[2][3] The airport is located 15 kilometers (9.3 mi) northeast of Bacolod on a 181-hectare (450-acre) site in Barangay Bagtic, Silay, Negros Occidental.

[3] The site of Bacolod–Silay Airport was one of the main airfields for the Imperial Japanese Army Air Service (IJAAS) bombers and fighters in Negros.

Immediately after the completion of the study, JICA hired Pacific Consultants International as advisers to the project.

[5] Physical construction on the new 4.3 billion-peso airport, funded in part by an 8.2 billion yen loan, commenced in August 2004.

[8] The first international flight to arrive at the airport was a chartered plane from Almaty, Kazakhstan which landed at 10:58 a.m. on January 2, 2009 carrying eight passengers and eight crew members.

[9][10] Zest Air chartered international flights to and from Incheon using the Airbus A320 from January 7 to February 22, 2012, and also used to serve the route seasonally for South Korean golfers.

[11] This seasonal route was also operated by Philippine Airlines utilizing the Airbus A321 from December 24, 2015, to February 21, 2016, offering flights to tourists, non-golfers, and the local flying public.

[12] By late 2014, the airport has been equipped with customs, immigration and quarantine booths in preparation for the increase in international arrivals.

The entire airport complex is designed to handle an excess of one million passengers and 16,715 tonnes (36,850,000 lb) of cargo annually and consists of 21 buildings with a total floor space of 10,075 square meters (108,450 sq ft).