 In 2017, it handled 943,660 passengers with 11,485 aircraft movements.It was named after the 16th Sultan of Terengganu, Almarhum Sultan Mahmud Al-Muktafi Billah Shah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah, who ruled from 1979 to 1998.In January 2008, the Malaysian government approved RM200 million to upgrade the airport.