Palm Beach Intl Airport (PBI) Flights & Information

South Florida has three major airports that serve the region, and the most convenient to use among them is West Palm Beach Airport (PBI). It primarily serves Palm Beach, West Palm Beach and the surrounding counties. It is easy to navigate and not as traffic-prone as other airfields. While it does not have a hub airline, it is still served by all the major carriers. This airport helps bring travelers to the beautiful beaches, golf courses and chic resorts in the area. When flying to PBI, here are some of the best ways to navigate the easy concourses of the terminal.

Airlines and destinations

All of the major U.S. and Canadian airlines fly to West Palm Beach, and it has flights to various parts of the U.S. Most flights take travelers to airline hub airports where they can connect farther, but an increasing number of point-to-point flights are making PBI more convenient than ever.

What you will not find at the airport is long-haul, international flying to other continents. For that you will need to connect to an airline’s hub or head south to Miami or Fort Lauderdale. Also, there are very few travelers that are connecting between flights at PBI. Almost everyone is beginning or ending their travel journey here.

The most popular destinations for passengers flying from West Palm Beach are Atlanta and New York. Many retired vacationers fly regularly from the northeast to Florida, and it is common to see more than a dozen wheelchairs lined up at the gate. For this reason, some airlines start boarding a little earlier at PBI, if they can.

The seasonal migration of travelers from colder climates coming to south Florida means that there is a boost in wintertime flights to the airport. This includes flights from colder cities like Minneapolis/St. Paul and Providence among others.

Bahamasair makes the short hop to the Bahamas, Air Canada and Porter fly to Canada, and JetBlue flies the only transcontinental flight from the airport (to Los Angeles). A growing number of low-cost airlines like Allegiant, Avelo, Breeze, Frontier and Spirit offer budget-focused flight options.

Other notable flights from PBI include Frontier to San Juan and United flights to its Denver hub in the Mountain West.

Easy-to-navigate terminal

The airport has one terminal with three concourses connected by a landside shopping and dining connector. This patio-style area has ample natural light, work stations with power outlets and cushioned seating. In my opinion, it has the best views of the airport action for those that want to watch the arriving and departing planes.

Perhaps the airport’s most famous feature is the putting green near Sam Snead’s Tavern. It has a modest charge to use it, but it is a fun way to pass the time. The deviled eggs and peel-and-eat shrimp at Sam Snead’s are two popular favorites that showcase a little local flavor. There are retail outlets like Brooks Brothers and PGA as well as a pub and coffee shop.

Security checkpoints are at the entrance to each concourse. This helps cut down on wait times, but also restricts passengers to only use the facilities in their concourse unless they want to clear security twice (for example, to use a lounge in a different concourse than the one from which you are flying).

Concourse A is for international flights to the Bahamas, but only has limited facilities and no jet bridges. Concourse B serves airlines like American, Southwest and United. I like the Escape Lounge here, which is accessible via the American Express Global Lounge Collection available to premium cardholders.

The Escape Lounge features Florida-themed food on a hot and cold buffet. It also has an open bar with great views of the airport.

Concourse C serves Air Canada, Breeze and Delta among other airlines. It also has a Delta Sky Club, but take note that it is one of the smaller Delta lounges out there. Sometimes, I have trouble finding a seat. The lounge will only let you in three hours before your flight’s departure so don’t plan on heading to the airport any earlier.

Upcoming airport enhancements

Concourse B is undergoing a multi-million-dollar renovation project to modernize the terminal, which will boost the number of restaurant options, restrooms and gates with jet bridges. The parking structures are being modernized with the number of spaces being expanded.

A notable addition is a new sensory room for travelers with autism or sensory sensitivities. This is something that more airports are focusing on, which is nice.

The airport is also exploring the addition of a second parallel runway, which would help it to grow traffic numbers and reduce the waiting time for planes to take off and land.

Additional plans include another airport hotel and a consolidated car rental facility so that people don’t need to take shuttles to pick up their car. This will help alleviate traffic hassles around the terminals.

How to get to PBI

The extensive highway network around the airport makes it easy to drive (there is ample parking) or rent a car. All of the major car rental brands have an office in the arrivals area near baggage claim. Rideshare, limo and taxi services are available.

A short Uber ride to the nearby Brightline station is my preferred way to get around. It is one of the easiest ways to travel in this part of South Florida. There are stations near all three major airports, which means you can easily get around without dealing with heavy traffic.

The Brightline is a high-speed train service that covers parts of south Florida. An Amtrak station is also close to PBI if you need to go somewhere not on the Brightline network.

The Palm Trans bus network makes stops at the airport and train station among other stops in the region, but I would not recommend it if traveling with a lot of bags.

Alternative airports

To the south of PBI is Fort Lauderdale, which has more international service as well as flights from most major U.S. carriers. It also boasts a significant presence of low-cost airlines with flights from Spirit and Allegiant among them. Airfare can often be cheaper so it is worth comparing prices using a site like Kayak.

Even farther south is the American Airlines mega hub at Miami International Airport. It has the most domestic and international destinations across a wide range of airlines of the three south Florida airports. But, if fares are equal, PBI is the easiest airport to get in and out of quickly.

Airport hotels

While driving into West Palm Beach or Palm Beach is not far, some travelers may prefer to be closer to the airport, especially if they have an early flight. The Hilton Palm Beach PBI sits by a lake and is my go-to option if you want a resort vibe (there’s an outdoor pool and lawn with games and hammocks).

If you just need a comfortable place to relax, the Hilton Garden Inn and Courtyard by Marriott both have lower rates. All of these hotels have free shuttles to the terminal.

I prefer to go into downtown West Palm Beach where there are more entertaining hotels that overlook the waterfront. There are lots of great restaurants, art museums and watersport activities that are worth exploring, especially if you have a few extra hours to get out and enjoy the area.

Tips for using PBI

When picking someone up at the airport, the lower level is where you will go, but you are not allowed to wait very long. You can continue to circle around or go to the cell phone waiting lot until the person you’re picking up is ready.

When checking in for your flight, you will find ticket counters one full level up. Once you have your boarding pass, you go down a small escalator behind the airline counters to a common area with shops and bars. This is an even better place to wait out someone you are meeting if their flight is delayed.

I like how the airport also has seats that face inside the concourse behind protective glass at the security checkpoints on either concourse so that you can watch loved ones arrive.

If you are an aviation fan or interested in local history, there is a series of old photographs and statues on display detailing the history of the airport on the landside area of the terminal.

Temporary art exhibits in the gallery near the putting green offer another form of entertainment, all courtesy of Palm Beach County artists who submit them to a committee for consideration to be displayed at the airport.

Golf fans can go beyond just the putting green inside the airport. Before you even get to the airport is the nearby DriveShack golf driving range with games and a bar menu. It is a great substitute for travelers with a late flight, but need to leave their hotel by midday and need a way to pass the time.