The origins of Villafría aerodrome date back to the 1920s, when a small aeronautical detachment was established in Gamonal, which served its purpose until it became too small to cope with the advances in aeronautics. After this, the government of King Alfonso XII created the national Villafría airport in Burgos by Royal Decree on 19 July 1927. On 3 January 1928, the Cabinet approved the construction of Burgos airport and, on the 15th of the month, Villafría Town Hall agreed to cede the field called Gorreñal to the Superior Council of Military Aeronautics for the airport to be built there. In 1936, the Gamonal and Villafría airfields linked their facilities together, forming one single aeronautical infrastructure.
On 8 August 1941, Burgos City Hall agreed to purchase a country estate of almost 300 thousand square metres that formed part of the old Monte de Gamonal. On 10 November, the mayor offered this land to the Air Ministry. On 6 December, a decree declared the installation of services and the work to be carried out on the fields that were being linked together urgent.
In fact, the Air Ministry was founded in Burgos after the Civil War, when the Military Aeronautical Service forces created by King Alfonso XIII in 1910 were modernised. They inherited the Military Service Air Station, that belonged at the time to the Military Engineering Corps, established by the same monarch.
On 21 July 1949, the University Air Militia began its activities, after which 22 classes would be trained at these facilities, the offices being handed over in 1971. Villafría aerodrome opened to civil aviation in the autumn of that year. In 1973, what is now the Burgos Royal Flying Club was set up. Since then, the airport has hosted a variety of teaching and training activities during the summer.
In August 1995, the Ministry of Defence signed an agreement with Burgos City Hall, under which it ceded the Villafría airdrome's facility exclusively for civilian use. On 20 October 2000, the aerodrome is declared of general interest, with the State reserving its direct management to Aena.
On 3 July 2008, the airport opens its doors to commercial flights. In order to do this, Aena carried out a series of measures, including the construction of a new terminal building with parking facilities, a multi-service building, a new runway and an aircraft parking apron.
In November 2009, Burgos Airport received the Certificate of Environmental Management ISO 14001, awarded by AENOR . This certification internationally recognises and validates the environmental effort and actions carried out by the airport.
If you would like more information, you can obtain the work by José Antonio Martínez and Luis Utrilla, Historia de los aeropuertos de Burgos (History of the Burgos airports).
