In 1950, the airport was renamed Montgomery Field in honor of John Joseph Montgomery, an aviation pioneer who, in 1884 to 1886, made the first manned, controlled, heavier-than-air flights in the United States from Otay Mesa, south of San Diego, starting with a glider designed in 1883.

[3] During World War II, the United States Army Air Forces assumed control of the airport and built three hard runways.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has maintained an air traffic control tower at the airport since 1965.

In April 2021, the airport completed a $10 million upgrade that included six new hangars; a fueling facility for private jets and propeller planes; and a new two-story, 9,000 square-foot building containing a flight school and an executive lounge for business travelers.

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