Colorful balloons were arranged around the space. Lively music set the mood for celebration. Goody bags were handed out. A typical birthday party ... but this one for an airport.

Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport celebrated its 75th birthday on Tuesday, with a party at the departure gate for its 75th flight of the day.

Passengers walking through the A gates were able to stop by for donuts and swag bags filled with a collapsible water bottle, flashlight and pens.

“We want to celebrate the passengers; they are the history of the airport,” said Asha Taylor, executive associate for the Maryland Aviation Association, as she handed out the bags.

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On June 24, 1950, BWI, then known as Friendship International Airport, started service. The airport was constructed in 1947 on a 3,200-acre site near Friendship Church in Anne Arundel County, giving it its original name.

The state purchased the airport from Baltimore in 1972 and expanded operations from three employees to more than 200. The airport was renamed Baltimore-Washington International Airport a year later to emphasize its importance as a transportation center in the region. It was renamed again 2005 to the Baltimore-Washington Thurgood Marshall Airport, recognizing the Baltimorean Supreme Court Justice.

Charter fishing captain Jack Mitchell waits to board his flight to Fort Lauderdale — the 75th flight to depart on Tuesday as BWI celebrates its 75th birthday. (Jerry Jackson/The Baltimore Banner)

Jack Mitchell, a passenger on the 75th flight, said he liked the name Friendship International better, but added that the airport featured in a lot of fond memories, including family trips over the years from BWI to Seattle.

“It’s a great little airport,” said Mitchell, who is from Catonsville. “Once you know it, it becomes easy to fly out of.”

The airport also celebrated the 75th arrival of the day with another round of goodie bags and a water salute, where two fire engines arced water over the plane as it moved to its gate. They do this for special “honor flights” or retiring pilots.

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“We didn’t know, they just said we were an honor flight,” said Southwest pilot Chris Cumello as he walked off the plane. “It’s always fun.”

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Over the years, the airport has been recognized as one of the top in the country, consistently ranking high for passenger satisfaction.

“We want to be a friendship airport,” said Shannetta R. Griffin, CEO for the MAA, recalling the original name. “The airport is a part of the community. These are our neighbors.”

Celebrations will continue at BWI throughout June, including performances by local musicians in partnership with the Arts Council of Anne Arundel County, Visit Annapolis and Anne Arundel County. Here’s more about the airport, in numbers:

2.6 million

The number of passengers who passed through BWI in June 2024, breaking a previous record from 2023. Just over a million international passengers passed through the airport in 2023.

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300+

The number of nonstop flights offered daily by BWI through 17 different airlines.

64

The number of delays at BWI as of about 2 p.m. on Tuesday. BWI had a higher rate of delayed flights than almost any other airport in the country, behind only Fort Lauderdale, according to an analysis last year of federal transportation data.

A few of the people The Banner talked to Tuesday morning mentioned running through the airport trying to find their gate after delays or gate changes as memories from BWI.

Southwest flight 2952 from Hartford, Connecticut, gets a celebratory water cannon salute as it taxis to a gate at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. (Jerry Jackson/The Baltimore Banner)

50+

The number of food and drink venues at BWI. While there is a healthy mix of nationwide chain restaurants at the airport, BWI also offers a variety of locally owned restaurants like Miss Shirley’s Cafe and Obrycki’s Restaurant. Forgot to try Chesapeake Bay blue crab while in town? Both restaurants, along with the Harbor Grille, offer crab cakes.

31

The number of restrooms in BWI, including family restrooms. Only two years ago, BWI won an award for the one of the best restrooms in the country, meaning we recommend using the bathrooms in Gates B2-B4.

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$11.3 billion

The economic impact that BWI brings to Maryland, according to the state. The airport also provides around 107,000 jobs in the community.

90 minutes

The length of a power outage at BWI in July 2024 that grounded flights and left travelers in the dark.

Shannetta R. Griffin, CEO for the Maryland Aviation Associations, left, passes out goody bags to passengers on the 75th flight to depart on Tuesday. (Jerry Jackson/The Baltimore Banner)

70%

The percentage of passengers who fly out of BWI through Southwest Airlines. Southwest selected BWI as its East Coast gateway in 1993 and prompted several expansion projects. The airline is currently the airport’s largest carrier.

61

The number of years since the Beatles tried to land secretly at Friendship International Airport, but were instead greeted by fans as soon as they touched down. Their one-day stop in Baltimore at the height of Beatlemania was part of their first official North American tour in 1964.