It is the third-busiest airport in the state of New York and the busiest inside of the Buffalo-Niagara Falls metropolitan area.

During this time, an all-new airport to be located in Wheatfield, New York was in the planning stages and so the West Terminal was intended to have a ten-year life expectancy.

Two gates were added, the front of the terminal received a two-story addition, new ceilings were installed, and the original blue exterior was repainted gray.

The new $56 million terminal (at newly named Buffalo-Niagara International Airport) opened on November 3, 1997, with 15 gates.

[7] In late 2017 the terminal began an $80 million renovation and expansion with more than 54,000 square feet (5,000 m2) of new space as part of the airport's 2013 master plan.

The airport was formerly served by Buffalo Fire Department Engine 7 (crash-fire-rescue unit) until 1981 and was transferred to the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority.

It provides private charter flights and other services, including fueling and ground handling, to many of the scheduled airlines that operate from the Buffalo-Niagara International Airport.

It also provides aircraft maintenance service from its FAA approved repair station to airlines, corporate and general aviation customers.

Aircraft descending into the Toronto area use waypoints in Buffalo as part of a Standard Terminal Arrival Route (STAR) from the south.

Buffalo still hosts many mainline passenger jets, but scheduled flights are usually narrow-body (single-aisle) aircraft.

Shortly after deregulation of the U.S. airline industry, American and United began reducing service at medium-sized Northeastern markets such as Buffalo.

Buffalo, along with Norfolk, Virginia and Columbus, Ohio was one of the original three cities served by People from Newark.

The airline grew rapidly into a major carrier and at its peak ran over 10 flights per day from Buffalo to Newark.

Too-rapid growth including a purchase of the original Frontier Airlines led to People's demise in 1987.

At the end of the 1980s, airlines at Buffalo were mostly this six and their regional affiliates: American, United, Continental, USAir, Northwest and Delta Air Lines.

During the 1990s, with People Express swallowed by Continental, these carriers kept fares high and enplanements stagnant at Buffalo.

At the beginning of the 21st century, Buffalo Niagara International Airport grew with the addition of low-cost carriers Southwest and JetBlue.

Due to the "Southwest Effect", Buffalo Niagara International Airport exceeded the 5 million passenger mark in 2006.

Route 33 intersects with the New York State Thruway, Interstate I-90, about 1 mi (1.6 km) from the airport and then continues directly into downtown Buffalo with a total drive time of approximately 10–15 minutes.

NFTA Metro Paratransit offers services to the airport for people with mobility issues, but pre-booking is required.

Greyhound Bus Lines also provides transportation to and from the airport, with services to Toronto and New York City, (dropping off at 34th and 11th avenues).