The Ia?i region earned its commercial representative status on 24 June 1926, when scheduled flights commenced on the route Bucharest – Gala?i – Ia?i – Chi?in?u. The flights were operated by Compagnie Franco-Roumaine de Navigation Aérienne - CFRNA, in 1930 renamed LARES (which became TARS in 1945, and TAROM in 1954). In 1966, a north–south concrete runway, 15/33, with a total length of 1,800 m (5,906 ft), and a modern lighting system, were built, followed three years later by the construction of a passenger terminal. In 2001, the passenger terminal was upgraded to use separate flows for domestic and international flights. In June 2012, a new passenger terminal, named T2, was added, increasing the total processing capacity to 215 pax/hour. The terminal was designated to be used for domestic flights. The old terminal was renamed T1. In 2013, Ia?i International Airport started a long-term, multi-stage upgrade program. Module I of the project (an estimated €57 million investment) was completed in November 2015, and involved the construction of a new runway, a terminal building, and the extension of the apron. On 20 August 2014, the first 1,800 m (5,906 ft) of the new runway 14/32 went into operation, whilst the entire length of 2,400 m (7,874 ft) became fully operational on 16 October 2014. The old runway 15/33 was converted into a taxiway. On 17 October 2015, the third terminal building (T3) with a processing capacity of 320 pax/hour and two boarding gates, was inaugurated. A project which included the expansion of T2 (that would double the terminal's area) was also proposed, in October 2015. On 13 November 2017, Ia?i Airport exceeded the 1,000,000 passenger mark. In March 2021, an extension of the apron was completed and a new taxiway was inaugurated. The airport experienced a surge in traffic in February 2022, as Moldova closed its airspace following the Russian Invasion of Ukraine. Due to the airport's proximity to the Romanian-Moldovan border, some airlines decided to reroute their flights from Chi?in?u Airport to Ia?i Airport, while other airlines announced plans to increase the number of destinations served from Ia?i. On 9 May 2022, a contract of over €66 million was signed with Strabag for the design and execution of the T4 passenger terminal and the extension of the parking lot. Opened on 29 March 2024, T4 has an area of 31,210 m2 (335,942 sq ft), a processing capacity of 950 pax/hour, and seven gates (three jetways and four ground-level gates). For the long term, the development project proposes other modules for the construction of a new apron, two rapid-exit taxiways, a cargo terminal, an aircraft fuel depot, a new access roadway, as well as of a 600-metre (2,000 ft) extension for the runway to a total length of 3,000 m (9,843 ft).