ILM begins major expansion, installs temporary arrival and departure curb

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Next week, Wilmington International Airport will begin construction on its biggest expansion yet.  

“Rental car facilities, parking garage, terminal curb front that capable of handling demand today and in the long-term,” Airport Director Jeff Bourk said, noting that the expansions are long overdue.  

“So in 1989 the terminal was built to handle 250,000 passengers. Today, we’re handling 1.8, 1.9 million,” Bourk explained. 

In the meantime, those expansions will cause some minor disruptions to those visiting.  

Starting on Tuesday, passengers should head towards the terminal like they used to, and follow the signs until they reach a temporary curb front.  

They then head up an air conditioned corridor that will lead directly to the terminal.  

“We put this in place to hopefully minimize any kind of impact, but we do suggest that you come a little earlier than you might, because if you’re getting dropped off, or picked up, or you take an Uber, you’re going to have a little bit of extra distance, it’s about 250 feet,” Bourk said. 

Bourk adds the airport will also provide golf carts for people with limited mobility.  

While the airport experiences some growing pains, the additions should last for the next few decades.  

Bourk says ILM is the fastest growing airport in the country, expanding 66% in the last three years.  

“We’re not stopping now, we expect to grow further. So that longer-term canopy that’s going to be done a year and a half from now and that longer curb front should handle the growth for the next, really 20 to 30 years.” 

The airport says it will stop using the temporary curb front on March 1, 2027.  The new additions will be complete sometime in early 2027.