During WWII, the federal government appropriated the airport, establishing an air base for planes bound to and from Great Britain. Lane Construction of Hampden was one of the contractors who worked on upgrading the airport for the military. Almost overnight, Presque Isle Army Airfield became a vital air transport installation and the city found itself a busy war center.

When the United States Air Force closed Presque Isle Air Force Base in 1961, the former Air Force Base was redeveloped. A business park, which includes Northern Maine Community College (which is closely integrated with the nearby University of Maine at Presque Isle), was developed on one side of the base, while the other portion became Northern Maine Regional Airport, now Presque Isle International Airport.

The airport saw frequent service prior to the 1978 Airline Deregulation Act, which led to a collapse in service as airlines pulled out of less profitable markets. Presque Isle currently relies on Essential Air Service to serve its market of approximately 200,000 residents.  In 2024, the airport became the first Essential Air Service destination for JetBlue.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presque_Isle_International_Airport