The history of Pochentong Airport dates back to 1924, as the current site was used for an airfield. During the
Japanese occupation of Cambodia they built as many as fifteen airports through the country, including on the site of the current airport. After independence from France in 1953,
King Norodom Sihanouk ordered new airstrips or improvements to existing sites. During the
Cambodian War, the airport was used extensively for airlifts of military and civilian supplies. Between October and December 1973, C-130s of the 374th Tactical Air Lift brought 3,000 tons of rice in via airlift. After the last land and water based routes fell into the hands of the
Khmer Rouge in April 1975, the airport became the sole path for supplies for Phnom Penh. After the
collapse of the Khmer Republic in 1975, Pochentong was almost completely closed to international travel, except some flights directly from
Beijing and
Pyongyang. These flights consisted of
cadres to train the new government, as well as some Cambodian intellectuals and diplomats who volunteered to return to the country. In July 1995, the
Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) signed a concession agreement with the French–Malaysian joint venture company. The company, Société Concessionaire d'Aéroport (SCA, operating as "Cambodia Airports"), is 70% owned by
Vinci Airports and 30% owned by Muhibbah Masteron. In return for a 20-year concession, SCA committed to a $100 million improvement program. In March 2011,
Air France began flights to Paris via Bangkok using Airbus A340s. The stopover changed to Ho Chi Minh City the following year. The route lasted until March 2013. In 2014, SCA announced the start of the $100 million project to expand the passenger terminals at Phnom Penh and
Siem Reap international airports to accommodate continued strong passenger growth. The project saw the extension of the parking lots and terminals, more check-in and immigration counters, and new baggage handling systems. Additionally, the commercial areas were enlarged to accommodate more retail shops, new restaurants and food and beverage outlets, and mezzanine lounges to serve first-class and business travelers. The expansions allowed the airport to double its capacity to handle 5 million passengers a year from 2.5 million passengers. In 2015, Cambodian opposition politician
Son Chhay asked the government to rescind the concession agreement with SCA. He claimed that Cambodia "may be getting ripped off in the deal". In 2020, it was reported that SCA would lose the concession for Phnom Penh (along with Siem Reap) after plans were announced to build two new airports in those locations. However, SCA subsequently secured an MoU with State Secretariat of Civil Aviation to operate the new Phnom Penh Airport,
Techo International Airport. On 16 May 2025, Prime Minister
Hun Manet stated that Pochentong Airport would be preserved as a historical site, recognizing its origins as the work of His Majesty King Father Norodom Sihanouk. This preservation serves to protect significant infrastructure and to honor the nation's history and memory. ==Future development==