The airport was previously named Craven County Regional Airport, Simmons-Nott Airport, and New Bern Regional Airport. Simmons-Nott came from North Carolina Senator Furnifold McLendel Simmons who was present at the 1931 dedication of the new terminal. During an air performance for the dedication, United States Marine CorpsFirst Lieutenant Joel Nott was killed. Senator Simmons required that 1stLt Nott's named be added to the airport to pay homage for the fallen military officer. On August 8, 1941, the Marine Corps leased the airport to become an outlying field of Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point and named it OLF Camp Mitchell. In the beginning of 1942, the Army Air Forces used the field for anti-submarine patrols. The field was later closed for seven months during 1942 while two hard surface runways and a runway lighting system were installed. The first Marine aviation units began to arrive at the field in February 1943. Among the units to train at the field during the war was Marine Aircraft Group 34 and fighter squadrons VMF-324 and VMF-511. In January 1944, plans were announced to expand the field. However, these plans were abandoned because the Marine Corps acquired surplus Army fields. In 2011, Coast Carolina Regional Airport hosted three Honor Flights for World War II veterans. Craven Regional Airport has previously been serviced by Midway Airlines, American Eagle, Piedmont Airlines, Charter Express, United Airlines, Wheeler Airline, Henson Airlines and National Airlines. Today, the airport handles about ten daily flights.
Terminal
Coastal Carolina Regional Airport currently has three gates for use by airlines, all of which are located on the central pier and share a common boarding area. The $17 million terminal for EWN was completed on November 5, 1999, by the LPA Group. As of June 2006, Coastal Carolina Regional has approved their 20-year Master Plan: an extension of the main runway, the runway safety area expansion, a larger noise zone, and a new control tower. Also located in the terminal is an eatery and several car rental agencies.
Coastal Carolina Regional is mostly used for general aviation but is also served by two commercial airlines. EWN is currently looking for additional airlines to provide service due to the increase in flying passengers that pass through EWN yearly. For the 12-month period ending May 31, 2016, the airport had 35,109 aircraft operations, an average of 96 per day: 73% general aviation, 21% air taxi, 5% military, and <1% commercial. In May 2017, there were 85 aircraft based at this airport: 75 single-engine,, 2 jet, and 3 helicopter. General aviation provides most of the aircraft movements at EWN. The Fixed Based Operators at EWN are Tidewater Air, LLC and Tradewind International. A Parachute Jumping school is currently seeking approval to be based at EWN. In September 2007, Coastal Carolina Regional Airport awarded a $677,000 contract to build a new general aviation terminal for Tidewater Aviation. The new terminal has a lobby, greeting area, restrooms, showers, conference room, crew rest areas, work areas, and storage area. The terminal has the same facade and is visually identical to the main terminal building. The new General Aviation Terminal was dedicated on July 9, 2008.
