[7] A passenger survey carried out in 2015 found that 32.5% of journeys using the airport started or ended in the city of Bristol, 9.6% in Gloucestershire, 24.5% in Somerset, 16.9% in Devon and 8.2% in Wiltshire.

The Bristol–Lisbon route (Portugal was a neutral nation and had both British and German planes flying there) was operated by the Dutch airline KLM, under charter to BOAC.

[17] In 1941, RAF Fighter Command planned to use the airfield for an experimental unit, and after requisitioning land from several adjacent farms, contracted George Wimpey and Company to begin work on 11 June 1941.

[19] Whitchurch airport continued to be used after World War II, but the introduction of heavier post-war airliners made a runway extension highly desirable.

[27] In June 1955, the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation agreed to sell the Lulsgate airfield to Bristol Corporation, for the development of a new airport there.

[34] Les Wilson took over as managing director in that year, a position which he held until his death in a car crash in November 1995; much of the airport's subsequent strong recovery over that period has been attributed to him.

[40] However, under the terms of the Act, as long as the local authority retained a majority shareholding there were restrictions on the ability of the company to raise finance for capital projects.

[5] A new control tower was built and the A38 road was diverted to cater for the installation of a Category 3 instrument landing system; these projects were completed in 2001.

[51] Within this period, on 29 December and 3 January, there were four incidents of reduced braking action in wet conditions on the temporary surface, including two in which aircraft left the runway.

The airport closed the runway on 7 January to cut grooves into the surface to improve water runoff, and flights resumed the next day.

[6] Bristol Airport does not operate any jetways, so aircraft have to park on the apron and passengers either walk out to their flights or are carried by bus.

May 2010 saw the opening of a 450 m (1,480 ft)[55] walkway to the west of the terminal building,[56] connecting it to eight new pre-boarding zones, at a cost of £8 million, to reduce the need for buses.

[58] In September 2014, Toronto-based Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan agreed to buy Macquarie's remaining 50% stake in the airport, thereby gaining 100% ownership.

[62] In response to the UK government's 2003 white paper The Future of Air Transport, the airport published a Master Plan for expansion over the period 2006–2030.

[63] The World Development Movement claimed that flights from the airport generated the same amount of carbon dioxide as the nation of Malawi.

[66] The £150M plan,[67] designed to facilitate growth in annual passenger numbers to 10 million,[66] was approved by North Somerset Council in 2010 and by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government later the same year.

[71] In July 2014, a 3,880 m2 (41,800 sq ft), £6.5M walkway connected to the centre of the terminal was opened, providing four more pre-boarding zones including ones for wide-body aircraft such as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

It was funded, built and is owned, by a Chinese company,[79] CIMC Modular Building Systems,[80] who shipped prefabricated modules for its construction from China.

[86] In September 2023 Bristol Airport announced the commencement of its expansion plans, starting with the construction of a £60 million transport hub and car park.

This project includes the creation of one of the region's largest bus interchanges on the top level of the new car park, with an expansion that will more than double the number of coach bays, increasing them from 6 to 16.

The project is expected to take 18 months and aims to significantly enhance transportation options and services for passengers arriving at or departing from the airport.

The plans also include a 150 m (490 ft) runway extension within existing boundaries to support limited long-haul routes, alongside new taxiways to reduce congestion.

To address traffic impacts, plans involve upgrading the A38 and nearby junctions, introducing bus priority lanes, and collaborating on future mass transit connections.

[90][91] The Bristol Airport Action Network criticised the latest proposal, calling it disappointing and stating that it fails to "consider the needs of local people" or address "its climate impact."

[92] He argued that the expansion would "create local jobs, open new routes to the rest of the world, and attract greater inward investment to our region."

[133] The South Bristol Link, part of the MetroBus rapid transit route,[134] was opened in January 2017 and is expected to provide a reduction in journey times to the airport for both bus passengers and car drivers.

In 2006, the GA terminal was relocated from the north side next to the control tower to a purpose-built facility on the south east corner of the field.

Handling for visiting executive GA aircraft is managed by Bristol Flying Centre, which also provides engineering services and operates a fleet of business jets trading as Centreline Air Charter.

In 2012, Bristol Flying Centre doubled the size of its terminal,[144] to 6,500 sq ft (600 m2), with self-contained security facilities and two new passenger lounges.

[146] In July 2013, the Department for Transport gave approval for Bristol Flying Centre to handle charter flights directly, without needing to clear through the main airport terminal.