Port Allen Airport, formerly known as Burns Field, was used in the 1920s as a landing facility by the U.S. Signal Corps, which was the aviation section of the Army at that time.  A Signal Corps reservation adjoining the airstrip housed personnel operating a communicatin station on the airfield.

The first passenger air service to Kauai was inaugurated by Inter-Island Airways on November 12, 1929, on a twice weekly schedule to Port Allen Airport.

Runways at Port Allen were set-up and extended in 1930 using prison labor.

As the demand for air service increased, an airport closer to the center of population was desirable, and in 1931 the Territorial Legislature appropriated $35,000 for development of an airstrip at Wailua.  Upon completion of the airstrip in 1933, Inter-Island Airways service was increased to three flights weekly, serving both Wailua and Port Allen. 

In 1938, the Civil Aeronautics Administration restricted the use of Wailua declaring it unsafe for larger aircraft, and Inter-Island Airways moved its operations back to Port Allen.  The Wailua land was turned over to the County of Kauai for use as a fair ground.

Inter-Island augmented its service with larger 16-passenger, S-43 amphibians in 1935 and 1936.  These planes, together with DC-3s which were placed in operation in 1941, served the Island of Kauai through Port Allen Airport until the field was closed at the outbreak of World War II.

Prior to World War II $127,100 had been spent on various WPA projects in clearing, grading and paving at Port Allen Airport.  After release of the airport by the military in 1946, the runways were rehabilitated at a cost of $33,457, of which the Federal Government contributed $17,500.

During the war, operations were scheduled from the Air Force field at Barking Sands.  After the war, operations were resumed at Port Allen, which was served by various non-scheduled operators.

Economic pressure gradually forced the non-scheduled operators to suspend operations, and by 1954 only two continued to serve the airport.

Numerous private planes were based at Port Allen in the 1950s, among which were aircraft used for aerial photography and to assist commercial fishermen in spotting fish.

Other than the landing areas and a public waiting room with toilet facilities, the physcal improvements by 1955 include three privately owned hangars and an office building.

In 1955, Port Allen Airport was comprised of 175 acres of land, and had two runways, 9-27, which was 60-feet wide and 2,500-feet long and paved, and runway 5-23, which was graded to 100-feet wide and 2,600-feet long.

Nonscheduled airlines landing at Port Allen were Cockett Airlines and Andrew Flying Service.

Aeronautical services and facilities included a wind sock, paved taxiway and parking aprons, hangar facilities, and 80 octane gasoline. The field was unlighted.

In 1984, security fencing was built at Port Allen Airport.