History of Palm Beach International Airport
Palm Beach International Airport began operations in 1936 as Morrison Field, named in honor of Grace K. Morrison, a key figure in planning and organizing the airfield. The first flight to depart the field was a New York-bound Eastern Air Lines DC-2 later that year. In 1937 the airfield expanded beyond an airstrip with the construction of hangars and its first terminal, and during World War II the field served as a major training and staging base for the U.S. Army Air Forces ahead of the Allied invasion of Europe. The airport grew through several terminal expansions in the decades that followed, and on October 23, 1988, the 25-gate David McCampbell Terminal, named for the World War II naval flying ace and Medal of Honor recipient, was dedicated. Today PBI continues to rank among the nation's top-rated airports for traveller satisfaction and checkpoint wait times.
