It serves small airliners, but has undergone a major renovation in 2017 in time for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

In 1955, a civil airport was built in the city limits, in the area of what is nowadays Gagarin Street.

And in 1960, a new airport was opened in its current place, near the village of Lukhovka, 5 km south-east of Saransk city center.

In 1981, a concrete runway was commissioned, which allowed the airport to accept modern turbojet Tu-134 and Yak-42 aircraft.

[1] The airport was opened after renovation on 1 February 2018 with the participation of Ministry Russian Minister Transport, Maksim Sokolov.