The military Zeppelin Z II arrived in Cologne in August 1909, and was based in a nearby hangar until it was destroyed in a storm in April 1910.

In addition, a blimp designed and manufactured 1909 by Clouth Gummiwerke from nearby suburb Nippes was temporarily stored at this hangar.

[4] After the war, the Royal Air Force (RAF) used the airfield primarily in a supply role for British troops, and included an airmail service.

The then mayor of Cologne Konrad Adenauer supported the development of Butzweilerhof into a modern airport,[6] but due to limited financial resources, only small progress was made during the late 1920s and early 1930s.

For some time, Butzweilerhof was second in Germany only to Berlin Tempelhof,[4] and dubbed Luftkreuz des Westens (Air junction of the West).

During World War II, Butzweilerhof was predominately used for emergency landings and as field repair station for fighter aircraft.

The group of buildings is approximately 270 metres (890 feet) long and arranged slightly curved to follow the perimeter of the circular airfield.

The landside portal of the lobby is decorated with a relief made by the sculptor Willi Meller, and features the eagle of the Weimar Republic and three crowns derived from coat of arms of Cologne.

Staff and maintenance facilities are grouped around an inner courtyard, while several parking garages provided direct airside access for ambulance vehicles and fire engines.

The premises of the former airfield were primarily used to extend the nearby business park, while the airport buildings underwent restoration.

The airport buildings, listed as protected heritage monuments since 1988, were extensively renovated between 1995 and 2007, with the intention to use them for cultural activities and an aviation museum.