Jindal Vijayanagar Steel built the airport next to its plant in Toranagallu for use by senior employees.

[5] In 2004, the government of Karnataka announced that the airstrip would be upgraded to serve as the new commercial airport for Bellary, which was 30 kilometres (19 mi) away.

The government also hoped that Jindal Vijayanagar Airport would attract tourists bound for Hampi.

[4] Karnataka governor T. N. Chaturvedi inaugurated the airport in November 2006,[7] and Air Deccan launched flights to Bangalore and Goa the following month.

[8] As part of the Indian government's UDAN scheme, TruJet began service to Hyderabad in September 2017.