The Oklahoma City City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to rename Will Rogers World Airport to OKC Will Rogers International Airport.
The renaming is intended to modernize the airport while preserving the legacy of comedian Will Rogers and his enthusiasm for Oklahoma’s aviation industry.
Airport Director Jeff Mulder told council members that the Oklahoma City Airports Trust recommended the redesign after research showed that “OKC” had become a brand with international recognition.
“Once approved, we will go through an implementation process and obviously that will take some time,” Mulder said. “The (current) logo is in many different places throughout the airport, but we will start the transition to this new logo and brand here. It will ultimately include some billboards and over time, a lot of our branded items like our shuttles will begin that process to transition them to this new name and logo.”
The new logo features a stylized “K” with curves inspired by the sweeping shapes of Rogers and pilot Wiley Post’s planes.
Related: OKC Council asked to approve name change and rebranding for Will Rogers World Airport
Name change comes as part of changes to the airport ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games
The redesign effort coincides with the airport’s website update and the construction of a federal inspection station at the airport that will be staffed by Customs and Border Protection. The city is home to consulates of Guatemala and Mexico, and airport officials had previously discussed looking further south as airlines add more service to Mexico.
It also coincides with ongoing discussions about plans to name Oklahoma City as a host site for canoeing and softball competitions at the 2028 Olympic Games.
The airport completed the expansion of its terminal in 2021, which included a gate and jetway for international flights. More recent construction also included an area on the lower level of the terminal where international passengers are processed for entry into the country.
The new branding will also update colors to match the palette used in Matt Goad’s terrazzo murals in the east terminal expansion area, as well as the stone, wood and tile used to decorate the remodeled airport terminal. The branding will also feature the scissor-tailed flycatcher, Oklahoma’s state bird.
Since last September, consultants from Nominee Design have collected survey responses from more than 6,000 people, including residents, city officials and stakeholders across the state. Based on the feedback, consultants recommended keeping the name “Will Rogers,” replacing “World” with “International” to better align with industry standards, and adding “OKC” to the name because it is commonly used by travelers and industry professionals in reference to the airport.
All council members supported the renaming, although some, including 7th District Councilwoman Nikki Nice and 4th District Councilman Todd Stone, expressed nostalgia for the unique “World” part of the airport’s name, which had existed for several decades.
“I love the ‘OKC’ lettering on the front – I think it’s fantastic,” Stone said. “I wish it would stay ‘World Airport’ just because it’s different.”
More: Will Rogers World Airport could be supported by government subsidies for nonstop flights.
But Third District Councilwoman Barbara Peck, who was appointed to the airport trust in 2021, took a different stance, saying the addition of the “International” designation means the airport is moving to a higher level.
“I think it elevates our airport to a class that it has been in the past, given the development of international flights and the money we’ve invested in that. Plus, we now have an opportunity to draw attention to it in a way that the aerospace industry understands,” Peck said.
“When we promote this airport, we are targeting the airlines, not just the customers. We want to encourage them to offer more nonstop flights, more international flights and provide all these different amenities so that our customers have more choice,” she added.
