Before Trump, 8 airports already named to honor US presidents

Despite backlash over Florida lawmakers approving a bill to rename Palm Beach International Airport after President Donald Trump, the move would place him among a growing list of commanders in chief whose names already greet travelers on airport terminals across the country.

If finalized by Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Federal Aviation Administration, Palm Beach International would become the ninth commercial U.S. airport named after a president, joining hubs from New York to Houston.

The name change would go into effect on July 1 if signed into law, according to reports, making Trump the first to receive the honor while still in office. Palm Beach International Airport holds particular significance as it is located just minutes from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, which serves as his primary residence.

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Following approval by the Florida House and Senate, some Democrats in the Sunshine State pushed back, citing concerns over the cost of rebranding and what they described as a lack of community input, Digital previously reported.

White House Communications Director Steven Cheung, meanwhile, took to X to say the name “has a GREAT ring to it.”

Here are eight commercial airports that already bear the names of former presidents.

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Palm Beach International Airport could soon be renamed after President Donald Trump. (Samuel Corum/Getty Images)

1. Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport (SPI) 

Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport in Springfield, Illinois, was renamed in 2004 to honor the 16th president, whose longtime home and political base were in the state capital. Lincoln’s name was added to the airport’s existing name — the facility first opened as Capital Airport in 1947 — according to the Sangamon County Historical Society.

2. Dickinson Theodore Roosevelt Regional Airport (DIK) 

Dickinson Municipal Airport opened in 1959 and was later renamed Dickinson Theodore Roosevelt Regional Airport to honor President Theodore Roosevelt, reflecting the region’s connection to the nearby Theodore Roosevelt National Park and the president’s legacy in the North Dakota area, according to reports.

Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport was renamed in 2014 to honor the Kansas-raised 34th president. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

3. Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport (ICT)

Wichita’s airport was renamed Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport in November 2014 to honor the 34th president, who considered Kansas his home state, following a citizen-led petition effort, according to the airport’s website.

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4. John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)

Sen. Edward F. Kennedy participates in a 1963 ceremony renaming New York International Airport in tribute to the late President John F. Kennedy. (Bettmann)

John F. Kennedy International Airport was renamed just weeks after Kennedy’s assassination in November 1963, with New York City officials voting in December to change the name from Idlewild Airport in his honor. The new name was formally unveiled on Christmas Eve 1963, making it one of the swiftest presidential airport renamings, according to “The Bowery Boys,” a popular New York City history blog.

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5. Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR)

Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids was renamed in 1999 to honor the 38th president, a longtime Michigan resident who represented the area in Congress for more than two decades before ascending to the White House, according to the airport’s website.

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport was renamed in 1998, nearly a decade after Reagan left office. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

6. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport was renamed in 1998 after Congress passed legislation changing the name from Washington National Airport to honor the 40th president, according to the airport. The bill was signed into law by President Bill Clinton, marking the first time the airport’s name had been changed since it opened in 1941. The renaming came nearly a decade after Reagan left office.

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7. George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)

Houston Intercontinental Airport was renamed in 1997 to honor former President George H.W. Bush, becoming George Bush Intercontinental Airport four years after he left office, according to the Texas State Historical Association. The change recognized Bush’s longtime ties to Houston, where he lived and built much of his political career.

George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston was renamed in 1997 to honor the 41st president. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

8. Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport (LIT) 

In March 2012, Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport was unveiled, replacing the former Little Rock National Airport/Adams Field designation to honor the former president, a native Arkansan, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for their longstanding ties to the southern state.

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Digital’s Charles Creitz contributed to this report.