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 along Flushing Bay. Established in 1929 and operating as a public airport since 1939, it occupies 680 acres. The airport is named in honor of Fiorello H. La Guardia, a former mayor of New York City.

1927: Criticism by La Guardia

In 1927, while serving as a U.S. representative, Fiorello La Guardia criticized the slow progress in establishing municipal airports in New York City.

April 1929: Plans to Open Seaplane Base

In April 1929, New York Air Terminals, Inc., announced plans to open a private seaplane base at North Beach.

1929: Airport Established

In 1929, LaGuardia Airport was established.

1930: Airport Improvements

By 1930, the airport had been improved with hangars and night-illuminated runways.

1930: Completion of Floyd Bennett Field

In 1930, Floyd Bennett Field was completed as a complement to a central express airport for New York City.

August 27, 1931: Arrival of the Dornier Do X

On August 27, 1931, the airport welcomed the arrival of the Dornier Do X, the world's then-largest airplane, after a 10-month transatlantic journey.

1934: La Guardia in office

From 1934, Fiorello La Guardia was in office

1934: Election of Fiorello La Guardia

The 1934 election of mayor Fiorello La Guardia ushered in a new era of public investment in New York City's airports.

January 5, 1935: Airport Dedication

On January 5, 1935, the airport was officially dedicated as Municipal Airport 2. On the same day, LaGuardia also received a signed lease from Trans World Airlines (TWA) for hangar space at Floyd Bennett Field.

1937: Construction Begins

Construction of a new airport in Queens began in 1937, with backing and assistance from the Works Progress Administration.

October 15, 1939: Airport Dedication

On October 15, 1939, the airport was dedicated as the New York Municipal Airport.

1939: American Airlines Admirals Club Opens

In 1939, American Airlines opened its first Admirals Club, the first private airline club in the world, at LaGuardia Airport.

1939: Public Airport Operation

In 1939, LaGuardia Airport began operating as a public airport.

1940: Holmes Airport Closure

In 1940, Holmes Airport, a smaller airport in nearby Jackson Heights, closed due to the expansion of LaGuardia Airport.

1940: Pan Am Operations Begin

In 1940, Pan American Airways' transatlantic Boeing 314 flying boats moved to La Guardia from Port Washington.

1942: Flight Mural Completed by James Brooks

Completed by James Brooks in 1942, Flight depicts the history of humanity's involvement with flight.

1945: Transatlantic Landplane Flights Started

In late 1945, transatlantic landplane airline flights started at LaGuardia.

1945: La Guardia in office

Until 1945, Fiorello La Guardia was in office

June 1, 1947: Name Officially Applied

On June 1, 1947, the modern name LaGuardia Field was officially applied when the airport moved to Port of New York Authority control under a lease with New York City.

1947: Flying boats stopped carrying scheduled passengers

During World War II, new four-engine land planes were developed, and flying boats stopped carrying scheduled passengers out of New York after 1947.

1947: Runway Closure

In 1947, runway 18/36 was closed soon after a United DC-4 ran off the south end.

July 1948: Opening of Idlewild Airport

In July 1948, Idlewild Airport (now John F. Kennedy International) opened, after which some transatlantic flights shifted to Idlewild.

April 1951: Last Transatlantic Flights Shifted

In April 1951, the last transatlantic flights shifted from LaGuardia to Idlewild Airport.

February 1952: Last Pan American Flight Left the Terminal

The last Pan American flight left the terminal in February 1952, bound for Bermuda.

April 1957: Airline Departures

The April 1957 Official Airline Guide shows 283 weekday fixed-wing departures from LaGuardia.

1958: Runway Closure

Around 1958, runway 9/27 (4,500 ft) was closed at LaGuardia Airport.

1960: Terminal Expansion

After 1960, LaGuardia's terminal expanded northward after the closing of runway 9/27.

1961: Runway Shifted

Around 1961, runway 13/31 was shifted northeastward to allow construction of a parallel taxiway at LaGuardia.

1962: Construction of Air Traffic Control Tower

In 1962 construction of an air traffic control tower started which was designed by Wallace Harrison

April 17, 1964: CTB Dedicated

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

June 1, 1964: Jet Flights Started

Jet flights (United 727s to Cleveland and Chicago) started on June 1, 1964.

1965: Runway Extension

In 1965, both remaining runways were extended to their present 7,000 ft (2,100 m) at LaGuardia.

1968: Heavy Fees for General Aviation

Starting in 1968, general-aviation aircraft were charged heavy fees to operate from LaGuardia during peak hours.

1980: Flight Mural Rededicated

After an extensive restoration project headed by aviation historian Geoffrey Arend, the mural was rededicated in 1980.

June 19, 1983: Terminal D Opens

Terminal D opened on June 19, 1983, at a cost of approximately $90 million, and was designed by William Nicholas Bodouva + Associates Architects.

1983: Delta Leaves CTB

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

1984: Perimeter Rule Implemented

In 1984, a "perimeter rule" implemented by PANYNJ bars airline flights to and from points farther than 1,500 mi, except on Saturdays or to Denver, Colorado.

1984: Flushing Airport Closure and Perimeter Rule

In 1984, nearby Flushing Airport closed due to increased traffic at LaGuardia and safety concerns. Also in 1984, the Port Authority instituted a Sunday-thru-Friday "perimeter rule" banning nonstop flights from LaGuardia to cities more than 1,500 mi (2,400 km) away.

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.

1986: Western Airlines Challenge

In 1986, Western Airlines unsuccessfully challenged the perimeter rule in federal court, hoping to fly 737-300s nonstop to Salt Lake City.

1989: Agreement Between Port Authority and Texas Air Corporation

In 1989, there was an agreement between the Port Authority and Texas Air Corporation (then-owner of Continental Airlines and Eastern Air Lines) to build the building.

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 (formerly known as the East End Terminal and USAir Terminal) opened at a cost of $250 million.

1992: US Airways Leaves CTB

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

1995: MAT Designated Historic Landmark

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

2000: Overcrowding Delays

By 2000, LaGuardia Airport routinely experienced overcrowding delays.

September 11, 2001: Slowed Traffic Growth

Following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York City, the reduced demand for air travel quickly slowed LaGuardia's traffic growth, helping to mitigate the airport's delays.

December 2, 2004: 65th Anniversary Restoration

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

2006: Construction of New Air Traffic Control Tower

In late 2006, construction began to replace the Wallace Harrison-designed air traffic control tower built in 1962 with a more modern one.

2007: Legislation for Federal Traffic Limits on LaGuardia revoked

By 2007, Congress passed legislation to revoke the federal traffic limits on LaGuardia.

August 12, 2009: Delta and US Airways Announce Slot Swap

On August 12, 2009, Delta Air Lines and US Airways announced a landing slot and terminal swap. US Airways would give Delta 125 operating slot pairs at LaGuardia. In return, US Airways would receive 42 operating slot pairs at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and begin service from the US to São Paulo, Brazil, and Tokyo, Japan. Delta Shuttle operations would move to Terminal C, and US Airways Shuttle flights would move to the Marine Air Terminal. The deal would allow Delta to create a domestic hub at LaGuardia.

2009: Northwest Airlines Merges into Delta

From Terminal D's opening in 1983 until 2009, the terminal also housed Northwest Airlines and Northwest Airlink until the merger into Delta in 2009.

April 2010: Plans Announced for Central Terminal Demolition and Rebuilding

In April 2010, Port Authority director Christopher Ward announced the hiring of consultants to explore a full demolition and rebuilding of LaGuardia's Central Terminal, a project expected to cost $2.4 billion.

July 2010: Delta and US Airways Drop Slot Swap Deal

In early July 2010, Delta and US Airways dropped their slot swap deal and both airlines filed a court appeal.

October 9, 2010: New Control Tower Operations

On October 9, 2010, the new air traffic control tower at LaGuardia began operations.

2010: LaGuardia Airport Command Completed

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

May 2011: Delta and US Airways Resubmit Slot Swap Proposal

In May 2011, Delta and US Airways announced that they would resubmit their proposal of the slot swap to the US DOT.

July 21, 2011: Tentative Approval of Delta-US Airways Slot Swap

On July 21, 2011, the US Department of Transportation tentatively approved the slot swap between Delta and US Airways.

October 10, 2011: Final Approval of Delta-US Airways Slot Swap

On October 10, 2011, the US Department of Transportation gave final approval to the slot swap between Delta and US Airways.

December 16, 2011: Delta Air Lines Announces New Domestic Hub

On December 16, 2011, Delta Air Lines announced plans to open a new domestic hub at LaGuardia Airport, increasing flights by more than 60% and destinations by more than 75%.

January 31, 2012: Proposals Due for Terminal Replacement

Proposals were due on January 31, 2012, for the development and operation of the replacement terminal with private funds.

July 2012: Delta Occupies Majority of Terminal C

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

2013: Delta Increased Operations

By the summer of 2013, Delta increased operations to 264 daily flights between LaGuardia and more than 60 cities, more than any other airline at LaGuardia.

2013: Walkway Between Terminals C and D Opened

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

January 2014: State to Oversee New Terminal Project

In January 2014, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a plan for the state to oversee the construction of the long-stalled new terminal project instead of the proposed public-private partnership.

July 27, 2015: Cuomo and Biden Announce $4 Billion Rebuilding Plan

On July 27, 2015, Governor Cuomo and Vice President Joe Biden announced a $4 billion plan to rebuild the terminals as one contiguous building with terminal bridges connecting buildings.

2015: Changes to Perimeter Rule Considered

Changes to the perimeter rule were considered as recently as 2015, but did not occur.

2015: Airport Redevelopment Plan Disclosed

In 2015, a redevelopment plan was disclosed, including a single terminal building constructed in stages, a people mover, retail space, a new hotel, additional taxiways, reconfigured Grand Central Parkway and proposed high-speed ferry.

2015: Reconstruction Announced

In 2015, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) announced a multibillion-dollar reconstruction of LaGuardia Airport's passenger infrastructure.

March 2016: Comprehensive Plans for Redevelopment Approved

In late March 2016, the comprehensive plans for the redevelopment were approved unanimously between the Port Authority of New York, New Jersey, and LaGuardia Gateway Partners for the Terminal B Project.

2016: Operation of Terminal B Transferred

In 2016, operation of Terminal B was transferred to a private company, LaGuardia Gateway Partners.

August 2017: Delta Broke Ground and JLC Capital Invested

In August 2017, Magic Johnson Enterprises and Loop Capital created a joint venture named JLC Capital to invest in Phase 2 of LaGuardia Airport's reconstruction and Delta broke ground on the last phase of the airport's reconstruction.

December 9, 2017: Airlines Moved at LGA

On December 9, 2017, six airlines moved at LGA in anticipation of the new terminals. Alaska Airlines (originally Virgin America) and JetBlue moved to the Marine Air Terminal. American consolidated in Terminal B. Frontier and Spirit depart from Terminal C and arrive at Terminal D.

2017: Terminal B Construction Starts

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

February 2018: West Parking Garage Opened

The first half of the seven-level West Parking Garage opened in February 2018, with 1,600 of 3,100 parking spaces being made available.

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.

December 1, 2018: Eleven New Gates at Terminal B Opened

Eleven new gates at Terminal B opened on December 1, 2018, and were used by Air Canada, American Airlines, and Southwest Airlines.

June 2, 2019: Five Additional Gates Opened at Terminal B

On June 2, 2019, five additional gates opened at Terminal B, when United relocated most of its operations to the new concourse. The new space included a concourse with a 55 ft-tall ceiling, food concessions, an FAO Schwarz toy store, and an indoor play area.

October 29, 2019: Concourse G Opened

On October 29, 2019, Concourse G, the first concourse to open on the eastern end of the airport, was opened.

November 2019: Southwest Airlines Ends Service to Newark

In November 2019, Southwest Airlines ended service to Newark, due to the Boeing 737 MAX groundings, poor performance, and inadequate facilities, and consolidated its New York–area operations to LaGuardia and Islip.

November 16, 2019: Delta Shuttle Flights Moved to Concourse G

On November 16, 2019, Delta Shuttle flights moved to Concourse G.

2019: Airport Access Fee Surcharges Approved

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 Operates Out of Concourse G

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

June 13, 2020: New Headhouse at Terminal B Opened

On June 13, 2020, the new headhouse at Terminal B opened, along with the new connector to the Eastern Concourse.

August 5, 2020: American Opened the First Seven Gates of the Western Concourse

On August 5, 2020, American opened the first seven gates of the Western Concourse, with ten additional gates and the bridge connector scheduled to open at the end of 2021.

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: FAA Suspended Slot Expiration

In 2020, the FAA responded to drastic reductions in air traffic caused by the COVID-19 pandemic by suspending the expiration of unused slots at several US airports, including LaGuardia.

2020: New Terminal B Headhouse Opened

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

April 28, 2021: Spirit Airlines Begins Operations

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) to ease connections with American Airlines due to the "Northeast Alliance".

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—including two Select Bus Services (SBS).

2021: New York State Senate Bill Introduced

In 2021 a New York State Senate bill, which failed, was introduced with the intent of codifying the perimeter rule into law.

2021: Ten Additional Gates and Bridge Connector Scheduled to Open

Ten additional gates and the bridge connector for the Western Concourse was scheduled to open at the end of 2021.

January 27, 2022: Second Bridge Connecting to Terminal B Completed

The second bridge connecting to Terminal B was completed and opened to the public on January 27, 2022.

March 29, 2022: Spirit Airlines Operates from MAT

On March 29, 2022, all flights operated by Spirit Airlines started operating out of the MAT.

June 4, 2022: Delta Unveiled New Terminal C Headhouse

On June 4, 2022, Delta unveiled its new Terminal C headhouse to the public in tandem with concourse E, which boasts 10 narrow body gates. The Terminal C headhouse consolidates the former Terminal C and D's security checkpoint into 11 lanes, which if necessary, can be expanded to 16 lanes. Other features include a dedicated drop-off area for carry-on-only passengers, biometric scanning technology, a sensory room designed for those with autism, and Delta's largest Sky Club to date.

June 2022: Delta Replacing Terminal D's Gates

As of June 2022, Delta was in the process of replacing Terminal D's gates and would start construction of Concourse D. Delta is fast-tracking its remaining projects at Terminal C due to the impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic, which allowed the airline to use the decrease in passage traffic to speed up construction by two years.

July 9, 2022: JetBlue Completes Relocation

On July 9, 2022, JetBlue completed its relocation of Boston flights to Terminal B.

2022: CTB Demolished

In early 2022, the final gates (Concourse D) and the terminal of the CTB were demolished, as it was replaced by the new Terminal B.

2022: Redevelopment Scheduled for Completion

The entire redevelopment was scheduled to be completed by late 2022.

2023: Airport Ranking

As of 2023, LaGuardia Airport was the third-busiest airport in the New York metropolitan area and the 19th-busiest in the United States by passenger volume.