Airport Capitalization: When To Use Capital Letters

When writing, it is important to know when to capitalise words. The general rule is that proper nouns—the names of specific people, places, things, and ideas—are capitalised. So, does this mean that airport should be capitalised? The answer is: it depends. If you are referring to a specific airport by name, then yes, the word airport should be capitalised. For example, We are meeting at LaGuardia Airport. However, if you are referring to an airport in a general sense or by its location, then airport is not capitalised. For instance, The Los Angeles airport is very busy. So, whether or not airport gets a capital letter depends on the context and specificity of your reference.

Capitalising airport as part of a proper name

According to the AP Stylebook, you should capitalise "airport" when it is part of a proper name. For example:

> We met at the Chicago Midway International Airport.

> How far does it take to get to Bradley International Airport?

The first name of an individual and the word "international" may be omitted from a formal airport name while the remainder is capitalised. For instance:

> John F. Kennedy International Airport

> Kennedy International Airport

> Kennedy Airport

However, do not make up names. For example, there is no "Boston Airport". "The Boston airport" (with a lowercase "a") would be acceptable if, for some reason, the proper name, "Logan International Airport", were not used.

Lowercasing airport when referring to location

When referring to an airport by its location, the word "airport" should be lowercase unless it is part of the airport's proper name. For example, "the Boston airport" is correct when referring to Logan International Airport. However, if the airport's formal name includes the location, then "airport" should be capitalised, as in "Boston Airport" or Logan International Airport.

The same rule applies to airports in other cities. For example, "the New York airport" is correct when referring to one of New York's airports, such as John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, or Newark Airport. On the other hand, "New York Airport" would be correct if that were the airport's proper name.

When referring to an airport by its location, it is also common to use just the name of the airport with an initial capital letter and without the word "airport". For example, "I'm flying from LaGuardia" or "Which London airport will you be going to? Heathrow or Gatwick?".

In summary, when referring to an airport by its location, the word "airport" is generally lowercase unless it is part of the airport's proper name. The specific name of the airport is usually capitalised, even when used independently of the word "airport".

Using airport in a phrase without its proper name

When referring to an airport without its proper name, the word "airport" should not be capitalised. For example, "I'm flying from the Los Angeles airport" or "I'm flying from Los Angeles Airport".

• "The Los Angeles airport is very busy."
• "It's easier to fly into one of the smaller airports nearby, such as the Long Beach airport."
• "There are three New York airports: John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, and Newark Airport."
• "A new tunnel in Boston makes it easier to get from the downtown area to the Boston airport."
• "The Boston airport is located across the bay from the city."
• "Which London airport will you be going to? Heathrow or Gatwick?"
• "It takes over an hour to get from Narita (the Tokyo airport) into downtown Tokyo."
• "There's a lot of traffic going to the downtown area from Narita, Hartsfield, Gatwick, Heathrow, Orly, or Midway."
• "I have to get to LAX by 10:30", which translates to "I have to get to Los Angeles International Airport by 10:30".
• "I'll fly to the Los Angeles airport if I can get a booking. If not, I'll use John Wayne in Santa Ana."

In general, it is not necessary to use the definite article "the" before the name of an airport. However, there are a few exceptions, such as "the LAX airport" or "the Wiscasset airport".

When referring to a specific airport by its proper name, the word "airport" should be capitalised. For example, "I'm flying into John F. Kennedy International Airport" or "My plane lands at LaGuardia Airport".

Some other examples of proper airport names include:

• LaGuardia Airport
• O'Hare International Airport
• Logan International Airport
• Heathrow Airport
• Gatwick Airport

Capitalising airport when it's the first word of a sentence

When writing, it is essential to pay attention to capitalisation rules to ensure your work is consistent and easy to read. One such rule relates to the capitalisation of the word "airport".

According to AP Style, you should capitalise "airport" when it is part of a proper name. For example:

• Chicago Midway International Airport
• Bradley International Airport
• John F. Kennedy International Airport
• Kennedy International Airport

In these examples, the airport names are proper nouns and are, therefore, capitalised.

However, when referring to an airport by its location, only the location name is capitalised, and "airport" is lowercase. For example:

• The Boston airport (or Logan International Airport)
• A New York airport (e.g. John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, or Newark Airport)
• The London airport (e.g. Heathrow or Gatwick)
• The Tokyo airport (e.g. Narita)

When "airport" is the first word of a sentence, it should be capitalised, following the standard rule that the first word of any sentence is capitalised. For instance:

• "Airport security is a tedious process."
• "Airport staff are often overworked."
• "Airport lounges offer a range of facilities for travellers."

This rule applies regardless of whether "airport" is part of a proper noun or is used more generically to refer to an airport by its location.

Therefore, to summarise, when "airport" is the first word of a sentence, it should always be capitalised, but the rest of your sentence will depend on whether you are using a proper noun for the airport name or a generic phrase referring to its location.

Using a capital letter for the first name of an individual in an airport name

When writing an airport name that includes the first name of an individual, it is standard practice to capitalise the first name. For example, "John F. Kennedy International Airport" is the full name of the airport, and "Kennedy International Airport" or "Kennedy Airport" can be used as shortened versions.

However, it is important to note that this rule only applies when the airport is referred to by its proper name. When referring to an airport by its location, only the name of the city is capitalised, and the word "airport" is not capitalised. For example, "the Boston airport" is the correct phrasing when referring to Logan International Airport in Boston.

Additionally, when referring to an airport by its common shorthand name, only the first letter of the name is capitalised, and the word "airport" is omitted. For example, "LaGuardia" or "O'Hare" are acceptable shorthand names for LaGuardia Airport and O'Hare International Airport, respectively.

It is also worth noting that some airport names include directional or locational indicators as part of their proper name, such as "London Heathrow Airport" or "New York JFK Airport". In these cases, both the directional indicator and the airport name are capitalised, as they form part of the official airport name.

Therefore, when referring to an airport that includes the first name of an individual in its name, it is generally appropriate to capitalise the first name, regardless of whether the full name, a shortened version, or a directional indicator is used.

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