phased technical shift: the familiar PBI code will remain in use for passengers for a further six weeks before the airport moves to DJT on 18 August 2026.

The renaming follows state legislation signed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on 30 March 2026. The airport's operator says the transition will not alter runway use, terminal access or normal flight operations.

What Travellers Need to Know About the Transition

During the transition, the FAA's En Route Automation Modernization system will treat PBI and DJT as linked identifiers so flight plans can still be processed. For pilots and aviation staff, the four-letter ICAO identifier is KDJT, which is the code used in flight planning and other operational systems.

Palm Beach International Airport says passengers should continue searching and booking flights using PBI until the IATA code change takes effect on 18 August. The airport's own FAQ says the rebrand "may be received in different ways by our passengers", but it has promised to keep the travel experience as smooth as possible.

Nearly eight million passengers pass through the airport each year, making it one of the region's busiest travel hubs. The airport also serves as a regular arrival point for President Trump when he travels to Mar-a-Lago.

Airline Systems Updated for Dual Code Period

Henry Harteveldt, an airline industry analyst at Atmosphere Research Group, said carriers have implemented 'hard coding' into reservation and baggage systems to prevent confusion during the transition. He added that flight attendants will initially have discretion to welcome passengers to 'West Palm Beach' rather than reciting the full Donald J Trump International Airport name.

The International Air Transport Association, which typically treats airport codes as permanent, approved the change only after receiving a formal request from major US carriers serving the Palm Beach airport, including Delta, United, American Airlines, JetBlue and Southwest. Separately, Florida Representative Brian Mast introduced federal legislation specifically to switch the airport's letter code from PBI to DJT, which he said reflected Trump's 'close and longstanding ties to South Florida.'

IATA's corporate communications team confirmed the agency acted on the airlines' request to change the code from PBI to DJT alongside the name update, with the August 18 date allowing sufficient time for all industry systems to be updated.

Rebranding Costs and Political Implications

Florida's state budget has allocated $2.75 million (£2 million) for the Palm Beach International Airport rebranding effort, according to the state budget signed by Governor DeSantis in June. The funding covers new terminal signs, baggage tags, highway exit signage and digital systems updates across the facility.

Airport naming histories show that while several US airports currently bear presidential names, including Reagan National in Washington and Bush Intercontinental in Houston, none have been renamed during the honouree's own presidency. Palm Beach County officials, including airport Director of Airports Laura Beebe, have emphasised that day-to-day operations at the airport will remain unchanged despite the new signage and eventual code update. 'Our goal throughout this transition is to keep everything easy and familiar for our passengers,' Beebe said. 'Our team will be working behind the scenes to implement the required updates, and travelers will continue to enjoy the same smooth, convenient and friendly experience they expect.'

UK travel operators have not yet issued formal guidance to customers, though major booking platforms including Skyscanner and Google Flights are expected to update their systems to reflect both identifiers during the transition period. British Airways, which operates direct services to nearby Miami and Fort Lauderdale, does not currently serve Palm Beach directly.