Palm Beach International Airport

"Palm Beach Airport" redirects here. For other uses, see Palm Beach Airport (disambiguation).

Palm Beach International Airport
IATA: PBI ICAO: KPBI FAA LID: PBI WMO: 72203
Summary
Airport type	Public
Owner/Operator	Palm Beach County Department of Airports
Serves	Miami metropolitan area
Location	Unincorporated Palm Beach County, adjacent to West Palm Beach
Opened	1936
Elevation  AMSL	19 ft / 6 m
Coordinates	26°40′59″N80°05′44″W / 26.68306°N 80.09556°W / 26.68306; -80.09556
Website	www.pbia.org
Maps
FAA airport diagram
Runways
Direction Length Surface ft m 10L/28R 10,001 3,048 Asphalt 10R/28L 3,214 980 Asphalt 14/32 6,931 2,113 Asphalt
Statistics (2023)
Aircraft operations 173,260 Based aircraft (2021) 196 Passengers 7,766,225
Source: Federal Aviation Administration; www.pbia.org [1]

Palm Beach International Airport( IATA : PBI, ICAO : KPBI, FAA LID : PBI) is a public airport in Palm Beach County, Florida, located just west of the city of West Palm Beach, Florida, United States, for which it serves as the primary airport. It is also the primary airport for most of Palm Beach County, serving the suburbs and cities of Wellington, Boynton Beach, Jupiter, and Palm Beach Gardens. It is the third busiest airport in the Miami metropolitan area after Miami International Airport and Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport. The airport is operated by Palm Beach County's Department of Airports. Road access to the airport is direct from I-95, Southern Boulevard, and Congress Avenue. The airport is bordered on the west by Military Trail.

History

Palm Beach International Airport began operations in 1936 as Morrison Field. It was named in honor of Grace Morrison, a key participant in the planning and organization of the airfield. The first flight departing the field was a New York bound DC-2 operated by Eastern Air Lines in 1936. The airport was dedicated on December 19, 1936. ^[2]

In 1937, the airport expanded beyond an airstrip and an administration building when the Palm Beach Aero Corporation obtained a lease, built hangars and the first terminal on the south side of the airport. The new terminal was known as the Eastern Air Lines Terminal. ^[2]

The field was used by the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, Morrison Field was used for training and later as a staging base for the Allied invasion of France, with numerous aircraft departing Morrison en route to the United Kingdom to take part in the D-Day invasion of Normandy. ^[2] Morrison Field was a stopover for flights to and from India, via Brazil and West Africa. ^[3]

In 1947, the newly established U.S. Air Force returned Morrison Field to Palm Beach County. The name was changed to Palm Beach International Airport in 1948. ^[3]

The airport was again used by the U.S. Air Force in 1951 and renamed Palm Beach Air Force Base under the control of the Military Air Transport Service (MATS). USAF operations occupied the north half of the airfield while civil operations and the airline terminal used the south half. MATS used the base for training with the host unit being the 1707th Air Transport Wing (Heavy), and its 1740th Heavy Transport Training Unit. The 1707 ATW was known as the "University of MATS", becoming the primary USAF training unit for all Air Force personnel supporting and flying heavy transport aircraft. These included C-124 Globemaster II, C-118 Liftmaster, C-97 Stratofreighter, and C-54 Skymaster maintenance training along with aircrew and transition pilot training. Nearly 23,000 airmen trained at Palm Beach AFB during the Korean War. ^[2]

The Air Weather Service used Palm Beach AFB as headquarters for hurricane research, flying the first WB-50D Superfortress "Hurricane Hunter" aircraft from the base in 1956.^{[ citation needed ]}

After several years of Palm Beach County fighting the Air Force presence in West Palm Beach,^{[ clarification needed ]} the Air Force started to close down operations there. The 1707 ATW was inactivated on June 30, 1959, and reassigned to Tinker AFB, Oklahoma. With the wing's departure, Palm Beach County took over airfield operations. The Air Force retained a small presence at the base with the 9th Weather Group becoming the main operational unit at Palm Beach AFB, performing hurricane and weather research for the Air Weather Service. The Air Photographic and Charting Service (APCS) moved its 1370th Photo-Mapping Wing to the base, performing geodetic survey flights. The Air Force finally closed Palm Beach AFB in 1962, and all property was conveyed to Palm Beach International Airport the same year.

Delta Air Lines began scheduled flights in 1959 and Capital Airlines in 1960. The first turbine-powered flights were Eastern Airlines Lockheed L-188 Electras in 1959, and Eastern DC-8 nonstops to Idlewild started in December 1960.

Air Force One was a frequent visitor to PBI during John F. Kennedy's presidency in the early 1960s. Local voters defeated a proposal to relocate the airport around this time, instead choosing to expand the existing facilities. In October 1966, an eight-gate Main Terminal opened on the northeast side of the airport; in 1974 Delta Air Lines moved into its own six-gate terminal with the airport's first jetways. ^[2] The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) built a new Air Traffic Control Tower on the south side of the airport during this period.

By the mid-1970s, the airport's dominant carriers were Delta, Eastern and National. Eastern operated the airport's only widebody service at the time, daily L-1011s to New York JFK and Newark. ^[4] By 1979, National operated daily DC-10 service to JFK, LaGuardia and Miami, while Eastern operated L-1011s to Atlanta and Delta operated L-1011s to Tampa. ^[5] By 1985, eight widebodies a day flew between PBI and the three New York airports. ^[6]

The 25-gate David McCampbell Terminal, named for a World War II naval flying ace, was dedicated in 1988. ^[7] In 2003, the terminal was voted among the finest in the nation by readers of Conde Nast Traveler Magazine. In that year, a new landscaped I-95 interchange was built to decrease traffic on Southern Boulevard (US 98) extending Turnage Boulevard (the road around the perimeter of the concourse).

Competition from rapidly expanding Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport cut growth at the airport in the 1990s. The 2001 recession and the September 11 terrorist attacks further inhibited growth, but development in South Florida since 2002 has finally led to a surge of passenger traffic at the airport. In addition, discount carriers such as JetBlue and Southwest Airlines began service to PBI. In 2006, the county embarked on an interim expansion program by breaking ground on a 7-story parking garage and the addition of 3 gates in Concourse C. Long range expansions include gates at Concourse B and the eventual construction of a new 14 gate Concourse D to be extended east from the present terminal.^{[ citation needed ]}

Following the 2016 election of Donald Trump as President of the United States, Air Force One again became a frequent visitor to PBI, typically parking on the south side of the airport near Southern Boulevard while Trump visited his nearby Mar-a-Lago estate. ^[8] Until 2017, a line of school buses was used as a temporary barrier between the aircraft and onlookers. Palm Beach County stated that it would erect a more permanent barrier system in mid-2017, but the school buses were still in use as of November. ^{[9] [10]}

Facilities

Panorama of Palm Beach International Airport from what was the 391st Bomb Group Restaurant off of Southern Boulevard

Palm Beach International Airport covers 2,120 acres (858 ha) and has three runways: ^{[1] [11]}

• 10L-28R: 10,001 x 150 ft. (3,048 x 46 m) Asphalt
• 10R-28L: 3,214 x 75 ft. (980 x 23 m) Asphalt
• 14–32: 6,931 x 150 ft. (2,113 x 46 m) Asphalt

The airport's runway designations were changed by the FAA to their current configuration on December 17, 2009. Previously, they had been ^[12] 9L-27R, 9R-27L, and 13–31.

PBI Airport has 32 gates (28 jetway gates, 4 hardstands). As of 2018, Concourse A has 4 hardstand gates and houses Bahamasair and Silver Airways. Concourse B has 13 jetway gates and houses Air Canada, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Sun Country Airlines, and United Airlines. Concourse C has 15 gates and holds Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines, JetBlue, and Spirit Airlines.

Control tower

A new 240-foot (73 m) Airport Traffic Control tower is active on the north side of the airport (west of concourse A, off Belvedere Rd.) along with a single-story, 9,000-square-foot (840 m²) ATBM Base Building. ^[13] The new tower replaced the previous one which was located on the southern side of the airport. The old tower was eventually demolished after the new tower came into service.

Helicopters

• Helicopter operations typically use 10R/28L or its parallel taxiways or make a direct approach to either Customs or the Galaxy Aviation ramp.
• Palm Beach County Sheriffs Office (PBSO) maintains its air division from a hangar at the southwest corner of the airport.
• Health Care District of Palm Beach County operates the Traumahawk with Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue from a hangar at the southwest corner of the airport, next to PBSO.

Other hangars

• General Aviation fixed-base operator (FBO) and hangars are located along the southern edge of the airport, with entrance access available by the Jet Aviation FBO. Other FBOs at PBI include Atlantic Aviation and Signature Flight Support.

Fire protection and emergency medical services

The Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Aviation Battalion is located between runways at PBI. The fire station which is located near the center of the airport grounds, is home to 13 pieces of specialized fire fighting equipment. ^[14]

These apparatus include:

• An air stair which allows for assistance in deplaning in an emergency ^[15]
• Five airport crash tenders that go by the call sign Dragon (Dragon 1, Dragon 2, etc.) ^[16]
• A foam unit that carries Purple-K concentrate to assist with extinguishing a fire ^[17]
• A heavy rescue vehicle that carries additional tools for plane crashes and other mass-casualty incidents ^[18]

Trauma Hawk

Trauma Hawk 1 at its hangar at Palm Beach International Airport

Main article: Trauma Hawk Aero-Medical Program

The Trauma Hawk Station, which is located at the south west corner of the airport, Palm Beach County Fire Rescue has two Sikorsky S-76C helos. ^[19] The department partners with the Palm Beach County Health Care District to operate the Trauma Hawk Aero-Medical Program. ^[20] The Trauma Hawk program, which was established in November 1990, replaced the use of Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office helicopters to medevac critically injured patients to area hospitals. ^[20] Air ambulances are identically equipped and can carry two patients each and up to four medical attendants if needed. ^[19] Each helicopter is staffed with a pilot, a registered nurse (RN) and a paramedic. The nurses and paramedics are Palm Beach County Fire Rescue employees while the pilots are Health Care District employees. ^[20]

Airlines and destinations

Passenger

Airlines	Destinations
Air Canada	Seasonal: Montréal–Trudeau, Toronto–Pearson
Allegiant Air	Asheville, Cincinnati Seasonal: Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, Memphis, Minneapolis/St. Paul
American Airlines	Charlotte, Chicago–O'Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth, Philadelphia, Washington–National
American Eagle	Seasonal: Washington–National
Avelo Airlines	New Haven (CT) Seasonal: Raleigh/Durham, Wilmington (DE)
Bahamasair	Marsh Harbour
Breeze Airways	Seasonal: Akron/Canton, Charleston (SC), Columbus–Glenn
Delta Air Lines	Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, New York–JFK, New York–LaGuardia Seasonal: Minneapolis/St. Paul, White Plains (ends May 6, 2024) [21]
Frontier Airlines	Long Island/Islip, Philadelphia, San Juan (begins June 2, 2024) [22]
JetBlue	Boston, Hartford, Newark, New York–JFK, New York–LaGuardia, Providence, Washington–National, White Plains Seasonal: Los Angeles
Silver Airways [23]	Marsh Harbour, Nassau, Pensacola, Tallahassee, Tampa
Southwest Airlines	Atlanta, Baltimore, Long Island/Islip Seasonal: Chicago–Midway, Philadelphia, Providence, St. Louis [24]
Spirit Airlines	Atlantic City, New York–LaGuardia
Sun Country Airlines	Seasonal: Minneapolis/St. Paul
United Airlines	Newark, Chicago–O'Hare, Houston–Intercontinental Seasonal: Washington–Dulles
United Express	Washington–Dulles Seasonal: Chicago–O'Hare, Newark

Cargo

Airlines	Destinations
FedEx Express	Memphis
UPS Airlines	Columbia (SC), Louisville, Miami, Orlando, San Juan

Statistics

Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 at PBI

Delta Air Lines McDonnell Douglas MD-90 at PBI

jetBlue Airways Airbus A320 at PBI

American Airlines Airbus A320 at PBI

United Airlines Boeing 737 at PBI

Top destinations

Busiest domestic routes from PBI (January 2023 – December 2023) ^[25]

Rank	City	Passengers	Carriers
1	Atlanta, Georgia	632,000	Delta, Southwest
2	Newark, New Jersey	437,000	JetBlue, United
3	New York–LaGuardia, New York	344,000	Delta, JetBlue, Spirit
4	New York–JFK, New York	284,000	Delta, JetBlue
5	Charlotte, North Carolina	253,000	American
6	Boston, Massachusetts	248,000	Delta, JetBlue
7	White Plains, New York	211,000	JetBlue
8	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	204,000	American, Frontier
9	Washington–National, D.C.	181,000	American, JetBlue
10	Baltimore, Maryland	175,000	Southwest

Airline market share

Top airlines at PBI
(February 2021 – January 2022) ^[26]

Rank	Airline	Passengers	Percent of market share
1	JetBlue Airways	1,362,000	25.37%
2	Delta Air Lines	1,162,000	21.65%
3	American Airlines	1,132,000	21.09%
4	United Airlines	651,000	12.12%
5	Southwest Airlines	443,000	8.24%
-	Other	548,000	11.29%

Annual traffic

Annual passenger traffic at PBI airport. See Wikidata query.

Annual passenger traffic (enplaned + deplaned), 1989–Present ^[27]

Year	Passengers	Year	Passengers	Year	Passengers	Year	Passengers
1989	5,115,700	1999	5,742,634	2009	5,994,606	2019	6,899,919
1990	5,691,410	2000	5,842,594	2010	5,887,723	2020	3,085,200
1991	5,077,573	2001	5,939,404	2011	5,769,583	2021	5,260,748
1992	5,023,693	2002	5,483,662	2012	5,609,168	2022	6,640,043
1993	5,074,132	2003	6,014,186	2013	5,691,747	2023	7,766,225
1994	5,588,434	2004	6,537,263	2014	5,886,384	2024
1995	5,418,831	2005	7,014,237	2015	6,265,530	2025
1996	5,680,913	2006	6,824,789	2016	6,264,397	2026
1997	5,813,361	2007	6,936,449	2017	6,322,452	2027
1998	5,899,482	2008	6,476,303	2018	6,513,943	2028

Ground transportation

Rail

Palm Beach International Airport is near the West Palm Beach Brightline Station served by Brightline and the West Palm Beach train station served by Amtrak intercity trains and Tri-Rail commuter trains. The latter no longer provides a shuttle bus service from the station to the airport.

Road

Palm Tran buses No. 40 and No. 44 serve the airport. Both provide connections to the Amtrak/Tri-Rail West Palm Beach train station. The station is also served by Greyhound buses.

Controversies

In conjunction with the slated construction of a new ATC tower at PBIA, the Federal Aviation Administration intended to transfer all of PBIA's air traffic controllers whose assigned sector is between 5 and 40 miles (60 km) from the airport to a remote facility at Miami International Airport. Ground traffic controllers, and approach controllers whose sector is within 5 miles (8 km) of the runway would have remained at PBIA. The FAA cited the move as a cost-cutting measure, but critics say that it creates a risk to South Florida air traffic if the Miami facility is damaged in a hurricane or a terrorist attack. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association opposed the move. The remote facility at Miami International Airport houses air traffic controllers for Miami and Fort Lauderdale international airports.

Donald Trump sued to block the expansion of one of the runways at PBIA in 2010. ^[28] In 2015, he initiated a $100 million lawsuit over the flight path that passes over his Mar-a-Lago estate. ^[29] He dropped the lawsuit in 2016 after his presidential victory ensured some type of no fly zone over his property. ^[30]

Accidents and incidents

• On August 21, 1956, a USAF Douglas C-124C Globemaster II crashed during its initial climb at then Palm Beach Air Force Base when a prop cuff came off an engine and went through the fuselage, cutting control cables, the aircraft banked to the right and crashed into a tree nursery, three out of the six occupants were killed. ^[31]
• On January 30, 2008, American Airlines Flight 1738, a Boeing 757 flying from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Philadelphia International Airport, had to make an emergency landing in West Palm Beach after the captain reported smoke in the cockpit. Of the 137 passengers and seven crewmembers, one passenger and five crewmembers were taken to the hospital, including the captain and the first officer. ^{[32] [33]}
• On November 11, 2010, a Piper PA-44 Seminole flying from Palm Beach International Airport to Melbourne Orlando International Airport crashed on a taxiway after an engine failed during takeoff. The plane was operated by Florida Institute of Technology's College of Aeronautics and all four aboard—two FIT flight students, a flight instructor, and a passenger—were killed. ^[34]
• On October 25, 2012, Spirit Airlines Flight 946, an Airbus A319 flying from Rafael Núñez International Airport in Cartagena, Colombia, to Fort Lauderdale International Airport, had made an emergency landing after engine No. 2 had failed on the aircraft. The plane had landed safely, and there was no damage to the plane or injuries reported. ^[35]
• On March 24, 2014, Delta Airlines Flight 2014, a McDonnell Douglas MD-90 flying from Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport to Palm Beach International Airport, had declared an emergency due to a hydraulic problem and made an emergency landing on runway 28R. There was no damage to the plane and there were no injuries. ^[36]
• On July 21, 2016, American Airlines Flight 1822, an Airbus A319 flying from Palm Beach International Airport to Philadelphia International Airport experienced a hydraulic fluid leak while taxiing for departure. Passengers exited the aircraft via emergency slides. Seventeen people were treated for various injuries. ^[37]
• On May 10, 2022, a Cessna 208 Caravan with two passengers aboard en route from Marsh Harbour Airport in the Bahamas to Treasure Coast International Airport in Fort Pierce, Florida, made an emergency landing at Palm Beach International Airport. After the pilot fell ill and lost consciousness, passenger Darren Harrison took control and called the tower at Treasure Coast International. Robert Morgan, an air traffic controller and a certified flight instructor, guided Harrison, who had no flying experience, to land safely at Palm Beach. ^{[38] [39]} The pilot who collapsed was hospitalized and his condition later stabilized. Neither passenger was injured. ^[40]
• On January 24, 2023, an alleged bomb threat aboard a Frontier Airlines flight prompted authorities to evacuate the Concourse C of the airport. A passenger made a statement that there was a bomb in his bags. The passenger who made the threat was arrested by the FBI. ^[41]

See also

• Aviation portal

• Florida World War II Army Airfields
• List of airports in Florida
• Transportation in South Florida

References

1. FAA Airport Form 5010 for PBI PDF , effective January 25, 2024
2. "History - Palm Beach International Airport". www.pbia.org. Retrieved 2018-11-07.
3. "U.S. Military in West Palm Beach". Palm Beach County History Online. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
4. "To Palm Beach International Airport Effective April 15, 1975". www.departedflights.com. Retrieved 2018-11-06.
5. "To West Palm Beach Effective November 15, 1979". www.departedflights.com. Retrieved 2018-11-06.
6. "To West Palm Beach Effective February 15, 1985". www.departedflights.com. Retrieved 2018-11-06.
7. DiPaola, Jim (October 24, 1988). "Thousands Get Terminal Fever Magicians, Dancers, Musicians Create Festive Pbia Opening". Sun-Sentinel. Archived from the original on October 10, 2018. Retrieved October 10, 2018.
8. "Trump's Frequent Visits Disrupt Palm Beach Life And Businesses". NPR. 2017-02-17. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
9. Webb, Kristina. "NEW: Trump finally gets wall — to shield Air Force One at PBIA". The Palm Beach Post. Retrieved 2018-11-07.
10. "Wall of buses ready at Palm Beach airport in anticipation of Trump visit for Thanksgiving". Washington Examiner. 2017-11-19. Retrieved 2018-11-07.
11. "PBI airport data at skyvector.com". skyvector.com. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
12. "FAASTeam Notice – NOTC2052: Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) Runway Designation Change, effective December 17, 2009". Federal Aviation Administration. Retrieved December 16, 2009.
13. "West Palm Beach Air Traffic Control Tower - Project Description". Archived from the original on 2011-05-27. Retrieved 2009-04-10.
14. "Station 81". Palm Beach County Fire Rescue. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
15. "Air Stair 1". Palm Beach County Fire Rescue. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
16. "Dragon 1". Palm Beach County Fire Rescue. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
17. "Foam 81". Palm Beach County Fire Rescue. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
18. "Support 81". Palm Beach County Fire Rescue. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
19. "Station Trauma Hawk". Palm Beach County Fire Rescue. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
20. "Trauma Hawk". Palm Beach County Fire Rescue. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
21. "Delta Air Lines just ended a major flight experiment". Yahoo! Finance. March 5, 2024. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
22. "Frontier Airlines Announces New Routes, Expanding Operations Across 38 Airports". Benzinga. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
23. "Silver Airways Restarts West Palm Beach". Airline Geeks. January 15, 2024.
24. "Southwest's Latest STL Schedule Update Expands/Resumes Routes" . Retrieved August 3, 2023.
25. "Statistics". transtats.bts.gov. Retrieved March 28, 2024.
26. "RITA | BTS | Transtats". Transtats.bts.gov. Retrieved Oct 25, 2021.
27. "Palm Beach International Airport - Palm Beach County Florida". www.pbia.org.
28. Playford, Adam. Trump sues to prevent runway expansion, The Palm Beach Post, palmbeachpost.com, July 19, 2010
29. Matt Sedensky (January 13, 2015). "Trump sues for $100M, says air traffic targets him". USA Today. Retrieved February 23, 2015.
30. "Trump ending lawsuit over flights above Florida estate: official". Reuters. 15 November 2016.
31. Accident descriptionfor 52-1005 at the Aviation Safety Network
32. "AA flight makes emergency landing in West Palm Beach: Travel Weekly". www.travelweekly.com. January 31, 2008. Retrieved December 12, 2018.
33. Ranter, Harro (December 21, 2016). "Incident Boeing 757-223 N624AA, 30 Jan 2008". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
34. "Plane crash investigation moves forward as victims are identified". Archived from the original on 2012-09-11.
35. "Spirit Airlines Airbus flight 946 forced to make an emergency landing at Palm Beach International - WPTV.com". Archived from the original on 2014-04-21. Retrieved 2014-04-20. "Spirit Airlines emergency landing at Palm Beach International Airport"
36. "Delta Flight 2014 from Atlanta to West Palm Beach lands safely after declaring emergency - WPTV.com". Archived from the original on 2014-03-26. Retrieved 2014-03-26. "Delta Flight 2014 from Atlanta to West Palm Beach lands safely after declaring emergency"
37. Sutton, Joe (July 21, 2016). "Passengers evacuate American Airlines flight after report of leak". CNN. Retrieved December 12, 2018.
38. "'I felt like I was in a movie': Jupiter air traffic controller helps passenger land plane at PBIA".
39. Marr, Madeleine (May 13, 2022). "'That was insane': Meet the man who landed a plane in Florida with no flying experience". Miami Herald. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
40. Hait, Ari (2022-05-13). "'Miracle in the air': Pilot stabilizes after medical emergency that caused passenger to land plane". WPBF. Retrieved 2022-05-14.
41. Casiano, Louis (2023-01-24). "Florida airport partially evacuated after Frontier Airlines passenger makes bomb threat". Fox News. Retrieved 2023-01-25.

External links

• Palm Beach International Airport, official site
  • Terminal Map with airlines
• Palm Beach International Airport 1966–1988
• FAA Airport Diagram  (PDF), effective March 21, 2024

26°41′00″N80°05′44″W / 26.6832°N 80.0956°W / 26.6832; -80.0956

• Resources for this airport:
  • AirNav airport information for KPBI
  • ASN accident history for PBI
  • FlightAware airport information and live flight tracker
  • NOAA/NWS weather observations: current, past three days
  • SkyVector aeronautical chart for KPBI
  • FAA current PBI delay information