PALM BEACH, Fla., July 9 (Reuters) - The U.S. city of Palm Beach, Florida, officially renamed its airport on Thursday to President Donald Trump International Airport, joining a growing list of government institutions, facilities, programs, warships, and currency bearing the Republican president's name.

Changing the airport's name is a notable gesture of appreciation for the support Trump enjoys in Florida, the state he has made his home, which includes his luxury resort (Mar-a-Lago).

Eric Trump, Trump's son, said in an interview with Fox News, "I don't think there's anyone more connected to Palm Beach than Donald Trump, probably in all of Florida."

Since taking office for a second term in the White House last year, Trump’s name has been printed on a new class of Navy ships, a visa program for wealthy foreigners, a government website for drugs, and federal savings accounts for children.

He also sought to ambitiously reshape Washington. While Trump's name was added to the United States Institute of Peace building, the courts rejected an attempt to put his name on the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

In March, Florida's Republican Governor Ron DeSantis signed legislation to change the name of the city's airport in southeast Florida to Trump International Airport.

The airport explained that the three-letter identification code used by the Federal Aviation Administration changed today, Thursday, from BPI to DJT. It added on its website that passengers will have to continue using the old code (BPI) for flights until August 18, until the new code is added to baggage tags, tickets, and airline reservation systems.

The airport stated that the cost of changing the name was $5.5 million.