What was the name of the John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York before it was called JFK?

Before it became a bustling global hub, the airport known today as John F. Kennedy International was informally and popularly called Idlewild Airport. This name originated from the Idlewild Beach Golf Course, which was part of the land in Queens acquired for the new airfield in the early 1940s. The name itself is believed to have come from a developer's name for a resort on Jamaica Bay, reflecting a time when the area was envisioned as a place for leisure for the "idle rich." Even as official names were debated and changed, the public and press continued to use the catchy "Idlewild" moniker for years.

The airport's official name went through several iterations before its current one. In 1943, it was briefly named Major General Alexander E. Anderson Airport, after a Queens-born military hero. Later, in 1948, the City Council officially designated it New York International Airport, Anderson Field. Despite these official titles, the name "Idlewild" persisted in common usage. This popular name only ceased to be used following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy in November 1963.

In a tribute to the fallen president, the airport was officially rededicated as John F. Kennedy International Airport on December 24, 1963. The decision was made swiftly, with the unanimous support of the New York City Council and the consent of the Kennedy family, forever linking the major international gateway to the 35th U.S. President.