Early operations

Guadalajara Airport was inaugurated on March 1, 1951, featuring two asphalt runways, an apron, and a small passenger terminal. The opening ceremony was officiated by President Miguel Alemán Valdés. It has undergone significant expansions since its early days. In 1966, operations were briefly suspended due to safety concerns raised by the Technical Commission of the Mexican Pilots Association (Spanish: Asociación Sindical de Pilotos Aviadores de México ASPA). Urgent repairs were carried out, with airlines temporarily redirected to the Zapopan Air Force Base. The renovation efforts included enlarging the original 2,200 metres (7,200 ft) runway 10/28. By 1968, the runway was reconstructed and extended to 4,000 metres (13,000 ft), coinciding with the reconstruction of the airport's passenger building.

The airport was reinaugurated as the new Miguel Hidalgo International Airport in 1968. This transformation allowed it to accommodate wide-body aircraft and was executed largely using existing infrastructure, with the old runway, apron, and building repurposed for general aviation. Throughout the following years, the airport underwent further transformations. In 1973, runways, taxiways, aprons, passenger buildings, parking lots, a control tower, and fuel storage areas were completely renovated or newly constructed. Technological enhancements, such as jetbridges, high-intensity lights, visual approach slope indicator (VASI) and runway end identifier lights (REIL) were implemented to ensure operational efficiency and safety.

Hub operations

In the 1980s, Mexicana, a key player in the country's aviation industry, began a decentralization effort to address congestion at Mexico City International Airport. Guadalajara, alongside airports like Monterrey and Mérida, played a pivotal role in accommodating additional routes and frequencies to alleviate pressure on the capital's airport. As part of this initiative, a Maintenance Base was inaugurated in 1988. This facility had the capacity to service ten Boeing 727-200 aircraft and two DC-10s, representing approximately 23% of the airline's fleet. Until Mexicana's bankruptcy, the airport served as a hub for the airline, functioning as one of its gateways to the United States.

On May 24, 1993, the airport parking lot became the site of a deadly firefight between the Logan Heights Gang, associated with the Tijuana Cartel, and the Sinaloa Cartel. This confrontation resulted in seven fatalities, including Catholic Archbishop Juan Jesús Posadas Ocampo.

In 1994, expansion and adaptation projects were funded by Aeropuertos y Servicios Auxiliares (ASA), leading to significant improvements in the passenger terminal and departures concourse. The apron was extended, and two taxiways were added. A transformative year came in 1995 with the publication of the 'Ley de Aeropuertos' (Airports Law) by the Department of Communications and Transportation (Spanish: Secretaría de Comunicaciones y Transportes), marking the inception of Mexico's airport privatization program. In 1999, Guadalajara Airport joined Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP), a consortium headquartered in Guadalajara.

The airport served as a hub for Aero California from its establishment in 1960 until its bankruptcy in 2006. In the 2000s, it also served as the primary hub and secondary hub for the now-defunct regional airlines ALMA and Aeromar. In 2010, Volaris commenced service to Guadalajara, absorbing routes from the defunct Aerocalifornia and Mexicana. This marked the establishment of what is now Volaris' largest hub.

Expansion challenges and local concerns

In 2020, Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico announced an investment of 14 billion pesos in Guadalajara Airport. This funding was allocated to key developments, including the construction of a new runway on the northern side of the airport, which would position the terminal and other buildings between the two runways, creating a midfield layout. Other developments include improved terminal access, an expanded parking lot, a hotel, an office complex, and a solar power plant. The comprehensive expansion project is slated for completion by 2024.

Despite the promising vision, the expansion faced setbacks due to resident conflicts. Protests disrupted parking access, and residents claimed that Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico still owed compensation for land expropriated in 1975. This dispute delayed the construction of the second runway and raised the possibility of further expropriations.

In December 2021, Guadalajara Airport achieved a significant milestone with the introduction of Aeroméxico's nonstop flights to Madrid, operated by a Boeing 787. This marked the airport's first direct connection to Europe.

In July 2023, Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacífico (GAP) inaugurated a second parallel runway (3,538 metres (11,608 ft) long, 45 metres (148 ft) wide) 270 metres (890 ft) north of runway 11/29.