Palm Beach International Airport

Palm Beach International Airport (IATA: PBI; ICAO: KPBI), commonly known as PBI, is the primary commercial airport serving West Palm Beach and the broader Palm Beach County, Florida. Located just 2.5 miles west of downtown West Palm Beach and 3.5 miles from Palm Beach itself, it's the third busiest airport in the Miami metropolitan area behind Miami International Airport and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. With more than 8 million passengers annually, PBI has earned top rankings from Travel + Leisure and Condé Nast Traveler as one of America's best airports. The airport's story is remarkable. It started as a modest grass airstrip in the mid-1930s and evolved into a full-service facility connecting South Florida to dozens of domestic and select international destinations.

Origins and Early History

PBI's commercial history began in 1936 when it operated as Morrison Field. The airport was named for Miss Grace K. Morrison, a pioneer whose early planning and organizing efforts led to the field's establishment. On December 19, 1936, the airport was officially dedicated. That same year, the inaugural airline flight departed: an Eastern Air Lines DC-2 heading to New York.

By 1937, things were changing fast. The Palm Beach Aero Corporation leased the property and built hangars alongside the first terminal on the airport's south side. They called it the Eastern Air Lines Terminal. At that point, the airport mainly served one carrier and catered to seasonal tourists, who'd always been central to Palm Beach County's economy.

Throughout the 1940s, only Eastern Air Lines and National operated from West Palm Beach. The carrier lineup was modest. Yet the field was already becoming something more significant, something that'd soon take on an entirely different role.

World War II and Military Use

World War II changed everything. Morrison Field transformed from a quiet regional airstrip into a strategically critical military installation practically overnight. The U.S. Army Air Forces took it over. After Pearl Harbor, the field became a training hub and later a staging base for the Allied invasion of France. Numerous aircraft departed Morrison bound for the United Kingdom to participate in the D-Day invasion of Normandy. It also served as a stopover for flights to and from India via Brazil and West Africa.

In 1947, the newly established U.S. Air Force returned Morrison Field to Palm Beach County. A year later, in 1948, officials made a critical decision. They wanted to capitalize on what they saw as the international prestige of the Palm Beach name, believing it'd drive long-term business and tourism growth. On August 11, the Board of County Commissioners voted to change the name from Morrison Field to Palm Beach International Airport.

Military ties didn't end there, though. September 1951 brought Korean War pressures. The Air Force reactivated Morrison Air Force Base, and civilian operations shifted once again, first into a hangar and then an adjacent building. Nearly 23,000 airmen trained in West Palm Beach during the Korean conflict. After the war ended, the federal government pushed hard to make it a permanent military base, but in 1959 Palm Beach County reclaimed operations. By 1960, ownership of the 2,000-acre airport was officially transferred back.

Post-War Growth and Terminal Development

With military operations finally done, the airport entered a long period of civilian expansion. In 1953, they built the first permanent terminal on Southern Boulevard for nearly $125,000. At that time, only Eastern, National, and a few small carriers served West Palm Beach. Growth came quickly. President John F. Kennedy's regular visits on Air Force One from 1960 to 1963 made the airport's limitations obvious.

During the early 1960s, Palm Beach County officials considered something ambitious: a large regional jetport 20 miles west of downtown. County residents said no. In a 1963 referendum, they voted to keep their existing airport and improve it instead. That decision stuck. On October 29, 1966, the main terminal at PBI was officially dedicated.

Delta Air Lines stepped in with money and vision. In 1974, they built the airport's second main terminal, spending $2 million on a facility with six gates, PBI's first jetways, and separate baggage claim and ticketing areas. Those jetway-equipped gates mattered tremendously. They attracted new carriers. Several airlines added regular service in 1978 following airline deregulation. Eastern, National, and United now shared gates and ticket counters with them, and United added its own concourse shortly after.

By 1988, the terminals were handling 2 million passengers annually and operating far beyond their original design capacity. Complete infrastructure overhaul became necessary.

The David McCampbell Terminal

On October 23, 1988, PBI dedicated the David McCampbell Terminal, named for World War II naval flying ace, Medal of Honor winner and Palm Beach County resident David McCampbell. About $150 million in revenue bonds funded the project. It featured 25 gates, with room for 24 more. The 600,000-square-foot terminal included a two-story concession mall running its entire length.

Passengers immediately noticed the difference. In 2003, Condé Nast Traveler Magazine readers voted it among the nation's finest. The terminal's compact, well-organized design became its signature strength, letting passengers move from curbside to gate faster than at larger regional airports.

Today the airport operates one terminal with 31 gates (27 jetway gates, 4 hardstands) and three concourses. Concourse A holds four gates (A1 through A4) and serves Allegiant Air, Avelo Airlines, and Bahamasair. Concourse B contains 13 gates (B1 through B12, and B14) with Allegiant Air, American Airlines, Avelo Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Sun Country Airlines, and United Airlines. Concourse C offers 14 gates (C1 through C12, C14, and C16) serving Air Canada, Breeze Airways, Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines, JetBlue, Porter Airlines, and Spirit Airlines. A future Concourse D is proposed for the east side of the terminal.

Facilities, Operations, and Access

PBI is a mixed-use airport situated on Florida's east coast between West Palm Beach and Lake Worth. The traffic mix includes air carriers, corporate operations, and general aviation. Its largest runway stretches 10,000 feet long by 150 feet wide. The airport's configuration features parallel runways 10L/R through 28L/R along with Runway 14/32. A 24-hour FAA air traffic control tower operates at the site, and the airport sits within Class C airspace.

The U.S. Customs and Border Patrol facility can process 300 passengers per hour and handle aircraft up to the size of a B747-400. Customs and immigration services for international flights occupy the lower level on the west side of the terminal, accessible from gates on both Concourses A and B.

The Palm Beach County Department of Airports runs PBI alongside the Palm Beach Park Airport in Lantana, Palm Beach County Glades Airport in Pahokee, and the North County Airport on the Bee Line Highway north of PGA Boulevard. Road access is convenient for residents throughout the county. PBI sits adjacent to I-95 and is easily reached from anywhere in Palm Beach County. Boca Raton lies about 20 miles south, and Jupiter just 15 miles north.

Multiple multi-million dollar projects are underway. PBI continues modernizing the airport and improving the passenger experience through these ongoing capital improvements, reflecting its growth and its role as an essential gateway for business and leisure travel in South Florida.

Awards and Recognition

Recent years have brought substantial passenger satisfaction accolades. PBI was named 3rd Best U.S. Airport in Travel + Leisure Magazine's 2024 World's Best Awards. It also placed 5th Best Airport in the U.S. by Condé Nast Traveler's 2024 Readers' Choice Awards and 5th Best Medium Airport in the 2025 J.D. Power North America Airport Satisfaction Survey. The airport ranked #1 across the nation for the shortest overall wait times at TSA checkpoints. Upgraded Points recently named PBI the #1 Airport in the U.S. for International Holiday Travel.

These achievements distinguish PBI from the region's larger neighboring airports. Its reputation as one of the most passenger-friendly airports in the southeastern United States is well-earned. The airport's manageable size and consistently short security lines have made it a preferred departure point for many Palm Beach County residents who could otherwise drive to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport or Miami International Airport.