Trump International? What would it take for a U.S. airport to be named after President Trump?
He already had an airline, so is an airport next?
As he mulls life after the White House, President Trump has reportedly asked aides about the possibility of a getting a major American airport named after him. The Daily Beast was first to report the news that the president has been inquiring about the process of naming airports including asking advisors what the process entails. The president, however, is reportedly interested not in just any airport. Instead, he's wants to make sure it's not one with "crumbling infrastructure" or a bad reputation, according to the report.
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He may be limited to red state airports. The feds don't have oversight of airports except for Washington D.C., so he will have to find a local government willing to entertain the notion. That will likely be in a conservative part of the country.
Daily Beast White House Reporter Asawin Suebsaeng wrote:
"Trump, very likely, will have a number of allied state and national politicians eager to demonstrate their devotion to him with an airport-naming push. But the process isn’t supposed to come until after he leaves office. The fact that it’s on his mind now, amid an exploding coronavirus crisis and accompanying economic problems, demonstrates how far his attention can drift even during weighty and difficult moments."
The state that voted for President Trump with the biggest margin was Wyoming. Perhaps Cheyenne (CYS) or Casper, Wyoming (CPR) might be amenable. Jackson Hole is also an option though Teton County was one of the few in Wyoming to vote for President-elect Biden (and it wasn't close).
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Lots of presidents have received the honor of getting airports named for them including Theodore Roosevelt in Dickinson, North Dakota (DIK), Dwight Eisenhower in Wichita, Kansas (ICT), John Kennedy in New York (JFK), George H.W. Bush in Houston (IAH), and George Washington (he shares the honor with Ronald Reagan) at Virginia's Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA).
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President Trump likely is not amused by one of the latest airports to be named for a former president — The Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport (LIT) in Little Rock, Arkansas.
The soon-to-be-ex-president may have his eye on something more grand, like a large, international airport. Indeed, some of the most famous airports in the world have been named for former leaders.
Paris' Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) is among the biggest airports in the world. De Gaulle helped lead the resistance to the Nazi occupation of France, and later became France's prime minister and was elected twice to the presidency. Or there's the Montréal–Trudeau International Airport (YUL) in Canada. That airport was named for the 15th prime minister of Canada, Pierre Trudeau (He's also the father of Canada's current prime minister).
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There's also the Nelson Mandela International Airport in Cape Verde (RAI) named for Nelson Mandela who helped end apartheid in South Africa and later went on to become president of that country.
Of course, the current occupant of the White House may not have quite the same resume, but he certainly has a long-time love of the airline industry.
Famously, Trump bought an airline in the 1980's.
In 1989, then businessman Donald Trump bought the struggling Eastern Air Lines Shuttle in a deal valued at $365 million. The carrier served Boston, New York and Washington and Trump promptly renamed it the "Trump Shuttle," relaunching it with a ton of pomp and circumstance. He actually refurbished each plane to get gold fixtures and plush carpeting at a cost of a million dollars a plane. Eventually, he lost his initial $20 million investment, and much more. The New York Times reported when he turned the operation over to USAir in 1991, he lost at least $100 million dollars he'd personally guaranteed.
Hopefully, any airport named for the president won't meet the same fate.
President Trump hasn't always gotten it right when it comes to airports. Back on the Fourth of July of 2019, he gave a speech where he said, “The Continental Army suffered a bitter winter of Valley Forge.. .. found glory across the waters of the Delaware and seized victory from Cornwallis of Yorktown. Our army manned the [unclear]. It rammed the ramparts. It took over the airports. It did everything it had to do."
Obviously, there were no airports during the Revolutionary War (or the War of 1812 for that matter which he also referenced). The president later said the teleprompter malfunctioned.
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.