Initially, the site of the airport was an unplowed field in the suburban village of Papenovka. In 1933, the airport was established. Following this, Frunzensky Airport begun construction in 1940. In 1945, the government of Kyrgyzstan established an independent aviation unit at Frunzensky Airport, commanded by Lev Shiryaev. By 1946,
Lisunov Li-2 pilots laid the Frunze-Moscow route, which lasted 2 days. In 1954, a 2-floor airport terminal begun construction, which was designed by architect E. G. Pisarskoy. It opened in 1957.
Closure By the 1970s, Frunzensky Airport was too small for larger aircraft, and the city had encroached to the air terminal. It was decided that a new airport would be built 23 kilometres northwest of the capital, which was completed in nine months. On October 23, 1974,
Manas International Airport opened, and the first plane to land on it was the
Ilyushin Il-62 with the USSR Chairman Alexei Kosygin on board. Frunze Airport operated parallel to the new airport, however in October 1981, all flights and aircraft were transferred from Frunzensky Airport to Manas. Afterwards, it was closed, and the terminal building began to serve as the Central Air Traffic Agency (CABC). == Present ==