New Bedford Regional Airport was constructed between 1940 and 1942 as a commercial airport, but was soon drafted into use for the United States Army Air Forces until the end of World War II as New Bedford Army Air Field. In April 1944, the Navy took over control of the airport and used it as a training post and naval auxiliary air facility (NAAF New Bedford) to the Naval Air Station Quonset Point in Rhode Island. During its time, the field also had control of Naval Outlying Landing Field Plymouth and Naval Outlying Landing Field Westfield.

After the war ended, the airport was converted back into civilian use. It has been improved over the years with additional runway lighting and approach guidance systems.

Part 139 Certification was received in the summer of 2017, allowing the airport to accept larger passenger aircraft for the purpose of passenger transportation.

Historic airline service

Northeast Airlines, a major east coast air carrier, provided scheduled airline service throughout the 1950s and 1960s until 1972, when it was acquired by and merged into Delta Air Lines, which in turn then ceased serving New Bedford several years later. In 1960, Northeast was operating Douglas DC-3 aircraft into the airport with nonstop service to New York LaGuardia Airport, Boston and Martha's Vineyard. By 1969, Northeast had introduced larger Fairchild Hiller FH-227 turboprops on nonstop flights to New York LaGuardia, New York JFK Airport and Boston. Northeast then introduced jet service and was operating McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30 jetliners nonstop between New Bedford and New York LaGuardia Airport in the fall of 1970 with two round trip DC-9 flights a day. Following its acquisition of Northeast, Delta continued to serve New Bedford with Fairchild Hiller FH-227 turboprops inherited from Northeast on nonstop flights to New York LaGuardia and Boston during the early and mid-1970s.

Following the cessation of service by Delta during the mid-1970s, Air New England provided regional service throughout New England and New York until it ceased all operations and went out of business. In 1975, Air New England was the only airline serving New Bedford, with a total of up to fourteen nonstop flights a day into the airport from New York LaGuardia, Boston, Hyannis and Martha's Vineyard. These services were operated with Beechcraft 99 and de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter commuter turboprops as well as larger Fairchild Hiller FH-227 turboprops and Douglas DC-3 aircraft. By 1979, Air New England had reduced its service into New Bedford and was operating four flights a day with DHC-6 Twin Otter turboprops on nonstop services twice a day to New York LaGuardia and Hyannis. Nor-East Commuter Airlines was also serving New Bedford in 1979 with several nonstop flights a day to Martha's Vineyard, operated with Piper Navajo twin prop aircraft.

Following Air New England, Provincetown-Boston Airlines (PBA) was the primary airline serving New Bedford until 1989, when it ceased all flights into the airport. In 1985, PBA was operating three nonstop flights a day to New York LaGuardia with Embraer EMB-110 Bandeirante commuter turboprops. At the peak of PBA's business, 102,880 passengers passed through its facilities in New Bedford.

In December 2017, Elite Airways offered scheduled flights from New Bedford to Vero Beach, Florida with Bombardier CRJ-200 and -700 series aircraft. However, this service was suspended due a pilot shortage and a limited fleet of aircraft.