The airport was dedicated as Richard Evelyn Byrd Flying Field in 1927 in honor of aviator Richard E. Byrd, brother of then Gov. Harry F. Byrd. Charles Lindbergh attended the dedication ceremony. Although the facility was in Henrico County, Richmond Mayor John Fulmer Bright was instrumental in the creation of Byrd Field, which was initially owned by the City of Richmond. It was renamed Richard E. Byrd Airport in 1950, and became Richmond International Airport in 1984. The airport's manager from 1957 to 1988 was Anthony E. Dowd, Sr.

A terminal building designed by Marcellus Wright and Son was completed in 1950. It was expanded from 1968 to 1970, which included the current passenger concourses.

The April 1957 Official Airline Guide lists 43 weekday departures: 22 on Eastern Air Lines, ten on Piedmont Airlines, five on American Airlines, four on National Airlines and two on Capital Airlines.

In the mid-1970s United Airlines scheduled a daily round trip between Richmond and Los Angeles (LAX) with a Douglas DC-8-61 via Washington–Dulles. The DC-8-61 was most likely the largest passenger airliner ever scheduled to the airport. United was also flying Boeing 727-200s and Boeing 737-200s to the airport, including nonstop flights to Washington–National in addition to Dulles. Other airlines at Richmond in 1975 included Eastern Air Lines operating Boeing 727s and McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30s with nonstops from Atlanta, New York–JFK, New York–LaGuardia and Raleigh/Durham; and Piedmont Airlines operating Boeing 737-200s and NAMC YS-11s nonstop from Charleston (WV), Chicago–O'Hare, Huntington, Lynchburg (VA), Newport News, Norfolk, Raleigh/Durham, Roanoke, Rocky Mount/Wilson, and Washington–National. Altair Airlines, a commuter air carrier, was serving Richmond with Beechcraft 99s nonstop from Baltimore, Philadelphia and Wilmington, DE.

The February 15, 1985 OAG listed five airlines serving Richmond with jet aircraft including Delta Air Lines, Eastern Air Lines, Piedmont Airlines, United Airlines and USAir. Delta was operating Boeing 737-200s and McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30s nonstop from Atlanta; Eastern was operating Boeing 727-100s, McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30s and McDonnell Douglas DC-9-50s nonstop from Atlanta, Charlotte, Greensboro, New York–JFK and New York–LaGuardia; Piedmont was operating Boeing 727-200s, Boeing 737-200s and Fokker F28 Fellowships nonstop from Baltimore, Charlotte, Chicago–O'Hare, Greensboro, Kinston (NC), Louisville, New York–LaGuardia, Norfolk and Philadelphia, United was operating Boeing 727-100 and Boeing 727-200 nonstop from Baltimore, Chicago–O'Hare and Norfolk, and USAir was operating BAC One-Elevens and McDonnell Douglas DC-9-30s nonstop from Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. one commuter and regional airlines were at Richmond, including Air Virginia which was operating a hub at the airport flying Swearingen Metroliners nonstop from Baltimore, Charlottesville (VA), Lynchburg (VA), New Bern (NC), Newport News, New York–LaGuardia, Newark, Norfolk, Philadelphia, Raleigh/Durham, Roanoke, and Washington–National; Delta Connection operated by Comair with nonstop Saab 340s and Swearingen Metroliners operated on a code sharing basis for Delta from Roanoke; Piedmont Regional Airlines operating Beechcraft 99, de Havilland Canada DHC-7 Dash 7 and Short 330 turboprops with nonstop service flown on a code sharing basis for Piedmont from Baltimore, Newport News, Norfolk and Roanoke; and Wheeler Airlines operating Beechcraft 99 turboprops nonstop from Danville (VA), Raleigh/Durham, Washington–National and Wilmington (DE). By 1986 Wheeler Airlines had a small hub at the airport and had added nonstop flights from Charleston (WV) and Parkersburg (WV).

In 2021, the airport closed Runway 07/25 and converted it to Taxiway H.