During the First World War, it was a base for the Royal Flying Corps to intercept German Zeppelins targeting industrial cities of Northern England.

In the Second World War the airfield was primarily used for training,[3]: 127–128  serving RAF Bomber Command crews; only a few combat missions took off.

It was a key facility for nuclear-armed Vulcan bombers in the Cold War before downgrade to training in the 1970s / 1980s and decommissioning by 1995.

[12] After an extended review and public consultation,[13][14] Peel proposed an expansion of their adjacent Gateway East property development[15] and the airport closed.

TUI operated the final flights on 4 November 2022,[15] and Wizz Air transferred its routes to Leeds Bradford Airport.

[18] Nevertheless, air traffic control was withdrawn from the airport in December 2022,[19] and the Civil Aviation Authority began to reclassify surrounding airspace.

[24] That November, the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority agreed to £3m funding of reinstatement activities and commercial negotiation,[25] as part of a £138m re-opening budget.

It was designed for long-range nuclear armed bombers and so is wider than other commercial airports in the north of England.

[30] It is situated less than ten minutes walk from the Terminal building but is now used to hold immigrants awaiting decisions on their asylum cases.

[31] In 2014, a 10-hectare (25-acre) site on the airport's business park became part of Sheffield City Region Enterprise Zone.

[41] Doncaster railway station on the East Coast Main Line, and the Frenchgate Interchange are 7 mi (11 km) away.

[citation needed] It has been a location for television series including ITV's Emmerdale,[46] BBC One's drama Hustle[47] and In the Club.