Palm Beach International Airport in America 2026
Palm Beach International Airport remains one of the busiest and most awarded mid-size gateways in the United States, moving more than 8.6 million passengers every year through Palm Beach County, Florida. Sitting on 2,120 acres just west of downtown West Palm Beach, the airport has grown from its origins as a 1936-era municipal field into a modern facility with three concourses, 12 to 15 airlines, and nonstop service to 42 destinations across the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean. In 2026, the airport is also making national headlines for a historic name change, having been officially rebranded as President Donald J. Trump International Airport effective July 9, 2026, following approval by the Florida Legislature and the Federal Aviation Administration.
This report breaks down the most current, government-sourced statistics on Palm Beach International Airport for 2026, covering passenger traffic, airline market share, cargo volumes, aircraft operations, economic impact, and the ongoing rebranding timeline. Every figure below is drawn directly from official traffic reports published by the Palm Beach County Department of Airports, along with data from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Airports Council International (ACI), and other verified authoritative sources. Whether you are a traveler, a South Florida business owner, or a researcher tracking U.S. aviation trends, this guide offers a complete, data-backed look at how PBI performed through the middle of 2026.
Interesting Facts About Palm Beach International Airport 2026
| Metric | 2026 Data |
|---|---|
| Official Airport Name (2026) | Renamed President Donald J. Trump International Airport on July 9, 2026 |
| Current IATA Code | PBI (switching to DJT on August 18, 2026) |
| 12-Month Total Passengers | 8,698,107 (12 months ended April 2026) |
| 12-Month Estimated Seat Capacity | 11,184,680 seats |
| Average Load Factor | 77.8% |
| 12-Month Total Cargo Volume | 32,680 tons |
| 12-Month Total Aircraft Operations | 159,489 movements |
| Airlines Currently Serving PBI | 12 to 15 airlines |
| Nonstop Destinations Served | 42 destinations in 3 countries |
| Regional Economic Impact | More than $7 billion annually |
| Total Jobs Supported by PBI | Over 48,600 jobs |
| Year Airport Was Established | 1936, originally named Morrison Field |
| Airport Land Area | 2,120 acres |
| U.S. Customs Processing Capacity | 300 passengers per hour |
Palm Beach International Airport has quietly become one of the fastest-growing mid-size airports in the country, and the numbers back that up. The 12-month total passenger count of 8,698,107 represents a 1.4% increase compared to the same period a year earlier, even as monthly load factors softened slightly due to a wave of new seat capacity entering the market. This capacity growth of nearly 7% year-over-year signals that airlines are betting heavily on continued demand from Palm Beach County’s growing population and its year-round appeal to leisure and business travelers alike.
Beyond the raw passenger volume, the facts table highlights just how compact yet powerful PBI is as an economic engine. Supporting close to 49,000 jobs and contributing north of $7 billion to the regional economy, the airport punches well above its size relative to larger South Florida hubs. The 2026 rebranding to President Donald J. Trump International Airport adds a historic dimension to this year’s statistics, making PBI the first U.S. airport ever renamed after a sitting president, a milestone that is already reshaping search interest and media coverage around the facility.
Source: Palm Beach County Department of Airports
Palm Beach International Airport Passenger Traffic Statistics in the US 2026
12-MONTH PASSENGER TRAFFIC TREND (Ended April, in millions)
2025 ████████████████████████████████████████ 8.58M
2026 █████████████████████████████████████████ 8.70M
+1.4% YoY
| Traffic Metric | 12 Months Ended April 2026 | 12 Months Ended April 2025 | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Passengers | 8,698,107 | 8,582,023 | +1.4% |
| Total Estimated Seat Capacity | 11,184,680 | 10,459,279 | +6.9% |
| Estimated Load Factor | 77.8% | 82.1% | -4.3 pts |
| Total Cargo (Tons) | 32,680 | 31,307 | +4.4% |
| Landed Weight (thousand lbs) | 5,219,361 | 4,920,971 | +6.1% |
| Air Carrier Operations | 68,214 | 64,812 | +5.2% |
| Total Aircraft Operations | 159,489 | 168,248 | -5.2% |
The 12-month passenger total of 8,698,107 confirms that Palm Beach International Airport continues to sit near its all-time record levels, following the record-breaking milestone of over 8 million annual passengers first achieved in 2024. What stands out in the 2026 data is the gap between passenger growth (+1.4%) and seat capacity growth (+6.9%), which explains the 4.3-point drop in load factor, from 82.1% down to 77.8%. Airlines are clearly adding more flights and larger aircraft than current demand is absorbing month-to-month, a trend worth watching for fare pricing and route sustainability through the rest of 2026.
Cargo and landed weight, however, both moved in a healthier direction, climbing 4.4% and 6.1% respectively, reflecting steady freight demand even as passenger growth slows. Interestingly, total aircraft operations fell 5.2% for the 12-month period, driven mainly by a decline in general aviation movements, even though commercial air carrier operations rose 5.2%. This divergence shows that PBI’s growth story in 2026 is increasingly being carried by scheduled commercial airlines rather than private and charter traffic.
Source: Palm Beach County Department of Airports
Palm Beach International Airport Airline Market Share Statistics 2026
TOP AIRLINES BY 12-MONTH ENPLANED PASSENGERS (Ended April 2026)
JetBlue ████████████████████████████ 1,113,682 (25.55%)
Delta ███████████████████████████ 1,092,503 (25.07%)
American ███████████████████████ 878,818 (20.16%)
United ███████████████ 558,346 (12.81%)
Southwest █████████ 337,406 (7.74%)
| Airline | Enplaned Passengers (12 Mo.) | Market Share |
|---|---|---|
| Total Enplaned Passengers | 4,358,501 | 100.00% |
| JetBlue Airways | 1,113,682 | 25.55% |
| Delta Air Lines | 1,092,503 | 25.07% |
| American Airlines | 878,818 | 20.16% |
| United Airlines | 558,346 | 12.81% |
| Southwest Airlines | 337,406 | 7.74% |
| Frontier Airlines | 73,134 | 1.68% |
| Allegiant Air | 67,595 | 1.55% |
| Breeze Airways | 69,096 | 1.59% |
| Spirit Airlines | 64,118 | 1.47% |
| Avelo Airlines | 47,761 | 1.10% |
| Air Canada | 33,062 | 0.76% |
| Bahamasair | 11,666 | 0.27% |
| Porter Airlines | 8,258 | 0.19% |
| Sun Country Airlines | 3,056 | 0.07% |
JetBlue Airways holds the top spot at PBI, carrying 25.55% of all enplaned passengers over the trailing 12 months, narrowly edging out Delta Air Lines at 25.07%. Together these two carriers control over half of the entire airport’s enplanement market, underscoring how concentrated air service is at this facility compared to larger, more fragmented hub airports. American Airlines rounds out the top three with a 20.16% share, meaning the top three airlines alone account for roughly 70.8% of all enplanements at Palm Beach International Airport in 2026.
Lower down the list, low-cost and ultra-low-cost carriers like Breeze Airways, Spirit Airlines, and Avelo Airlines each hold shares under 2%, but their combined presence signals growing budget-travel options for South Florida residents. Readers researching related aviation topics may also want to review our detailed breakdown of the busiest airlines statistics in the US for a broader national comparison of how these same carriers perform across the country’s largest hubs.
Source: Airports Council International, Palm Beach County Department of Airports
Palm Beach International Airport Monthly Traffic Statistics in the US 2026
APRIL 2026 vs APRIL 2025 — TOTAL PASSENGERS
Apr 2025 ████████████████████████████████████ 846,542
Apr 2026 ███████████████████████████████████ 845,159
-0.2% MoM
| April Metric | April 2026 | April 2025 | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Passengers | 845,159 | 846,542 | -0.2% |
| Passenger Aircraft Movements | 6,664 | 6,318 | +5.5% |
| Cargo Aircraft Movements | 132 | 158 | -16.5% |
| International Passengers | 13,801 | 11,585 | +19.1% |
| Domestic Passengers | 845,159 | 834,962 | +1.2% |
| Total Terminal Passengers | 858,960 | 846,547 | +1.5% |
| Total Cargo (Metric Tons) | 2,721 | 2,825 | -3.7% |
Looking specifically at April 2026, total passengers dipped a marginal 0.2% compared to April 2025, holding essentially flat at 845,159. However, this single-month snapshot hides a more interesting trend underneath: international passenger traffic jumped 19.1%, rising from 11,585 to 13,801, even as domestic volumes grew a more modest 1.2%. This suggests that PBI’s small but expanding international footprint, largely tied to Canadian and Caribbean routes, is outperforming its core domestic market on a percentage basis.
Total terminal passengers, which combines both enplaned and deplaned domestic and international travelers, climbed 1.5% to 858,960 for the month, while passenger aircraft movements increased 5.5%, reflecting airlines running more frequent, and likely smaller, aircraft rotations through the airport. Cargo aircraft movements fell 16.5% in April, contributing to the overall 3.7% cargo tonnage decline for the month, even though the trailing 12-month cargo figure remains positive.
Source: Palm Beach County Department of Airports, Federal Aviation Administration Tower Data
Palm Beach International Airport Cargo and Aircraft Operations Statistics 2026
12-MONTH OPERATIONS BREAKDOWN (Ended April 2026)
Air Carrier Ops ████████████████████████████ 68,214
GA & Other Ops ██████████████████████████████████████ 91,275
Total Operations 159,489
| Operations Metric | 12 Months Ended April 2026 | 12 Months Ended April 2025 | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Carrier Operations | 68,214 | 64,812 | +5.2% |
| General Aviation & Other Operations | 91,275 | 103,436 | -11.8% |
| Total Aircraft Operations | 159,489 | 168,248 | -5.2% |
| Total Cargo Tons (Freight + Mail) | 32,680 | 31,307 | +4.4% |
| Landed Weight (thousand lbs) | 5,219,361 | 4,920,971 | +6.1% |
The operations data reveals a clear structural shift happening at PBI through 2026: commercial air carrier operations are growing while general aviation activity is shrinking. Air carrier operations rose 5.2% to 68,214 movements, while general aviation and other operations fell 11.8%, dropping from 103,436 to 91,275. This rebalancing means scheduled commercial airline traffic now makes up a larger share of total airport activity than in previous years, a pattern consistent with the airport’s growing route network and rising seat capacity.
On the freight side, total cargo tonnage grew 4.4% to 32,680 tons, and landed weight, a proxy for overall aircraft size and traffic intensity, rose 6.1% to over 5.2 billion pounds. Combined, these figures point to an airport handling heavier, more frequent commercial flights even as smaller private and charter aircraft activity pulls back, a trend that airport planners will likely factor into future runway and concourse expansion decisions.
Source: Palm Beach County Department of Airports, Airports Council International
Palm Beach International Airport Economic Impact Statistics in the US 2026
ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTION TO PALM BEACH COUNTY
Total Jobs Supported ████████████████████ 48,600+
Visitor Spending ($B) ███████████ $2.3B
Total Economic Impact ($B) ████████████████████ $7B+
| Economic Indicator | Latest Reported Figure |
|---|---|
| Total Jobs Supported by PBI | 48,600+ jobs |
| Visitor Spending Contribution | $2.3 billion+ |
| Combined Palm Beach County Airport System Impact | $7 billion+ |
| PBI Direct & Indirect Economic Contribution | $5.6 billion+ |
| Palm Beach County Population (est. 2026) | Approximately 1.5 million |
| Average Airport Job Hourly Wage (2026) | $16.97/hour |
Palm Beach International Airport functions as one of the single largest economic engines in Palm Beach County, supporting more than 48,600 jobs and generating over $2.3 billion in direct visitor spending contributions to the region. When combined with the county’s three smaller general-aviation airports, the entire Palm Beach County airport system now contributes more than $7 billion annually to the southeast Florida economy, according to Florida Department of Transportation-backed economic impact studies. Notably, the airport operates as a self-funded enterprise system, meaning none of this economic activity is subsidized by local ad valorem property taxes; instead, it is funded through airline fees, parking revenue, and property leases.
Wage data for 2026 shows the average hourly pay for airport-related jobs in West Palm Beach sitting at $16.97 per hour, reflecting the broad mix of roles from ramp agents to customer service staff that keep the facility running. Palm Beach County’s population continues to expand toward an estimated 1.5 million residents.
Source: Florida Department of Transportation, Palm Beach County Department of Airports
Palm Beach International Airport Name Change Statistics 2026
KEY DATES IN THE 2026 RENAME TIMELINE
Feb 2026 ██████████ FL Legislature approves rename bill
Mar 2026 ████████████ Governor signs bill into law
May 2026 ███████████████████ FAA formally approves change
Jul 2026 █████████████████████████ Name change takes effect
Aug 2026 ██████████████████████████████ IATA code PBI → DJT
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Florida Senate Vote | 25–11 in favor (February 2026) |
| Florida House Vote | 81–30 in favor (February 2026) |
| Governor’s Signature | March 2026 |
| FAA Formal Approval | May 15, 2026 |
| Official Name Change Effective | July 9, 2026 |
| New Official Name | President Donald J. Trump International Airport |
| New ICAO Code | KDJT |
| IATA Code Switch (PBI → DJT) | August 18, 2026 |
2026 marks a historic year for Palm Beach International Airport, as it becomes the first commercial airport in United States history to be officially renamed after a sitting president. The Florida Legislature approved the rename by a decisive 25–11 vote in the Senate and an 81–30 vote in the House, with the governor formally signing it into law the following month. After the Federal Aviation Administration granted its official approval on May 15, 2026, the new name, President Donald J. Trump International Airport, took effect at 5:01 AM Eastern on July 9, 2026.
Travelers should note that while the airport’s identity has already changed on paper and in official signage rollout, the familiar IATA booking code “PBI” will remain functional for flight searches, boarding passes, and baggage tags until August 18, 2026, when it officially transitions to “DJT.” Airport officials have confirmed that flight operations and airline schedules will continue uninterrupted throughout this transition period, meaning the rebranding is primarily a branding and administrative shift rather than an operational one for passengers flying through the facility this year.
Source: Florida Legislature, Federal Aviation Administration
Palm Beach International Airport Rankings and Awards Statistics 2026
RECENT NATIONAL RANKINGS
Travel + Leisure (World's Best) ███████████████████████ 3rd Best US Airport
Conde Nast Traveler (Readers Choice) ██████████████████████ 5th Best US Airport
J.D. Power (Medium Airport Satisfaction) ████████████████████ 5th Best Medium Airport
TSA Checkpoint Wait Times ██████████████████████████ #1 in the US
| Award / Ranking Category | Latest Result |
|---|---|
| Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards | 3rd Best U.S. Airport |
| Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice | 5th Best U.S. Airport |
| J.D. Power North America Airport Satisfaction Study | 5th Best Medium-Size Airport |
| TSA Checkpoint Wait Times (CBP Ranking) | #1 in the U.S. (Shortest Overall) |
| U.S. Customs Processing Capacity | 300 passengers/hour |
| Consecutive Years on Travel + Leisure’s Top 10 List | 8+ consecutive years |
Palm Beach International Airport continues to be recognized among the top-performing mid-size airports in the country, ranking 3rd Best U.S. Airport in Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards and 5th Best U.S. Airport according to Condé Nast Traveler’s reader-voted survey, which drew participation from over 575,000 travelers nationwide. These accolades reflect consistently strong passenger satisfaction scores tied to the airport’s compact, easy-to-navigate single-terminal layout split across just three concourses.
Perhaps most notably, PBI has repeatedly been ranked #1 in the United States for shortest overall TSA checkpoint wait times by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, a distinction the airport has now held for multiple consecutive years. Combined with a 5th-place finish in the J.D. Power North America Airport Satisfaction Study among medium-size airports, these rankings help explain why PBI consistently outperforms larger, more congested South Florida hubs on customer experience metrics, even while handling a fraction of the traffic. For a broader look at how airport scale correlates with rankings and operations, see our related data in the world’s largest airport statistics report.
Source: Travel + Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler, J.D. Power, U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Palm Beach International Airport Nonstop Destinations Statistics 2026
NONSTOP NETWORK SNAPSHOT (2026)
Total Nonstop Destinations ██████████████████████████████████████ 42
Countries Served ███ 3
Airlines Serving PBI ████████████ 12–15
Daily Scheduled Flights ████████████████████████████████████████ ~200
| Network Metric | 2026 Figure |
|---|---|
| Total Nonstop Destinations | 42 |
| Countries Served Nonstop | 3 (US, Canada, Bahamas) |
| U.S. States Reached Nonstop | 26 |
| Airlines Serving PBI | 12–15 |
| Approximate Daily Scheduled Flights | ~200 |
| Most Popular Destinations | Atlanta, New York, Boston |
| Airline Alliances Represented | Star Alliance, Oneworld, SkyTeam |
With 42 nonstop destinations spread across 3 countries and 26 U.S. states, Palm Beach International Airport offers a surprisingly broad route network for a facility of its size. Approximately 200 scheduled commercial flights arrive and depart daily across the airport’s three concourses, operated by a rotating group of 12 to 15 airlines that together represent all three major global alliances: Star Alliance, Oneworld, and SkyTeam. Atlanta, New York, and Boston currently rank as the most popular destinations by passenger volume, according to flight-tracking data compiled for 2026.
Looking ahead, several new routes are already scheduled to launch later in 2026 and into early 2027, including additional Breeze Airways and Southwest Airlines service, signaling continued network expansion even as the airport works through its historic rebranding. This steady route growth, paired with the airport’s consistently high customer satisfaction rankings, positions PBI to keep pushing toward, and likely past, the 9-million-annual-passenger mark in the coming years.
Disclaimer: The data research report we present here is based on information found from various sources. We are not liable for any financial loss, errors, or damages of any kind that may result from the use of the information herein. We acknowledge that though we try to report accurately, we cannot verify the absolute facts of everything that has been represented.
