[1] A simple airfield was established in Cointrin, near the city of Geneva, covering an area of 54 hectares (130 acres).

At the time, there was a small amount of air traffic, with Luft Hansa flying from Berlin to Barcelona via Halle, Leipzig, Geneva and Marseille.

In 1938, eight airlines were flying to Geneva: Swissair, KLM, Deutsche Luft Hansa, Air France, Malert (Hungary), AB Aerotransport (Sweden), Alpar (Switzerland) and Imperial Airways (UK).

During World War II, the Swiss authorities forbade all flights from Switzerland, but expansion of the airport led to increasing its area to 95 hectares (230 acres) and extending the main runway first to 1,000 by 50 metres (3,280 by 160 ft).

Cointrin was noted as being well suited for extension and did not require a triangular runway arrangement as the prevailing winds are very regularly along a single axis.

Pier B consists of two non-Schengen circular satellite buildings which are reached from the shopping area via an underground walkway, which also houses passport control.

Pier D consists of one circular satellite and one bus gate building, which is split between Schengen and non-Schengen passengers on different floors.

Before Switzerland's integration into the Schengen Area in 2008, Pier F, also known as the French Sector, was used exclusively for passengers arriving from, or departing to destinations in France.

In June 2016, Geneva Airport management announced that they will start upgrading the main check-in hall in terminal 1.

This will add one thousand square metres to the actual check-in area and help to cope with the higher passenger volume that the airport faces every year.

[11] The airport announced in 2012 a plan to replace the current, outdated long-haul section (Pier C) of the terminal, which originally was intended to be an interim solution back in 1975, with a completely reconstructed facility.

[12] Construction originally was delayed by several years by Swissair moving its long haul operation to Zurich in 1996.

This building is ecofriendly, electricity produced by 5,000 m2 of solar panels, more than 100 geothermal probes for heat pumps, glazed facades for natural light, additional LED lighting, recovery of rainwater, optimum thermal insulation with triple glazing, eliminates bus rides on the tarmac, and finally power supply and hot / cold direct 3 additional positions instead of an external diesel power.

Arriving passengers are bussed directly from the aircraft to T2 and then pass through passport control (if needed) and collect their baggage there.

Other major airlines at GVA threatened to leave the airport if EasyJet had its own terminal with lower landing charges.

Its members include the Fédération des Entreprises Romandes Genève, the Centre patronal and the Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Geneva and Vaud.