[1] The airport was built at the site of the former Kalthof proving ground of the Prussian Army on the road from Königsberg to Labiau (present-day Polessk), named after the nearby village of Devau.

In 1919, per the terms of the Versailles treaty, the "Polish corridor" had separated East Prussia from the main part of Germany.

On 1 May 1922, the flight route from Berlin via Königsberg to Moscow was inaugurated, then the first international air connection of the Soviet Union.

From 1926, Devau Airport was also used by the Deutsche Luft Hansa, which set up the first night flying connection between Königsberg and Berlin as well as air links to Tilsit and Memel (Klaipėda).

Parts of the original main building still exists and is used by the Kaliningrad Sport Aviation Club.