MyReporter: What makes ILM an 'international' airport?

Wilmington International Airport began as a grass strip that “attracted many aviation enthusiasts and military planes” in the early 1920s, according to History & Future of ILM section of the ILM webpage.

The airport has since grown to become the fifth largest airport in North Carolina.

What makes it an international airport?

Despite no scheduled commercial international flights, the name of the airport comes from it being an international port of entry, said Erin McNally, ILM marketing, air service development, and PR manager. The international terminal of the airport is actively used by private aircraft and chartered flights, she said, noting that thousands of people clear customs annually at ILM.

How many passengers does the airport serve?

In 2022, ILM served 1,086,245 passengers, said Jeff Bourk, ILM airport director. The airport anticipates serving another 1.3 million passengers in 2023, he added.

Though international commercial flights do not exist at ILM, domestically, the airport’s number of nonstop flights is increasing, Bourk said. The number of nonstop routes has doubled since before the COVID-19 pandemic, he added.

What nonstop flights does ILM offer?

As of early November, ILM had 17 nonstop destinations, including:

• Boston

• New Haven

• New York/LaGuardia

• Newark

• Philadelphia

• Wilmington, Delaware/Philadelphia

• Baltimore/Washington

• Washington/National

• Charlotte

• Chicago/O'Hare

• Minneapolis-Saint Paul

• Atlanta

• Dallas/Fort Worth

• Orlando

• Tampa

• Fort Lauderdale

• Miami

Six of these routes are seasonal, including Boston, Chicago/O'Hare, Baltimore/Washington, Miami, Minneapolis-Saint Paul, and Wilmington, Delaware/Philadelphia.

How many airlines fly through ILM?

Five -- American Airlines, Avelo, Delta, Sun Country Airlines and United.

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This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: What makes ILM an 'international' airport?