75th Anniversary of Idlewild / JFK Airport
New York International Airport, often known as Idlewild Airport, was dedicated on July 31, 1948. Crowds gathered as President Harry S. Truman gave a speech and a squadron of U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy planes flew over to mark the event. Late in 1963 the airport was renamed John F. Kennedy International Airport in memory of the late president.
Over the years the airport has been part of aviation history, witnessing the arrival of the jet plane and the rise and demise of Concorde. It has seen political leaders, royalty, movie and sports stars travelling through its terminals.
We look back at 75 years of coverage by The Associated Press.
A squadron of planes roars overhead as President Harry S. Truman delivers his speech at the dedication of the 5,000-acre International Airport at Idlewild, New York, July 31, 1948. (AP Photo)
AP story as it appeared in the Washington Evening Star on Aug 1, 1948.
Travelers go through U.S. Customs inspection at Idlewild Airport in Queens, New York, March 7, 1951. (AP Photo/Dan Grossi)
Donald V. Lowe, chairman of the Port Authority of New York, addresses a crowd of some 1,000 invited guests at dedication ceremonies of Idlewild Airport's new $30 million international arrival and airline wing buildings, Dec. 5, 1957, in the Queens borough of New York City. Officials standing at rear of platform are, from left: James T. Pyle, administrator of Civil Aeronautics, Howard S. Cullman, honorary chairman of the New York Port Authority, Mayor Robert F. Wagner of New York City, Gov. W. Averell Harriman of New York, Gov. Robert B. Meyner of New Jersey, singer Jane Pickens, and Louis Couhe, spokesman of the Western European Airport Authorities. (AP Photo/John Rooney)
Pilot John Cunningham taps the noise suppressors used on the engines of the British Comet jetliner which he flew from Hatfield, England, to New York's Idlewild Airport, Aug. 10, 1958. At right background is British Overseas Airways Corp. pilot Alan Mervyn-Smith. Right foreground is BOAC Capt. Stanley Ward. Cunningham is a pilot for de Havilland, builders of the jet. (AP Photo/Jacob Harris)
A British Overseas Airways Corp (BOAC). Comet IV, foreground, is shown just after landing the first transatlantic commercial jet flight, at Idlewild Airport, New York, on Oct. 4, 1958. In the background is a Pan American Boeing 707 jet, also just in from Europe but on a non-commercial test flight. (AP Photo/John Lent)
A curved ceiling and glass walls that lean out sharply onto a sweeping view of the runways and giant jet planes are the distinctive features of the lounge at Trans World Airway's new terminal building at New York's Idlewild Airport, May 29, 1962. (AP Photo)
Britain's Prince Philip waves farewell as Queen Elizabeth II stands beside him atop a ramp to their plane, Oct. 21, 1957. The couple left Idlewild International Airport en route home after goodwill trip to the U.S. and Canada. (AP Photo)
Prince Rainier, left, and Princess Grace of Monaco are greeted at Idlewild Airport, New York, Nov. 23, 1958 by her father, John B. Kelly of Philadelphia. The Princess is the former actress Grace Kelly. (AP Photo)
Senator John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts and his wife, Jacqueline, center, talk to stewardess Andree Picq at New York's Idlewild Airport on July 8, 1960. The Kennedys flew in from the family home at Hyannis, Mass. Kennedy will leave New York following day for Los Angeles and the Democratic National Convention. His wife, who is expecting their second child, will return home. (AP Photo/Matty Zimmerman)
Playwright Arthur Miller and actress Marilyn Monroe are protected from the rain as a TWA attendant holds up an umbrella on their way to board a plane at Idlewild Airport in New York City, July 13, 1956. The couple are going to London where Monroe is scheduled to work on a movie. (AP Photo/Harry Harris)
Jazz artist Louis Armstrong, accompanied by his wife Lucille, prepare to take off from Idlewild Airport, New York, Oct. 27, 1957, for a concert tour of five South American countries. They are bound first for Buenos Aires and will fly on Argentine Airlines. (AP Photo/Marty Lederhandler)
Conductor Leonard Bernstein and his wife, Felicia, stand before members of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra as they boarded a plane at New York’s Idlewild Airport, Aug. 3, 1959. The orchestra is en route to Russia for a tour. (AP Photo/John Lindsay)
Eddie Fisher and his bride, Elizabeth Taylor walk to their plane at Idlewild Airport, New York on May 15, 1959 prior to take off for Barcelona, Spain. They were married earlier in the week and plan a honeymoon in Spain. (AP Photo/ John Lindsay)
Actress Elizabeth Taylor is carried in a portable wheel chair down ramp of plane on arrival on March 27, 1961 in Idlewild Airport in New York. The actress is recovering from pneumonia. (AP Photo)
Opera singer Maria Callas wears a smile as she is followed by questioning newsmen after her arrival from Dallas, Texas, at Idlewild Airport in New York, Nov. 9, 1959. Miss Callas said she was on her way to Milan, Italy to obtain a separation and divorce from husband Giovanni Meneghini. (AP Photo)
Actress Sophia Loren being interviewed by AP reporter Tom Del Vecchio at Idlewild Airport, New York around 1962. (AP World/AP Corporate Archives)
Joe Louis waves goodbye as he and singer Dolores Parker board a plane at Idlewild Airport in New York on March 27, 1952. They are taking a two-week vacation in Miami, Fl., before Louis starts an exhibition tour through Canada. (AP Photo)
Members of the U.S. Boxing team, all gold medal winners, are shown on their arrival in New York from the Olympics in Rome on Sept. 8, 1960. From left: Muhammad Ali (Cassius Clay), Sgt. Eddie Crook, and Wilbert McClure. McClure and Clay said on arrival at Idlewild Airport that they planned to turn professional. (AP Photo)
Arnold Palmer and his wife Winnie pose at New York's Idlewild Airport after their arrival from England, July 16, 1961. Palmer holds the trophy he received for winning the British Open Golf Championship on July 15. (AP Photo/Harry Harris)
Officials hold a cord after unveiling the large initials of late President Kennedy at a ceremony renaming New York International Airport on Dec. 24, 1963. It was renamed John F. Kennedy International Airport. From left are New York Mayor Robert F. Wagner, Gov. Richard J. Hughes of New Jersey, Sen. Edward Kennedy, brother of the late President, and S. Sloan Colt, chairman of the Port of New York Authority. (AP Photo/Anthony Camerano)
AP story as appeared in the Rapid City Journal on Dec. 24, 1963.
Sen. Edward Kennedy, speaks at dedication ceremony of the John F. Kennedy International Airport, Dec. 24, 1963, New York. (AP Photo/Anthony Camerano)
Workmen put finishing touches to new sign which changes the name of New York International Airport to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York on Dec. 24, 1963. The name was officially changed in honor of the late President at dedication ceremonies just before the above sign was changed. (AP Photo)
The Beatles arrive at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (formerly Idlewild), in New York, Feb. 7, 1964. From left: John Lennon (waving), Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison. (AP Photo)
A view of the Trans World Airlines (TWA) Arrivals Terminal at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City, pictured Feb. 25, 1971. (AP Photo/John Rooney)
The Concorde SST touches down on runway 4L of New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport, Wednesday, Oct. 19, 1977. The airplane flew from Toulouse, France in 3 hours and 44 minutes. (AP Photo/Ron Frehm)
British Airways Concorde, foreground, and an Air France version of the supersonic airliner pass each other on the tarmac at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, Nov. 22, 1977. They had just completed the first commercial flights of the Anglo-French supersonic airliners from London and Paris to JFK. (AP Photo/Marty Lederhandler)
A Scandinavian Airlines jumbo jet lies in a 12 foot creek after sliding off a wet runway at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport, on Feb. 28, 1984. The plane had flown in from Stockholm via Oslo and landed in drizzle and fog. 10 minor injuries were reported. (AP Photo/David Pickoff)
New York Gov. George E. Pataki looks at a scale model of the new Terminal 4 at John F. Kennedy International Airport at the groundbreaking ceremonies for the new structure on Nov. l7, l997. The new $l.2 million state-of-the-art terminal will have dual-level roadways serving arrivals on the ground level and departures on the third level. (AP Photos/Ed Bailey)
David Blade rests near one of the windows after arriving from New Orleans on April 4, 2001, at the futuristic Trans World Airlines Terminal at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport. Portions of the landmark terminal, designed in the early 1960's by noted architect Eero Saarinen, are slated for demolition to make way for a large facility more suited to the needs of air travelers and larger jets. (AP Photo/Beth A. Keiser)
A woman walks down a staircase past a tinted window in the landmark Trans World Airlines Terminal on April 4, 2001, at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport. Portions of the landmark terminal, designed in the early 1960's by noted architect Eero Saarinen, are slated for demolition to make way for a large facility more suited to the needs of air travelers and larger jets. (AP Photo/Beth A. Keiser)
A passenger makes her way into to the Trans World Airlines Terminal building on April 4, 2001, at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport. The landmark building designed by architect Eero Saarinen, has been described as one of the world's most dramatic airline terminals with its curving countours resembling a bird in flight. (AP Photo/Beth A. Keiser)
The grounds of John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, June 2, 2007. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Text and photo curation by Katherine O’Mara.