In the 21st year of the Republic of China (1932), Eurasia Aviation Company built a temporary airfield at Xintiandun, 20 kilometers north of Jiuquan urban area. The airfield had only a dirt runway and two temporary earthen buildings for aircraft crew, serving four-seat Junkers planes manufactured in
Germany. This marked the beginning of aviation in Jiuquan. In June 1938, Eurasia Aviation Company constructed Jiuquan South Suburb Airport on a gravel beach 4 kilometers south of the city. The airport experienced frequent accidents in its early days. In 1938, strong winds caused 10 SB aircraft to lose their way; four landed successfully, while six crashed near Jiuquan. In 1947, a military C-47 transport plane crashed in Xishan, Jiuquan, killing all on board. The airport was temporarily closed for construction on March 1, 2006. Following a strategic cooperation agreement between Gansu Province and Hainan Airlines Group, Jiayuguan Airport was placed under
HNA Group management on May 25. The expansion project was completed and accepted on July 31. Jiayuguan Airport resumed operations on August 4, with the runway length extended from 2800 meters to 3000 meters, apron positions increased to two Class C and one Class E stands, and the airport's aerodrome reference code upgraded to 4D. In December 2008, the expansion project of the terminal area at
Jiayuguan Airport was approved. In May 2009, the terminal area expansion and renovation broke ground. The project included the construction of a new 8,330-square-meter terminal building with a one-and-a-half-story passenger flow system and two boarding bridges; a new 26,000-square-meter apron and connecting roads; a new 7,200-square-meter parking lot and station plaza; an upgraded omnidirectional beacon and instrument landing system; and supporting facilities. On August 30, 2010, the Jiayuguan Airport expansion project was officially completed. On September 28, the project passed industry acceptance. In April 2019, the "Jiayuguan Airport Master Plan (2018 edition)" was approved by the Northwest Regional Administration of
Civil Aviation Administration of China. On March 20, 2023, with the approval of the General Office of the
Civil Aviation Administration of China, Jiayuguan Airport was officially renamed "Jiayuguan Jiuquan Airport", with the English name "JIAYUGUAN JIUQUAN AIRPORT". According to the approval by the Northwest Regional Administration of Civil Aviation, Jiayuguan Jiuquan Airport was closed and suspended from operation starting at 00:00 on March 26, 2023, for flight zone expansion and renovation construction. On September 7, 2023, after over five months of suspension (the planned construction period was six months), Jiayuguan Jiuquan Airport officially resumed operations. The total investment for the expansion project was 1.213 billion RMB, which included the construction and renovation of existing runways and apron; construction of a new 14,000 square meter T2 terminal building; renovation of the T1 terminal; construction of a new
control tower and
air traffic control building; expansion of the terminal area; and supporting facilities including navigation lighting, air traffic control, power supply, heating and cooling, and communication systems. After the expansion, the airport's aerodrome reference code is 4D (also accommodating emergency landings of Class E aircraft), capable of meeting the target for 2030 of an annual passenger throughput of 1.6 million, cargo and mail throughput of 10,000 tons, and 15,181 aircraft movements. ==Airlines and destinations==