Early years

In April 1942, the Town of Islip contracted with the federal government to build an airfield on town-owned land for military use. Within months, the Civil Aeronautics Administration – the predecessor to today's Federal Aviation Administration – funded the construction of the airport and three paved runways through the federally-funded Development of Landing Areas for National Defense (DLAND) program. Originally named Islip Airport, at the suggestion of Charles H. Duryea – a local elected official, the airport was renamed MacArthur Airport after U.S. Army General Douglas MacArthur, whose dramatic escape from the Philippines during World War II had captured the attention of the world. The airport was officially activated in May 1943.

In 1944, Lockheed Aircraft Corporation built the first hangar at the airport. Five years later, the Town of Islip built the airport's first terminal building, in preparation for airline flights. Through the 1950s, the Sperry Corporation conducted aerospace research at the airport.

In 1947, the Town of Islip offered the airport to the Port of New York Authority (which is today the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey). The offer was rejected by the authority because of the airport's location outside of the port region.

Commercial service era

In 1960, Allegheny Airlines was the first scheduled passenger airline at Islip, flying to Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. The March 1961 Official Airline Guide lists five weekday Convair 440 departures: a nonstop to Washington National, one to Baltimore, and three flights direct to Boston via several stops. The General Douglas MacArthur Terminal was completed in 1966. In 1967 Mohawk Airlines began two Fairchild Hiller FH-227 flights a day, to Bridgeport and Albany and beyond with one flight continuing to Toronto. By 1969 Mohawk was flying BAC One-Elevens nonstop to Syracuse. In 1972 Mohawk had nonstops to Albany with direct service to Buffalo and Rochester. Mohawk would soon be merged into Allegheny Airlines.

In 1971, American Airlines began flying nonstop Boeing 727-100s to Chicago O'Hare Airport. By 1974 Allegheny had started BAC One-Elevens and McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30s nonstop to Albany and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, and direct jets to Burlington, Vermont, Cincinnati, and Detroit. Allegheny continued operating Convair 580s nonstop to Albany, Boston, Bridgeport, and Washington, D.C., in addition to direct Convair 580s to Buffalo and Rochester. Allegheny would be renamed USAir, which then became US Airways, with these respective airlines operating service into the airport for many years before US Airways was merged into American.

The Official Airline Guide (OAG) shows the following passenger jets to Long Island MacArthur nonstop from the following at various times from the late 1960s to the late 1990s, with types:

Allegheny Airlines: Albany, New Haven, Washington, D.C., National Airport – BAC One-Eleven, McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30

American: Chicago O'Hare Airport, Raleigh/Durham – Boeing 727-100, Boeing 727-200, Fokker 100, McDonnell Douglas MD-80

Braniff International Airlines: Orlando – Boeing 727-200

Carnival Air Lines: Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Orlando, Tampa, West Palm Beach – Boeing 737-400

Continental: Washington, D.C., Dulles International Airport – Boeing 737-300

Delta Express: Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Tampa – Boeing 737-200

Eastern Airlines: Atlanta, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Providence – Boeing 727-100, Boeing 727-200

Mohawk Airlines: Syracuse – BAC One-Eleven

New York Air: Washington, D.C., Dulles International Airport - McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30

Northeastern International Airways: Boston, Fort Lauderdale, Hartford, Orlando, Philadelphia, St. Petersburg, West Palm Beach – Boeing 727-100, Boeing 727-200, Douglas DC-8

Spirit Airlines: Detroit, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Tampa, West Palm Beach – McDonnell Douglas MD-80, McDonnell Douglas MD-87

United: Chicago O'Hare Airport – Boeing 727-100, Boeing 727-200

USAir: Albany, Baltimore, Charlotte, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Washington, D.C., National Airport – Boeing 727-200, Boeing 737-200, Boeing 737-300, Boeing 737-400, BAC One-Eleven, Fokker F28, Fokker 100, McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30

A number of commuter and regional airlines served the airport from the late 1970s to the late 1990s, including Allegheny Commuter, Altair Airlines, Atlantic Coast Airlines operating as United Express, Business Express Airlines operating as Delta Connection, Continental Express, Empire Airlines (1976-1985), Mall Airways, Metro Airlines Northeast operating as Trans World Express, Mohawk Airlines (a later commuter air carrier version), NewAir and its predecessor New Haven Airways, Piedmont Regional Airlines operating on behalf of Piedmont Airlines (1948-1989), Pilgrim Airlines, Precision Airlines operating as Northwest Airlink, Ransome Airlines and USAir Express and its successor US Airways Express.