History of Richmond International Airport in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: March 25, 2025

Richmond International Airport (RIC) is a joint civil-military airport located in Sandston, Virginia, approximately 7 miles southeast of downtown Richmond. It is the busiest airport in central Virginia and the third-busiest in the state. RIC encompasses 2,500 acres of land.

1927: Airport Dedicated as Richard Evelyn Byrd Flying Field

In 1927, the airport was dedicated as Richard Evelyn Byrd Flying Field in honor of aviator Richard E. Byrd, brother of then Gov. Harry F. Byrd. Charles Lindbergh attended the dedication ceremony.

1950: Airport Renamed Richard E. Byrd Airport

In 1950, Richard Evelyn Byrd Flying Field was renamed Richard E. Byrd Airport.

1950: Terminal Building Completed

In 1950, a terminal building designed by Marcellus Wright and Son was completed.

April 1957: Airline Departures

In April 1957, the Official Airline Guide listed 43 weekday departures from Richmond International Airport. Eastern Air Lines had 22, Piedmont Airlines had 10, American Airlines had 5, National Airlines had 4, and Capital Airlines had 2.

1957: Anthony E. Dowd, Sr. Becomes Airport Manager

In 1957, Anthony E. Dowd, Sr. became the manager of Richmond's airport.

1968: Terminal Expansion Begins

In 1968, the expansion of the terminal building commenced.

1970: Terminal Expansion Completed

In 1970, the expansion of the terminal building was completed, including the current passenger concourses.

1975: Airline Operations at Richmond International Airport

In 1975, United Airlines scheduled a daily round trip between Richmond and Los Angeles with a Douglas DC-8-61 via Washington–Dulles. Other airlines at Richmond included Eastern Air Lines operating Boeing 727s and McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30s, Piedmont Airlines operating Boeing 737-200s and NAMC YS-11s, and Altair Airlines serving Richmond with Beechcraft 99s.

1975: Capital Region Airport Commission Established

In 1975, the Capital Region Airport Commission (CRAC) was established by the Virginia General Assembly to oversee the Richmond International Airport. The commission is governed by representatives from Chesterfield, Hanover, Henrico counties, and the City of Richmond.

1984: Airport Renamed Richmond International Airport

In 1984, Richard E. Byrd Airport became Richmond International Airport.

February 15, 1985: Airlines Serving Richmond with Jet Aircraft

On February 15, 1985, the OAG listed five airlines serving Richmond with jet aircraft: Delta Air Lines, Eastern Air Lines, Piedmont Airlines, United Airlines, and USAir. Four commuter and regional airlines were also at Richmond.

1986: Wheeler Airlines Hub at Richmond

By 1986, Wheeler Airlines had a small hub at Richmond International Airport and had added nonstop flights from Charleston (WV) and Parkersburg (WV).

1988: Anthony E. Dowd, Sr. Ends Tenure as Airport Manager

In 1988, Anthony E. Dowd, Sr. ended his tenure as the manager of Richmond's airport.

2005: Richmond International Airport Announces Redesign

In 2005, Richmond International Airport announced a complete redesign, which included expanding from a single-story terminal with 12 gates to 22 gates, increasing parking spaces to 10,500, and creating a new terminal roadway and air traffic control tower. Major renovations to the terminal building, a central utility plant, and widened security checkpoints were also part of the project.

2005: BRAC 2005 Action

In 2005, pursuant to BRAC 2005 action, the 192 FW relinquished its F-16C and F-16D aircraft.

October 2007: 192d Fighter Wing Relocates to Langley AFB

Until October 2007, the 192d Fighter Wing (192 FW) maintained an Air National Guard station, operating F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft. In late 2007, the 192 FW moved to Langley AFB (now Joint Base Langley-Eustis), to integrate with the Regular Air Force as an associate unit to the 1st Fighter Wing (1 FW) flying the F-22 Raptor.

2007: Previous Passenger Record

In 2007, the Richmond International Airport had a previous record of 3,634,544 passengers.

2007: Two-Level Terminal Completed

In Spring 2007, construction on the two-level terminal designed by Gresham, Smith & Partners was completed. Due to passenger growth, Richmond reopened its international gate (B15) for seasonal flights to Cancun, Toronto and Punta Cana.

October 2016: RIC Reports 32nd Consecutive Month of Growth

In October 2016, Richmond International Airport (RIC) reported its 32nd consecutive month of growth, with an estimated 345,000 travelers.

2016: Richmond International Airport Handles Record Cargo Volume

In 2016, Richmond International Airport handled over 63,000 tons of cargo, marking an all-time high for the airport.

2016: Richmond Records Second Highest Yearly Passenger Volume

In 2016, Richmond recorded its second-highest yearly passenger volume.

2017: Airport Serves Record Number of Passengers

In 2017, Richmond International Airport served 3,657,479 passengers, which was a record for the airport at that time.

2017: Airlines Add Routes and Aircraft

In 2017, several airlines serving RIC, including Delta Air Lines, JetBlue Airways, and Southwest Airlines, responded to growing demand by adding additional routes and larger aircraft. United Airlines upgraded its Denver service to a mainline aircraft, replacing the Embraer E-175 used with United Express.

2018: Major Expansion Begun

In late 2018, a major expansion began at Richmond International Airport to increase the number of gates from 22 to 28 or 30 by adding 6 or 8 gates to its A Concourse.

2018: Checkpoint Area Expansion Commences

In the fall of 2018, the airport also commenced expanding the checkpoint area in Concourse B, from four to six TSA screening lanes.

June 2019: TSA Lane Expansion Completed

In June 2019, the TSA lane expansion commenced in the fall of 2018 in Concourse B was completed, increasing the number of screening lanes from four to six.

2021: Concourse A Expansion Completed

In 2021, the expansion of Concourse A at Richmond International Airport was completed.

2023: RIC Sets All-Time Passenger Record

In 2023, RIC set an all-time passenger record of 4,755,889.

November 2024: Official Plan to Consolidate TSA Security Checkpoints Announced

In November 2024, the Commission announced an official plan to consolidate the TSA security checkpoints into one central location, made possible by a $2.5 million FAA grant.