Opened in 1984 as a small domestic field. It is named after Vitsentzos Kornaros, the Cretan poet of the Renaissance. The airport saw a major upgrade in 2016 with the inauguration of a new terminal and the extension of its runway to 2,074 meters, allowing it to handle medium-sized jet aircraft (Airbus A320/Boeing 737) and international charters, providing a quieter alternative to the saturated Heraklion airport.