Airport North Of NYC Now ‘New York Stewart International’

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Stewart Airport is getting a new name to emphasize its proximity to New York City.

Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Friday that the facility an hour north of the city is now officially known as "New York Stewart International Airport."

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the airport, approved the change this year in conjunction with a $37 million expansion and renovation.

The airport now offers direct flights to Europe.

The new name was chosen to promote its closeness to New York City while appeasing descendants of Archie Stewart, the Orange County airport's namesake. Stewart's daughter had opposed an earlier proposal to call it New York International at Stewart Field.

Officials said last year nearly 450,000 commercial passengers used Stewart, up from approximately 275,000 total passengers in 2016.