WILMINGTON — Just 10 years ago, around 760,000 travelers were moving through Wilmington International Airport, but now that number has ticked up to 1.8 million. While more visitors are a plus to the area, it also means a strain on facilities, with the airport looking at a quarter-billion in incoming upgrades.
“What’s going to happen in the next 10 years?” Jeffrey Bourk, ILM director, asked a room of elected officials, county staff and media on Tuesday morning. “We’re going to double again and we have to be prepared.”
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Bourk presented a recap of 2025 and an updated airport Vision Plan, devised in 2022, to help propel ILM as a major economic driver and “world class airport.” He highlighted varied numbers, including the North Carolina Department of Transportation Division of Aviation’s 2025 report. ILM had a $3.3-billion estimated local economic impact, and brought in just more than $192 million in tax revenue and 20,000 jobs to the area, it found.
The seven-member New Hanover County Airport Authority Board and ILM staff were in attendance, alongside five county commissioners, the county manager and some county staff. New Hanover County owns the land the airport is on and leases it to the authority board, while commissioners appoint members to the board. But the airport financially operates independently.
The airport’s 2026 operation revenue is expected to be between $21 million and $22 million. Its main sources of income derive from $3 million in ILM Business Park leases, $2.5 million from aviation — such as airline landing fees, terminal space rentals, and aircraft parking — and $15.8 million from terminal operations. The only numbers expected to fluctuate in 2026’s budget would be for the terminal, depending on how many enplanements ILM brings in this year — estimated between 850,500 and 907,000.
Since last year, ILM had a 23.2% increase in enplanements, Bourk pointed out. Enplanements essentially make up one-way travelers, whereas passenger numbers are round trips. By 2045, the Federal Aviation Administration expects enplanements to be around 1.1 million locally, though ILM’s optimistic forecast is 1.5 million.
“The airport experienced its highest enplanement level in 2025,” Bourk said.
The airport promotes airlines to the area by keeping its costs-per-enplanement down. This equals around $3.82 per passenger, as compared to other airports that charge $8.53. Keeping the price low is the aim of the board, achieved by also lower operating expenses and carrying minimal debt.
The airport’s debt service is $2.3 million this year and estimated to be $2.2 million in 2027. By 2028, none will be on the balance sheet, as long as no new debt gets issued. This also will shore up cash for capital expenditures.
Airport authority Vice Chair Jason Thompson praised the director for running a tight ship with 58 full-time employees and 12-part-timers.
“It’s the most financially prudent organization I’ve ever been a part of,” he said.
However, with growth comes needed upgrades. At Tuesday’s meeting, Bourk line-itemed capital projects underway, as well as needs coming down the pike to accommodate more passengers. The projects include expanding the drop-off curb for passengers, enhancing parking, modernizing baggage facilities and more.
Capital improvement projects
Almost $250 million in projects is on the books at ILM, with one already in the construction phase. The $134-million curb-and-gutter redesign, a new parking deck, canopies and more will come online in the next year-and-a-half.
On schedule and budget, the curbfront will be elongated at the entrance for travelers to be dropped off, tripling space for capacity; completion is anticipated for spring 2027. It’s financed with state money ($37 million), federal funding ($30 million granted) and money from ILM ($30 million). There is almost $37 million in remaining costs.
Chair Nick Rhodes anticipated the project — also to have an atrium and a tunnel passersby walk through — will bring a bit of magic as the tunnel lights up in varied colors. This portion will be complete by June 2027.
“Remember in the ‘60s when we had mood rings?” he asked the room to laughter. “It will change like that.”
Bourk explained the team will have the ability to switch up output, such as making the lights illuminate teal when UNCW wins a game.
Increasing parking capacity also is on deck — literally with concrete laid for a new garage. It will be the first milestone to cross in the airport’s immediate capital improvements, expected to open in October 2026. However, a second, four-story deck is planned for 2032 or 2033, to bring in another 1,500 spaces and could cost around $50 million.
A $20.7-million runway resurfacing plan will be phased in over five years, with phase one costing $5.5 million and starting this April. The project is staggered, with phase two taking place in 2027 for $7 million — then by 2031, another $12.5 million resurfacing is planned.
The airport is also looking at another terminal expansion with four new gates, to accommodate almost 2 million enplanements annually. Bourk said the new terminal, priced around $33 million, is in the design phase and 50% complete, with expectation for its concept to wrap in eight months. Also a $12.8-million commercial ramp project is to begin this fall.
But beforehand, $3.5 million in outbound baggage upgrades are expected to start by summer, with a larger $13-million project adding a fourth carousel planned in the next three or so years.
Widening nearby roads is also in the works, to include 23rd Street. The 3.4-million project is jointly funded by the North Carolina Department of Transportation and ILM; Bourk confirmed the right-of-way acquisition has begun.
Also the airport is planning a $3-million extension of Hall Drive to connect to Castle Hayne Road. The project will help facilitate easier connections for large trucks that need to exit in and out of the ILM Business Park.
Business park, hotel, partnerships
Bourk said ILM Business Park helps with needed revenue for the airport, which without it would leave the team having “to go find $3 million somewhere else.” By 2030, it’s estimated the park will bring in roughly $5 million, with aviation coming in at $2.6 million in revenue and the terminal topping out at $17 million.
Around 32 active leases in the park are signed by varied businesses, such as cold storage facilities, private aviation hangars, and more. Bourk said they’re running out of room but also have more than 45 acres of leasable land.
There also are $250 million worth of capital tenant projects for the business park underway.
An impending hotel, in the works since 2022, is among businesses located there. Commissioner Rob Zapple asked what stage the project is in. Though the lease is inactive, the board is giving ILM Airport Hotel Partners until June to secure financing.
“We are trying to be patient and see if they deliver on that,” Bourk said, noting he remains in contact with the group weekly.
ILM Airport Hotel Partners has experienced delays in finding investors. Authority member Wanda Copeley, former attorney for the county and the airport authority, explained Tuesday they’re approaching financing in a unique way with bonds, which is requiring a little more time.
“It’s like housing bonds,” she compared, “where they sell it in the market.”
Commissioner Dane Scalise asked how the county could continue to be of help to ILM throughout it transformation. Bourk noted infrastructure needs may require financing to some degree and reminded the airport’s growth is a benefit to the county overall.
New Hanover County’s Chief Financial Officer Eric Credle, in attendance Tuesday, told Port City Daily, he “doesn’t believe” the county has provided direct financial support to the airport. Though the county has allowed debt issuance on behalf of the airport, with the airport reimbursing the government for the service.
“For example, the county might issue debt of $25 million, of which $5 million is for the Airport Authority, which they spend on their projects,” Credle detailed in an email. “The airport then makes annual payments to the county for the principal and interest that is due on that piece of the debt for that year.”
Bourk also expressed gratitude to the county for programs like the ILM Airport Alliance — a partnership with Wilmington and Beaches Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB). As part of it, the CVB provides an incentive to help compel airlines to ILM, such as giving a $125,000 marketing budget to highlight new routes.
“No other small airport has this,” Bourk said.
According to Credle, in the last three years, 2023 through 2026, the county budgeted $250,000 to the CVB specifically for “New Destination Airline Marketing” with the Airport Authority.
ILM — which ranked in 2023 as the fastest growing in the state and third in the United States — has seven carriers, with three low-cost ones added in the last four years to the legacy airline lineup. Bourk mentioned the small hub airport is frequently brought up at conferences he attends.
“Other airlines are noticing us,” he said.
He did point out already this year one of the low-cost carriers, Avelo, unexpectedly removed its base from the airport. Bourk said the change was due to Avelo’s “loss of six aircraft in its fleet.” It still operates routes to four destinations at the airport, with ILM’s other airlines — Delta, United, American Airlines, Sun Country, Jet Blue, and Breeze — continuing to fly to places Avelo removed.
There was no mention of more carriers adding to ILM, though the growth is rife to usher in more business.
“This will last longer than my lifespan or yours,” Vice Chair Thompson reminded everyone about ILM’s operations.
He suggested the county players take a more strategic look at rezonings around airport property.
“If we start allowing too much high density development, in the future — it may be 50 years from now or 100 years from now, but at some point we will have to have another terminal to meet demand of the population and we have to think about the land around us, so we can acquire it,” Thompson said.
He pointed to Raleigh’s RDU growing with two more terminals on land nearby in the last few decades.
Scalise asked about any “unsaid challenges” ILM faces. Fuel prices, economic shifts or other external factors, Bourk said, top the list but also are beyond the team’s control. Fuel prices can be 20% or 30% of an airline’s operating expense.
“When fuel prices go up, it’s hard for airlines to profit,” Bourk said, “which means less business development.”
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