Ruth Haines
LaGuardia Airport, officially known as LaGuardia Field, is a civil airport in East Elmhurst, Queens, New York City. The airport was established in 1929 and began operating as a public airport in 1939. It was originally named the Glenn H. Curtiss Airport, after the American aviation pioneer, before being renamed the North Beach Airport in 1935. In 1939, New York Mayor Fiorello La Guardia opened the airport as the New York Municipal Airport – LaGuardia Field. The name was officially shortened to LaGuardia Airport in 1953. The airport is named after Fiorello H. La Guardia, a former mayor of New York City. In 1951, transatlantic flights were transferred from LaGuardia Airport to Idlewild Airport, now known as the John F. Kennedy International Airport, commonly known as JFK Airport. Following the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963, the airport was renamed in tribute to him.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Former name of LaGuardia Airport | Glenn H. Curtiss Airport |
| Year the former name was changed | 1935 |
| New name in 1935 | North Beach Airport |
| Year LaGuardia Airport was established | 1929 |
| Year LaGuardia Airport opened | 1939 |
| Year LaGuardia Airport was officially renamed | 1953 |
| Year LaGuardia Airport's modern name was adopted | 1947 |
| Year JFK Airport opened | 1948 |
| Former name of JFK Airport | New York International Airport |
| Year JFK Airport was renamed | 1963 |
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What You'll Learn
- LaGuardia Airport was named after Fiorello H. La Guardia, a former mayor of New York City
- The airport was established in 1929 and opened to the public in 1939
- The site of LaGuardia Airport was formerly the Gala Amusement Park
- The airport has been renovated and reconstructed several times since its opening
- JFK Airport was originally named Idlewild Airport and opened in 1948
LaGuardia Airport was named after Fiorello H. La Guardia, a former mayor of New York City
LaGuardia Airport, located in East Elmhurst, Queens, New York City, is named after Fiorello H. La Guardia, a former mayor of New York City. The airport is situated on the northwestern shore of Long Island, bordering Flushing Bay.
The ground that LaGuardia Airport stands on was once the Gala Amusement Park, owned by the Steinway family, who also founded the piano company Steinway and Sons. The park was sold and transformed into a 105-acre private airport called the Glenn H. Curtiss Airport, named after the American aviation pioneer. In 1935, it was renamed the North Beach Airport.
Fiorello La Guardia, the former mayor of New York City, was the driving force behind the idea to convert the North Beach Airport into an airport for commercial flights. At the time, the Newark Commercial Airport was the only commercial airport serving the area. La Guardia's charismatic personality and leadership style played a significant role in garnering $1.1 billion in resources, which he used not only to build LaGuardia Airport but also to construct other significant infrastructure projects across New York City.
The New York Municipal Airport-LaGuardia Field was officially opened on December 2, 1939, and it quickly became a financial success, attracting curious onlookers and spectators. Although the public embraced the name "LaGuardia Airport" from the beginning, the name was not officially shortened to LaGuardia Airport until 1953.
LaGuardia Airport has undergone various renovations and reconstructions over the years, including the addition of new terminals and longer runways. Today, it is one of the busiest airports in the New York metropolitan area and the United States, accommodating both domestic and limited international flights.
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The airport was established in 1929 and opened to the public in 1939
The site of what would become LaGuardia Airport was initially the Gala Amusement Park, owned by the Steinway family, who also founded the piano company Steinway and Sons. In 1929, the park was sold and transformed into a 105-acre private airfield called the Glenn H. Curtiss Airport, named after the American aviation pioneer.
The idea to develop the site into an airport for commercial flights was sparked by a publicity stunt in 1934. New York Mayor Fiorello La Guardia refused to deplane from a TWA flight from Pittsburgh to Newark, arguing that his ticket showed his destination as New York. With reporters already aboard the plane, La Guardia used the opportunity to make a public appeal for a new, modern airport facility closer to Manhattan.
The Glenn H. Curtiss Airport was subsequently renamed the North Beach Airport in 1935. Mayor La Guardia then led an effort to turn the North Beach Airport into an airport for commercial flights, as Newark Commercial Airport was the only commercial airport serving the area at the time.
By 1939, Mayor La Guardia had finished building his new airport in Queens, attracting airlines with below-cost leases. On October 15, 1939, the New York Municipal Airport-LaGuardia Field was dedicated, and it officially opened for business on December 2, 1939. The airport was named after Mayor Fiorello H. La Guardia, and it served as a significant transportation hub for domestic and limited international destinations.
The airport's opening captivated the public's attention and capitalised on their fascination with air travel. The airport's financial success posed a challenge to smaller nearby airports, which struggled to compete. LaGuardia Airport underwent various developments and renovations over the years, including the adoption of its modern name, "LaGuardia Airport," in June 1947, and a name shortening in 1953.
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The site of LaGuardia Airport was formerly the Gala Amusement Park
LaGuardia Airport in East Elmhurst, Queens, New York City, is situated on the northwestern shore of Long Island, bordering Flushing Bay. The airport was established in 1929 and began operating as a public airport in 1939. It is named after Fiorello H. La Guardia, a former mayor of New York City.
The park, originally known as Bowery Bay Beach, opened in June 1886 and featured a bathing pavilion, beach, lawns, and a boathouse. It was later renamed North Beach and expanded with the addition of the Gala Amusement Park. North Beach became a popular weekend destination for New Yorkers, with visitors able to reach the park directly via the Maspeth-North Beach streetcar line, which offered connections to other subway and railway systems.
In 1929, the amusement park was torn down, and the space was converted into an airfield. The private airport was originally named the Glenn H. Curtiss Airport to honour the American aviation pioneer. It was renamed the North Beach Airport in 1935. In 1934, Mayor Fiorello La Guardia spearheaded the idea to turn the North Beach Airport into an airport for commercial flights, and the New York Municipal Airport-LaGuardia Field was dedicated on October 15, 1939, officially opening on December 2.
The airport was an immediate success, capturing the public's attention and attracting large crowds who came to watch planes take off and arrive. It soon became one of the busiest airports in the New York metropolitan area and the United States, serving millions of airline passengers each year.
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The airport has been renovated and reconstructed several times since its opening
LaGuardia Airport (LGA) in Queens, New York City, was established in 1929 on the former site of the Gala Amusement Park. The airport began operating as a public airport in 1939. It has since undergone several renovations and reconstructions to accommodate the growing air traffic in the region.
In 2006, LaGuardia Airport commenced a renovation project that included replacing the air traffic control tower with a more modern facility, which began operations in October 2010. In April 2010, plans were announced to demolish and reconstruct the airport's central terminal, with proposals accepted until the end of 2012. In January 2014, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that the state would oversee the construction project, which included rebuilding and connecting all existing terminals with terminal bridges.
In July 2015, Governor Cuomo introduced a $4 billion plan for LaGuardia's renovations, essentially tearing down and rebuilding the existing airport. This transformation aimed to address the airport's congested nature and proximity to dense urban neighbourhoods, which resulted in restrictions on the types of aircraft and the number of flights it could handle.
JFK International Airport, formerly known as Idlewild Airport, has also undergone significant redevelopment. The airport, located in New York City, is undergoing a $19 billion transformation into a world-class airport. The project includes the construction of two new terminals across five previous terminal sites, the expansion and modernisation of existing terminals, streamlined roadways, and enhanced amenities. The first gates of the new Terminal 1 and Terminal 6 are scheduled to open in 2026.
The redevelopment of JFK International Airport reflects a broader plan by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to transform the region's three major airports, including LaGuardia and Newark Liberty International Airport. This $37 billion, 10-year capital plan aims to create a state-of-the-art global gateway, enhancing the region's reputation as the nation's front door to the world.
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JFK Airport was originally named Idlewild Airport and opened in 1948
John F. Kennedy International Airport, commonly known as JFK Airport, was originally named Idlewild Airport. It opened in 1948 as New York International Airport, and was built to relieve LaGuardia Field, which had become overcrowded after its opening in 1939.
The name Idlewild came from the Idlewild Beach Golf Course that the airport displaced. The golf course itself was named after a nearby neighbourhood, Idlewild-on-the-Hudson, which was a rest stop for travellers making their way up the Hudson River. The name Idlewild was coined by a Manhattan lawyer, Benjamin B. Sherman, who purchased the land in 1853.
The construction of Idlewild Airport began in 1942, with the first major permanent structure being the federal building, which opened in 1951. This housed Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employees overseeing operations at Idlewild and other New York area airports. In 1952, an 11-floor permanent air traffic control tower was opened, along with 11 hangars, an air traffic control centre, a large air freight building, and a weather bureau. By the late 1950s, over $235 million had been spent on developing Idlewild.
In its first full year of operation, 1949, the airport handled 222,620 passengers and 18,115 aircraft movements. By the 1960s, it had become New York's busiest airport, with more airline takeoffs and landings than LaGuardia and Newark combined.
Following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in 1963, the airport was renamed John F. Kennedy International Airport in tribute.
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Frequently asked questions
LaGuardia Airport was established in 1929.
LaGuardia Airport became a public airport in 1939.
LaGuardia Airport is named after Fiorello H. La Guardia, a former mayor of New York City.
The airfield was officially named LaGuardia Airport in June 1947.
LaGuardia Airport has never been renamed JFK Airport. JFK Airport, or John F. Kennedy International Airport, was originally known as Idlewild Airport when it opened in 1948. Following the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963, the airport was renamed in tribute to him.
