Built in 1942 as a US Marines bomber base, is the largest grass strip in the Southern hemisphere used now by general aviation.

The site chosen is a small plateau, and was deemed suitable as it is large and flat with a solid volcanic foundation.

On 23 January 1947 New Zealand National Airways Corporation begun their first commercial passenger air service was from Kaikohe.

The Lodestar was unable to use Whangarei's Onerahi Airport and so Kaikohe was connected directly to Auckland.

The Lodestars did not last long on the Northland service for on 2 April 1951 Douglas DC-3s were introduced on the Auckland - Kaikohe - Kaitaia route.

In 1970 Kaikohe lost its air service with NAC due to this low patronage and the fact the DC3's that were in use being replaced by larger Fokker Friendships which could not handle the uneven grass runways.

[1] In July 1970 Rotorua-based Geyserland Airways were successful in picking up the rights to fly to Kaikohe gaining a licence to operate an Auckland-Kaikohe service with an Aero Commander 680FL aircraft.

The airport became popular with gliding over the next few years, as a base for local aerial topdressing aircraft operations, and skydiving.