As early as 1928, there were deliberations to construct a glider landing field in Uetersen, but it took several years before the first aircraft would take flight.

On July 25, 1936, the first motor aircraft landed, piloted by a flight-student of the Flying School Magdeburg.

The German Lufthansa began operating the air cargo route Uetersen-Copenhagen on January 29, 1940.

On May 13, 1987 private pilot Mathias Rust took off from Uetersen, flying a Cessna F172P, registration D-ECJB, and eventually landed in Red Square Moscow.

The airfield was also home of German Air Force Museum Uetersen from 1956 until 1995, when Luftwaffenmuseum der Bundeswehr was relocated to Berlin-Gatow.