How ILM is getting ready for the holiday travel season

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Triple A projects at least 115 million people will travel 50 miles or more from home this holiday season.

This means airports will likely be just as busy as shopping centers over the coming days.

Wilmington International Airport, or ILM, is getting ready for the holiday season by adding more parking spots and new concession stands to make things easier and more enjoyable for travelers.

ILM’s new parking lot opened on November 17th, adding 525 more spaces, which brings the total number of available parking spots to more than 2,000.

Airport director Jeff Bourk said the new lot is part of a plan to expand the airport’s overall parking availability.

He said the continued growth of the airport, along with more airline and flight options, have more people choosing ILM for their travel needs.

“It’s great, it’s great that our airline partners are growing and expanding ILM, adding more flights, more nonstop flights,” Bourk said. “Our nonstops have gone from 8 not that long ago to over 17, to 17 now. The volumes have gone up.”

The terminal also has several new concession stands, ranging from a new Flying Machine Brewing Company bar to a Dunkin’ Donuts and Jimmy Johns that will be completed in January.

Thomas Kunkel is from Calgary and came to Wilmington to see his daughter and grandchild.

He said the additions have made it more enjoyable going through ILM and the holiday season will be better for it.

“I always find people are happy around the holidays anyways, so you know, the people you run into in a crowded airport or on the planes, you get good conversation and everybody is in a pretty good mood around the holidays,” Kunkel said.

Bourk said ILM expects to serve more than 1.3 million passengers in 2023, which would be a new record.