In the summer of 1940, Thruxton Down, on the eastern fringes of Salisbury Plain, was considered as an emergency landing ground for the regular RAF station at Andover. It was then scheduled for development as a regular airfield for Army Co-operation Command and No. 225 Squadron RAF moved in with Westland Lysanders in August 1941 while construction was still in progress.

Upgraded to bomber standard, three concrete runways were laid and 225 squadron was re-armed during 1942 with Hawker Hurricanes and then North American Mustangs. Following use by several RAF units involved in the Dieppe Raid debacle in August, other Army Co-operation squadrons came and went, mostly equipped with Mustangs. In 1943, No. 225 was displaced as principal resident by No. 297 Squadron RAF with Whitley bombers, and later, Albemarle transports to tow Horsa gliders.

A glider training unit was also present during the winter of 1943-44 but all RAF tactical fighter and airborne support units were moved out in February 1944 to make way for the US Ninth Air Force.

Thruxton was transferred to the USAAF Ninth Air Force on 3 January 1944.

Thruxton was also used by light communication and transport units, but the main use of the airfield was glider storage of Horsa gliders. The airfield was finally closed and sold in 1946. The RAF control tower survives and is still in use.

Upon its release from military use, in 1947 the field was leased by the Wiltshire School of Flying. Over the next few years their training fleet was joined at Thruxton by substantial numbers of light aircraft. Flight training at the airfield is now provided by Western Air (Thruxton) Ltd.

Motorcycle racing started in 1950 with the famous Thruxton 500 motorcycle endurance race, followed by cars in 1952. The runway and perimeter roads formed the original circuit until a new track was laid in 1968. At 2.356 miles (3.792 km), the new circuit uses only the perimeter road with the addition of a chicane called Club and a series of three tight corners called Campbell, Cobb and Seagrave.

The Thruxton Motor Centre provides driving experience courses.