After years of struggles, construction is underway to expand the Wilmington Airport terminal for more services, travelers and planes. NBC10’s Tim Furlong looks at the impact the expansion will have on Delaware.
The Wilmington Airport is expanding to add more services and handle more travelers and planes.
The expansion includes new terminal space, a second boarding gate, larger baggage facilities, an extra TSA lane, upgraded bathrooms and more dining and concession options.
“It addresses one of the biggest concerns I hear from everyone. Can we have more than just vending machine options here at the airport?” Tom Cook, with the Delaware River and Bay Authority, said.
The expansion should take about a year to complete and will cost $9.8 million, to be paid in part with federal infrastructure money.
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Over a year and a half after Avelo Airlines started flying out of the Wilmington Airport, half a million travelers have used the service that is now mainly focused on Florida destinations and Puerto Rico.
Soon Avelo will have a second plane based at the airport starting in November and American Airlines is going to allow travelers to go through TSA in Wilmington, and then get on a bus that will take them to their gate at the Philadelphia International Airport without having to go through TSA again.
“The airport experience here is so much better than most major airports that Delawareans travel to,” New Castle County Executive, Matt Meyers said. “It's fantastic. Adding to the terminal adds to that. Adding parking adds to that, but there is a lot more to be done.”
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With more Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland travelers choosing the Wilmington Airport, there is also talk of more airlines eventually flying in and out of Wilmington as well.
With the expansion the airport is doing, it would be able to handle it.
“This creates more flexibility in terms of flight scheduling, doubles the number of gates we have, and allows more flights to take off and land,” Cook said.
Immanuel Fowler, from Delaware, flew out of Wilmington for the first time, headed to Florida.
“Just the convenience, not having to drive to another state and just being able to have my mom drop me off,” Fowler said. “It was a very good price comparable to Philadelphia, so it kind of made sense to come here because of how convenient it was.”
