In 1929, a local private company bought land at Léger’s Corner and through the years, two runways and structures for maintenance on planes were constructed. The Moncton Aero Club was founded that year as well as the International Airways Flying School. In the same year, the airport expanded its air mail service to Prince Edward Island and Montreal. In 1936, the city discussed with Transport Canada the development of an airport suitable for trans-Canada air service. The Léger’s Corner site was unsuitable for expansion so they chose Lakeburn as the new site for the airport. An initial paved runway and two additional runways were to be constructed.

In March 1940, the Department of National Defence requested authorization from the Department of Transportation to open a service flying training school under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. The school would train war pilots from the Commonwealth countries. A hangar was also constructed at the airport for a repair and overhaul base during the war. These facilities would employ up to one thousand workers. Many of them occupied the 200 houses built for that purpose in “The Patch” near the airport.

During the early 1940’s, mail and passenger services were offered to Charlottetown, Montreal, Halifax, Sydney, Saint John, Fredericton and Newfoundland. The hangar of Trans-Canada Airlines, one of the first airlines in the region, was the location for the first air terminal. In 1952, a larger hangar was being converted into a modern air terminal but it was destroyed by fire. In 1953, part of a new air terminal was constructed.

The expansion in 1964 included an operations building and a control tower. The terminal building was completed in 1976 with the combination of the terminal and the operations building.

During the years, renovations were done including the addition of the international arrivals area constructed in time for the 1999 Francophone Summit.

In May of 2001, the Greater Moncton Airport Authority made the decision to build a new, state-of-the-art facility. Construction began in early July of that same year and was completed in early fall of 2002.

On October 19, 2002, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II officially opened the terminal building. During that same time, the airport obtained its international status.