History of LaGuardia Airport in Timeline

LaGuardia Airport (LGA) is a civil airport located in East Elmhurst, Queens, New York City, on Long Island's northwestern shore bordering Flushing Bay. Established in 1929, it began operating as a public airport in 1939. Spanning 680 acres, it's named after former New York City Mayor Fiorello H. La Guardia. It serves as a major transportation hub for the New York metropolitan area.

April 17, 1964: Central Terminal Building Dedicated

On April 17, 1964, the $36 million Central Terminal Building facilities designed by Harrison and Abramovitz was dedicated.

June 19, 1983: Terminal D Opens

On June 19, 1983, Terminal D opened at a cost of approximately $90 million, designed to accommodate Delta Air Lines' new Boeing 757 and Boeing 767 aircraft.

1983: Delta Leaves CTB

In 1983, Delta left the CTB for their own dedicated terminals on the east side of the airport.

1986: Pan Am Restarts Flights

In 1986, Pan Am restarted flights at the MAT with the purchase of New York Air's shuttle service between Boston, New York City, and Washington, D.C.

1989: Agreement Between Port Authority and Texas Air Corporation

In 1989, an agreement was made between the Port Authority and Texas Air Corporation for the building of a new terminal.

1991: Delta Buys Pan Am Shuttle

In 1991, Delta Air Lines bought the Pan Am Shuttle and subsequently started service from the MAT on September 1.

September 12, 1992: Terminal C Opens

On September 12, 1992, Terminal C opened as a 300,000 sq ft facility at a cost of $250 million, and housed part of Delta's operations at LaGuardia.

1992: US Airways Leaves CTB

In 1992, US Airways left the CTB for their own dedicated terminals on the east side of the airport.

1995: MAT Designated Historic Landmark

In 1995, the MAT was designated as a historic landmark.

December 2, 2004: Airport's 65th Anniversary

On December 2, 2004, a $7 million restoration of the MAT was completed in time for the airport's 65th anniversary of commercial flights.

2009: Delta Merger

Northwest Airlines and Northwest Airlink housed in terminal D from its opening in 1983 until the merger into Delta in 2009.

2010: LaGuardia Airport Command Completed

In 2010, the Port Authority Police Department's LaGuardia Airport Command (Building 137) was completed.

July 2012: Delta Occupies Majority of Terminal

As of July 2012, Delta occupied the majority of Terminal C (gates C15–C44) as a result of a slot-swap deal between Delta and US Airways.

2013: Walkway Between Terminals C and D Opens

In early 2013, a 600-foot walkway opened connecting Terminal D to Terminal C, part of Delta's plan to build a hub at LaGuardia.

2017: Work Starts on New Concourse

In 2017, work started on the first of two new concourses, which replaced the old A, B, C, and D concourses.

October 27, 2018: Alaska Airlines Ends Service

On October 27, 2018, Alaska Airlines ended all service from LaGuardia Airport, leaving JetBlue as the terminal's only tenant.

2019: Implementation of Airport Access Fee

In 2019, PANYNJ approved the implementation of "airport access fee" surcharges on FHV and taxi trips, with the revenue earmarked to support the agency's capital programs.

January 8, 2020: Delta Air Lines Operates Out of Concourse G

As of January 8, 2020, Delta Air Lines and Delta Connection operate out of the new Concourse G that was connected to Terminal D.

September 1, 2020: Walkway Between Terminals C and D Demolished

As of September 1, 2020, the walkway between Terminals C and D was demolished.

2020: New Terminal B Headhouse Opens

In 2020, the new Terminal B headhouse opened with a bridge connecting it to the completed Eastern Concourse.

April 28, 2021: Spirit Airlines Begins Operating Fort Lauderdale Flights

On April 28, 2021, Spirit Airlines started operating its Fort Lauderdale–bound flights from Terminal A.

July 20, 2021: JetBlue Announces Relocation

On July 20, 2021, JetBlue announced that they would be relocating from the MAT to Terminal B.

October 31, 2021: JetBlue Moves to Terminal B

On October 31, 2021, JetBlue moved to Terminal B (except for flights to Boston), as the airline wanted to make connections easier with American Airlines due to the "Northeast Alliance" between them.

2021: Buses are the Only Mode of Mass Transit

As of 2021, buses are the only mode of mass transit to connect the airport with its surroundings. All terminals are served by accessible public MTA bus lines.