Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) officially changed its name to Donald J. Trump International Airport on Thursday, following approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This makes it the 12th airport in the United States named after a president. Travelers will be using both airport names for the time being.

The name change follows legislation signed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis last March, which transferred the naming authority for major commercial airports in Florida to the state government and redesignated Palm Beach International Airport to honor President Donald Trump.

The FAA stated that the name change became effective on July 9 after the required federal approval process was completed.

However, for the next 40 days, passengers will continue to use the familiar three-letter code "PBI" when booking flights, checking luggage, and searching for itineraries.

The airport's International Air Transport Association (IATA) code will not change to "DJT" until August 18, although aviation operating systems used by the FAA and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) began using the new identifier on Thursday.

This phased approach was designed to give airlines, airports, and reservation systems time to complete technical updates without disrupting travel.

Henry Harteveldt, an analyst at the aviation industry research firm Atmosphere Research Group, told CBS News that airlines have been preparing for these changes.

Harteveldt stated, "Airlines told me that at least initially, for those searching for flights on their websites using the PBI code, they will now be connected to flights departing from an airport called DJT."

He added, "I also heard that flight crews will be given the discretion to say 'Welcome to West Palm Beach' instead of 'Welcome to Donald J. Trump International Airport.'"

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) confirmed that it approved the code change at the request of the airlines serving the airport.

An IATA spokesperson stated, "At the request of the airlines serving Palm Beach International Airport, it was decided to change the airport's IATA three-letter code from PBI to DJT and to rename the airport to Donald J. Trump International Airport."

Airport officials are urging travelers not to use the new code until August 18.

According to airport guidance, passengers searching for flights, checking baggage information, or looking up flight schedules must continue to enter "PBI" until the IATA transition is complete. However, pilots and aviation professionals will see the new FAA and ICAO identifiers reflected immediately in aviation publications and operating systems.

The airport serves approximately 8 million passengers annually and is frequently used by President Trump due to its proximity to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach. The airport has served as the primary gateway for presidential visits to South Florida during his two terms.

This renaming is part of a broader tradition of naming major U.S. airports after past presidents.

Prominent examples include Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Virginia, John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport in Arkansas, and Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Michigan.

With Thursday's change, Donald J. Trump International Airport joins this group, with the transition of passenger-facing services expected to be fully completed next month.

US NNP = CEO Hong Seong-gu / Special Correspondent for NNP info@newsandpost.com