The airport was built in 1938, and after the German invasion of Greece in 1941, Kalamaki Airfield was used as a Luftwaffe air base during the occupation.

A semi-permanent USAAF presence was established in May 1947 as the facility was being reconstructed to facilitate Marshall Plan aid to Greece and Turkey.

Commercial airline service returned to the facility in 1956 with the airport being turned over to Greek civil aviation authorities.

The 7206th Air Base Group remained the primary USAF unit at the airport with the 6916th Security Squadron providing electronic aerial surveillance of the eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East).

This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency