Wilmington Airport gets $5.6 million in federal money to expand terminal
Matthew Korfhage, Delaware News Journal
Updated 5 min read
Wilmington Airport received $5.6 million in federal infrastructure funding to update and expand its terminal, according to an announcement from the Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday morning.
The money comes as part of a nearly $1 billion investment in airports across the country, spanning 114 airports in 44 states and three territories. As part of the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Biden administration had pledged to hand out $5 billion over five years as part of its Airport Terminals Program, designed to "address the aging infrastructure of the nation’s airports."
The money was hailed by Delaware Sen. Tom Carper as a "win-win for Delawareans and our economy.”
His counterpart, Sen. Chris Coons, called it "part of a string of successes for air travel in Delaware.”
The Wilmington Airport had missed out on two previous rounds of federal airport funding, according to Stephen Williams, director of airports for the Delaware River and Bay Authority, the bistate agency that manages Wilmington Airport.
"Third time's the charm," he said earlier this month when asked how he liked Wilmington's chances for federal funding in 2024.
He wasn't wrong, apparently.
The grant will help expand service at the airport and will support 60 temporary construction jobs, as well as up to 100 jobs with commercial carriers at the airport, according to a letter of support sent to U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttegieg in October by Delaware's congressional delegation of Coons, Carper and Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester.
Federal money will fund Wilmington Airport terminal expansion
A rendering of a planned 6,000 square foot expansion of the Wilmington airport terminal that could increase the airport's ability to board planes by double or more by adding boarding gates, TSA screening lanes and passenger waiting space.
The $5.6 million in federal money will help fund an ambitious terminal expansion at Wilmington Airport beginning this year, one that would expand the passenger boarding area's footprint by 6,000 square feet and upgrade onsite facilities such as bathrooms.
Delaware Online/The News Journal first reported the details of these plans in early February.
“I’m pleased to see the Delaware River and Bay Authority receive this Bipartisan Infrastructure Law grant to expand the terminal at the Wilmington Airport,” said Gov. John Carney of the funding. “This will allow the airport to be able to handle more than one flight at a time."
The DRBA, banking on receiving at least some federal funding, had already allotted about $2 million of its 2024 budget and $6.6 million overall toward terminal expansion plans.
The federal money will provide half the anticipated project costs, according to DRBA spokesperson James Salmon, for ambitious plans that include 6,000 square feet for passenger holding and boarding area, additional TSA screening, expansions to airport concessions, restroom and baggage upgrades and additional boarding capacity for airplanes.
Currently, Wilmington Airport can allow only one plane to board and depart at a given time, meaning flights must be scheduled 90 minutes apart. This also limits the airport to a single carrier, which has led to wildly swinging fortunes for the airport as airlines came and went over the years.
“We’re talking about the footprint of this 1955 building that has never changed," said DRBA's Williams in early February. "We've never improved its capacity.”
Work will begin as early as this year, said Salmon at the DRBA.
The DRBA will also spend about $3 million this year demolishing a Quality Inn & Suites Skyways hotel and vacant restaurant on airport lands, adding additional parking and potential future amenities such as car rentals or retail. These funds came from airport revenues, said Williams in early February, including the sale of airport land to Citibank in 2021.
The Quality Inn & Suites Skyways hotel near New Castle will be demolished to make way for an expansion at neighboring Wilmington Airport. On February 1, 2024, construction fencing is up and workers are beginning to remove hazardous materials in advance of demolition.
Passenger and plane capacity is a new issue for an airport that has seen vast expansions in commercial passenger service over the past year. Parking lots filled over the holiday season, and the airport has broken record after record for air service at the airport, after Avelo Airlines began service in February 2023. Avelo completed more than 2,100 flights and flew nearly 286,000 passengers to Puerto Rico or states in the American South during its first 12 months, according to DRBA numbers.
Money received for Philadelphia and other regional airports
Passengers at the check-in counter for Avelo Airlines' first flight from Wilmington to San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2023.
The funding for Wilmington Airport is part of a national push to modernize regional airports, though larger airports received larger individual rewards.
Around the region, the Philadelphia airport received $74.4 million that will go toward energy-saving upgrades to the airport's HVAC system, as well as construction or renovation of dozens of restrooms that will amount to 13,000 square feet of new restroom space, including gender-neutral restrooms. Other facilities, like lactation rooms and service animal facilities, are also part of the funding.
The Harrisburg airport will receive $13 million to upgrade its baggage handling system, while the airport in Lancaster will get $2.7 million to expand its passenger screening and waiting area. Atlantic City's airport will net $4.8 million for the construction of two boarding bridges.
Federal officials also touted the jobs that come along with infrastructure upgrades.
“Today’s funding not only helps modernize airports to meet the needs of travelers today and for years to come but also creates good-paying job opportunities in communities both large and small,” saidFAA Associate Administrator for Airports, Shannetta R. Griffin.
In a statement, DRBA executive director Thomas Cook thanked Delaware's congressional delegation for helping secure Wilmington's share of the funding and pledged a first-time amenity for Wilmington Airport passengers, a TSA pre-check lane.
"We also appreciate the passionate assistance of Governor Carney and New Castle County Executive Meyer who helped us get over the hump with their strong backing of the grant submission," Cook wrote.
Matthew Korfhage is business and development reporter in the Delaware region covering all the things that touch land and money. A longtime food writer, he also tends to turn up with stories about tacos, oysters and beer. Send tips and insults to mkorfhage@gannett.com.
