Wilmington International Airport has experienced tremendous growth in recent years, with more nonstop flights, parking expansions, and another planned terminal expansion.
Airport director Jeffrey Bourk expects ILM to have over 1.5 million passengers by the end of this year, representing growth of 58%.
Passenger growth and changes
Growth from 2019, when the airport reached 1 million passengers, is dramatically comparable to North Carolina’s average airport growth of 18% and the national average of 7%.
Bourk said the airport now has up to 20 nonstop flights from six airlines, with more than half of those nonstop flights added after the COVID-19 pandemic.
The demographic makeup of passengers has also changed: 65% of passengers come to or leave Wilmington for business. In 2018 or 2019, Bourk said, about 80% of passengers came or left for business.
Despite the growth, ILM has hired almost no staff, according to Bourk. He said American Airlines has sent more employees to ILM, and while much of the growth has come from new airlines, American Airlines, Delta Airlines and United Airlines have also grown. American and Delta have added larger aircraft, more flights and new nonstop flights.
More: Wilmington Airport welcomes a new airline and offers four new nonstop flights
Construction work on the parking lot continues
The airport’s parking improvements have already been completed in some areas, including the March/Employee Parking Lot with 198 spaces and the November Parking Lot with 602 spaces.
According to Bourk, the construction of the long-term parking lot with 1,248 spaces is close to being awarded. Construction of the premium parking lot with 208 spaces and the parking garage with 1,200 spaces will begin in July 2025. Rental cars will be housed on the first floor of the parking garage. Construction of the last parking section is scheduled to be completed in October 2026.
An internal shuttle also takes people from the long-term parking lot to the front part of the airport.
More: Wilmington Airport receives federal grant for improvements
Terminal expansion and curb improvements
In order to handle the expected 1.5 million passengers, a further terminal expansion is necessary, said Bourk. The airport will receive three more gates and four handling areas. The airport is already working on the project, as an environmental impact assessment is currently being completed and planning is expected to begin in the fall.
The terminal edge will also be extended. According to Bourk, it is currently one of the shortest for an airport of ILM’s size. The existing edge, built in 1989, will be replaced by 25,000 square meters of new infrastructure.
The departure/arrival zone will be extended and a commercial layby for Ubers, Lyfts, taxis and rideshare services will be installed. Canopies will also be constructed between the terminal and the pedestrian crossings to the parking lot.
LeAnn Pierce, vice chair of the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners, said she recently flew with ILM and heard people in the terminal and on the plane talking about how impressed they were with the friendly, clean and hassle-free process.
“That’s the reputation we want,” Pierce said. “I think a lot of people are no longer driving to Raleigh to take flights, but are taking them directly from Wilmington.”
How much will it cost?
The ongoing terminal improvements, access road/terminal perimeter/parking/car rentals, runway construction and TSA improvements will cost a total of about $185 million. The airport has already received about $165 million in state and federal funds, as well as airport passenger facility fees. Bourk said the other $20 million will come from the airport’s reserves.
