Constructed by the Royal New Zealand Air Force in July 1939 using equipment from Whenuapai, Paraparaumu was made available as an "Emergency Airport" by the government. The then-grass Rongotai Airport in Wellington was closed for safety reasons from 27 September 1947 until 1959,[2] as the surface often became unusable during winter months. National Airways Corporation was forced to move to Paraparaumu Airport, 35 miles from Wellington.
The reconstructed and much improved Rongotai Airport opened in 1959, and Paraparaumu ceased being Wellington's main airport and became then a general aviation airfield.
Over the following 50 years there was very little investment in the airport until the airport was sold in 2006 to new private owners led by Sir Noel Robinson, and an ambitious plan was developed to upgrade the facilities in a bid to attract commercial scheduled flights and build a business park to support the aviation activities.
The airport changed its name to Kapiti Coast Airport in 2011.
