Jul 17, 2026
Predicted backlash from flyers who object to Florida’s decision to rename Palm Beach International after Donald Trump is seeding reports that United Airlines will offer free flight changes to passengers that want to avoid the airport altogether.
According to an internal memo obtained by travel site Live and Let’s Fly, the airline will let passengers who object to flying into Palm Beach the opportunity to switch to flights that instead terminate in Fort Lauderdale or Miami.
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“If a customer does not want to fly to the airport, use your empowerment to offer acceptable alternatives,” the memo reads
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A suggestion was additionally offered to agents responding to travelers that prefer to end their trip somewhere other than Palm Beach.
“I understand that you’d rather not fly to this airport anymore. We can look at nearby airports like Fort Lauderdale or Miami instead. Is that an acceptable alternative?”
Flexibility and customer service
Reservation agents generally have some latitude when it comes to rebooking a flight. They can use internal waiver codes or escalate a request if they’re unable to fulfill change requests themselves.
Often the amount of flexibility can come down to the amount paid for the ticket. Should a flight time change significantly, however, they are usually given broad authority to make changes.
In a statement to Moneywise, United said the memo was “poorly worded and not accurate.”
“United customers are able to make changes to a ticket without a fee for many reasons. However, our policy doesn’t allow for changes because of an airport’s name or three letter code,” the airline said.
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Fly the political skies
No airport has ever been named after a sitting president—and it’s very rare for one to be named for a living ex-president. Prior to this, there was only one: The Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport in Little Rock, Arkansas, which was renamed in 2012, 11 years after leaving the Oval Office.
Florida’s decision is not just controversial among flyers, but also lawmakers. Florida Rep. Lois Frankel (D), whose district includes Palm Beach, issued a statement in May calling the decision “a clear overreach by the State Legislature,” claiming the state’s lawmakers “forced through” the change “without meaningful input from the people who actually live here, work here, and rely on Palm Beach International Airport every day.”
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The name change took effect on July 9. The airport’s three-letter code is expected to transition from PBI to DJT on August 18.
The feedback on the airport’s social media page has been voluminous.
“FYI: I will never ever in 100,000 million years use this airport ever again,” wrote one person on Instagram.
Another user said, “I will NEVER fly into this airport. Even if it will cost more or if I have to rent an uber. NEVER EVER!”
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Chris Morris is a veteran journalist with more than 35 years of experience at many of the internet's biggest news outlets. In addition to his activities as a writer, reporter and editor, Chris is also a frequent panel moderator and speaker at major conferences, including CES and South by Southwest.
