In response to the Attack on Pearl Harbor on nearby Oahu, the U.S. entered World War II. The demands of war required a proper air station on Maui, so the Navy acquired approximately 1,341 acres (543 ha) of sugar cane fields near Kahului and beginning construction in 1942. Following the end of the war in 1945, the Territory of Hawaii began negotiations to convert Naval Air Station Kahului into a civil airport to replace the inadequate airport near Puunene.

Extensive negotiations between the Territory of Hawaii and the Navy resulted in a gradual transition of the base to civilian control. By December 1947, jurisdiction was transferred to the Territory, and the Hawaii Aeronautics Commission assumed custodial oversight. During this time, work began to prepare the airfield for its new role. A passenger terminal was built from surplus military materials, an old shop was remodeled into a refrigerated air freight building, and the navigational and runway lighting systems were installed. In June 1952, Congress authorized the Navy to transfer ownership of the airport to the Territory.

Over the following decades, the airport underwent substantial infrastructure development. Key milestones included the completion of a new control tower in 1958 and the construction of a permanent terminal building by 1966. Expansion continued through the 1980s, with the addition of a commuter terminal and a new main terminal constructed between 1985 and 1990.

Originally designed to accommodate interisland flights, Kahului Airport saw a shift in traffic patterns beginning in the mid-1980s with the arrival of its first scheduled mainland service. The growing demand for transpacific flights necessitated multiple terminal expansions to accommodate larger aircraft.

In the 21st century, modernization efforts continued. The ticket lobby and baggage claim areas were expanded in 2005, followed by the construction of a new airport access road in 2016. A consolidated rental car facility, linked to the terminal via a tram, opened in 2019. By 2025, a major renovation on the south side of the terminal merged two previously separate hold rooms and enclosed an open-air walkway, creating a 17,000-square-foot (1,600 m2), air-conditioned waiting area.