Planning of the airport started in the 1950s, and after a proposal to locate it at Meatjørn was abandoned, it was decided built at Sørstokken. The airport opened on 25 October 1985. It received instrument landing system in 1986, which was also the first year with regular flights. The airport was originally both publicly and privately owned, but from 1991 it was taken over by Stord Municipality and Hordaland County Municipality. The runway was extended from in 1996, and in 2001, a new terminal building was opened. From 2010, the airport receives state grants for operation. The airport has had two fatal accidents, including Atlantic Airways Flight 670.