Shirak Airport was inaugurated in 1961 to serve the northern regions of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic. For its first two decades, it operated as a regional airfield with limited facilities. In 1982, a new modernist terminal was completed, designed by renowned architects Levon Christophorian and Ruben Hasratyan. The design was part of a broader Soviet-era effort to provide Gyumri (then Leninakan) with an infrastructure capable of handling increased regional traffic and military logistics. Following the catastrophic 1988 Armenian earthquake, the airport became a critical lifeline for international aid and rescue operations. However, the resulting structural damage and the subsequent economic collapse during the early years of Armenian independence left the facility largely inoperable for civilian use. Throughout the 1990s, the airport's role was almost exclusively limited to military operations by the Armenian Air Force. A turning point occurred in 2004 when the airport was partially renewed to restore civil operations. Armenia felt the importance of having a second airport, when adverse weather conditions meant that many flights had to be diverted from Yerevan's Zvartnots International Airport into Gyumri's Shirak Airport. In 2007, management was transferred to Armenia International Airports CJSC under a 30-year concession agreement. Infrastructure leap: In 2006, the airport installed advanced radar systems with a 400 km radius. Technical standards: By 2007, the runway was completely re-asphalted, and a Finnish IDMAN light-signal system was integrated. Licensing: That same year, the General Department of Civil Aviation of Armenia granted it an ICAO First Class Airport license. In early 2020, Shirak was poised for its biggest international expansion with the arrival of Ryanair. The airline planned to launch twice-weekly flights to Athens and Memmingen (Germany) starting in March and May 2020. Cancellations: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent state of emergency declared on 16 March 2020, Ryanair suspended all Armenian operations. Market exit: While initially framed as a temporary suspension, the airline never resumed its Gyumri routes, officially exiting the Armenian market in late 2020 due to pandemic-related volatility. The 2020s marked the "rebirth" of Shirak as a low-cost carrier hub. Driven by the need to decentralize traffic from Yerevan, the operator launched a major modernization program. Capacity expansion: On 16 September 2021, a new arrivals hall was inaugurated, tripling the airport's annual capacity to 700,000 passengers. Runway upgrades: A $6 million investment saw the 3,220-meter runway fully resurfaced to accommodate larger aircraft like the Airbus A321 and Boeing 737-800. Recent statistics: In 2025, passenger traffic at Shirak Airport increased by 32.4% year-on-year, contributing significantly to Armenia's record 5.7 million total air passengers. Construction on a new, expanded departures area was finalized in late 2024 to support this growth.