Jeffrey Bourk, Airport Director, Wilmington International Airport

In an interview with Invest:, Jeffrey Bourk, airport director of Wilmington International Airport, discussed the airport’s rapid growth, changing passenger mix, infrastructure program, and plans for handling future demand. “We really want to be ahead of that demand, not behind,” Bourk said.

What changes have affected the airport over the past year?

We have had a lot of growth and construction, and we are continuing to expand for expected future growth. We have a $135 million capital program underway as part of an overall 10-year, $300 million capital program. We are expanding the road, curb, and parking facilities, adding six escalators for vertical circulation, and upgrading the entire face of the airport.

That work follows a recently completed four-gate terminal expansion. A ramp expansion has been designed and bid, and construction is scheduled to start in a couple of months. That project will make way for another terminal expansion scheduled to begin in 2028 or 2029.

What has driven the airport’s recent growth?

The change began about four years ago when Sun Country entered the market. Before that, Wilmington had service from the legacy carriers American, United, and Delta, with eight nonstop destinations. The airport primarily served outbound business travelers, who represented about 80% of our traffic.

We added Sun Country, Avelo, Breeze, and, most recently, JetBlue. We now have seven airlines, and the number of nonstop destinations has increased from eight to 31. Leisure travelers now represent about 65% of our traffic. That dramatic change in the market is the major reason for the airport’s growth.

Wilmington and the surrounding three-county area have also been growing rapidly. The airport is working to keep up with that demand and regional growth.

How are you working to attract and sustain additional air service?

Air service development is a key part of running and managing an airport. Airlines are businesses looking for their next best opportunity. Our role is to make sure they have the information they need to make the best decision as it relates to Wilmington, with the hope that they select Wilmington as their next destination.

We put significant time and effort into that work and meet regularly with all the airlines. We believe there are opportunities for additional nonstop destinations and new carriers to enter our market.

How does international service fit into the longer-term strategy?

We have a customs facility that we want to implement and use. We secured service to Punta Cana, but that route ended primarily because the airline’s strategy changed, and it decided not to continue serving the route from this market.

We continue talking with carriers about future international opportunities. We believe Wilmington can support leisure-oriented service to several destinations in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Which infrastructure projects are the highest priorities?

The most critical project to finish is the road, curb, and parking garage work in front of the terminal. The existing arrivals and drop-off curb was built in 1989 to serve roughly 200,000 to 250,000 passengers a year. We are now serving approximately 1.8 million to 1.9 million passengers, so that curb was inadequate for an airport of this size.

The entire curb is being upgraded and lengthened. It will have four lanes for arrivals and drop-offs, two commercial curb lanes for rideshares, and a tunnel beneath the curb for passengers walking from the parking lot. The first floor of the garage will include a covered rental car facility, with two parking levels near the terminal entrance. The garage is scheduled to open in November, the new terminal curb in April, and the full project by next summer.

Two roadway projects are also in design. One will widen 23rd Street from Airport Boulevard to Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway. The other is a back entrance serving the business park through an extension of Hall Drive, with construction expected to start next year.

On the airfield, we are rehabilitating primary Runway 6/24. Phase 1 is complete, and Phase 2 is planned for next year to make the runway usable for the next 20 to 30 years. A $12.5 million commercial ramp improvement project is scheduled to start later this year. It will support the terminal expansion planned for 2028 or 2029, which will add four gates and six aircraft parking positions. The overall program includes $300 million in projects scheduled for completion by 2031.

How do the business park and general aviation diversify the airport’s economic contribution?

General aviation and the business park diversify our revenue. The business park is important and is expected to produce $3 million to $4 million in ground rent as projects come online.

Several new tenants have joined the business park. The most significant is a cold-storage pharmaceutical warehouse with 10 acres under roof. The company is going through the certification process and has international flights from Ireland to Wilmington to transport products related to the facility. Its lease includes additional phases that could expand the operation over the next several years.

A Crowne Plaza hotel is planned for a four- or five-acre parcel near the main entrance. An aviation-related development on 20 acres on the east side of the airport would include a training facility and an additional fixed-base operator. That project is in due diligence and moving toward future development.

What are the biggest challenges associated with rapid growth?

The biggest challenge is keeping infrastructure aligned with growth. Road projects must move through state processes involving permitting, environmental review, stormwater requirements, procurement, and construction. We do not want the airport to become a constraint on its own growth.

Four years ago, the airport was constrained by a four-gate terminal, limited road and curb capacity, insufficient parking, and only two Transportation Security Administration screening lanes. Every part of the trip, from the highway entrance through the terminal, airfield, and air traffic control system, must be able to handle future demand. We really want to be ahead of that demand, not behind.

Planning is complicated because every potential bottleneck affects both capacity and the passenger experience. We forecast needs such as parking spaces and try to deliver them just before they are required. The same discipline applies throughout the terminal. Long screening lines, crowded gate areas, and inefficient boarding can signal constraints. We want to keep up with growth while providing a strong passenger experience.

What are your priorities for the coming years?

The airport has nearly doubled in the past five years, and it has room to grow significantly. We are approaching 2 million passengers, and we must be prepared for the possibility of adding another 500,000 or 1 million passengers. That means positioning the airport to accommodate growth while working with the community and our partners to help make it happen.

We have about five years remaining in the capital program planned through 2031. Beyond that, the goal is to keep the airport positioned for future growth, including through land acquisition in and around our market.