Wilmington Airport to welcome new commercial service

The Delaware River and Bay Authority recently announced that American Airlines, in partnership with The Landline Company, will be launching a new service connecting the Wilmington Airport to Philadelphia International Airport via luxury motorcoaches.

Effective Oct. 7, customers will be able to park locally and clear security at the Wilmington Airport before boarding an American Airlines-branded luxury motorcoach connection bound for Philadelphia International Airport. Customers can enjoy the ease and convenience of checking in and clearing security close to home in Wilmington, while tapping into American’s comprehensive global network at Philadelphia to get them where they want to go. The schedule is timed to connect to key American Airlines flights with six daily roundtrip operations. 

Here are the highlights:

• American Airlines is launching a new tarmac-to-tarmac luxury motorcoach service to its hub in Philadelphia
• The new service allows passengers to clear security at Wilmington Airport, board a luxury motorcoach at Wilmington’s departure gates, and arrive at a secure gate at Philadelphia’s Terminal F. Customers will then disembark at the gate and proceed to their next gate to continue their connecting flight
• The luxury motorcoaches feature 35 premium leather seats in a two-by-one seating configuration and offer 36 inches of seat pitch, comparable to the premium cabin on a regional jet. Passengers also enjoy free WiFi and in-seat power at every seat
• Customers can earn and redeem AAdvantage miles using these new connecting Landline “flights”
• Bags are handled as with any flight: passengers check their luggage in with American Airlines agents on arrival at Wilmington Airport, and the airport’s baggage-handling system takes over from there. Check-in also works like any other American Airlines flight
• American is launching the service with six roundtrips per day, timed to connect with American flights out of Philadelphia
• To use the service, customers will book their flight through American Airlines’ website or mobile app, entering Wilmington Airport as origin and selecting the destination as the endpoint, just like a flight itinerary.

American Airlines/Landline schedule

Wilmington (ILG) to Philadelphia (PHL)

Depart ILG at 6:45 a.m.; arrive at PHL at 7:35 a.m. 

Depart ILG at 8 a.m.; arrive at PHL at 8:50 a.m. 

Depart ILG at 11 a.m.; arrive at PHL at 11:50 a.m. 

Depart ILG at 1:30 p.m.; arrive at PHL at 2:20 p.m. 

Depart ILG at 4 p.m.; arrive at PHL at 4:55 p.m. 

Depart ILG at 6 p.m.; arrive at PHL at 6:50 p.m. 

 Philadelphia (PHL) to Wilmington (ILG)

Depart PHL at 8:30 a.m.; arrive at ILG at 9:20 a.m. 

Depart PHL at 10:30 a.m; arrive at ILG at 11:20 a.m. 

Depart PHL at 1:55 p.m.; arrive at ILG at 2:45 p.m. 

Depart PHL at 3:35 p.m.; arrive at ILG at 4:25 p.m. 

Depart PHL at 6:35 p.m.; arrive at ILG at 7:30 p.m. 

Depart PHL at 8:45 p.m.; arrive at ILG at 9:35 p.m. 

Travelers arriving back in PHL will board the luxury motorcoach airside and arrive nonstop at ILG. Checked baggage will be automatically transferred between the motorcoaches and aircraft. 

“We’re excited to welcome American Airlines’ Landline connecting service to our customer offerings at ILG,” said Thomas J. Cook, executive director of the Delaware River and Bay Authority. “The Wilmington Airport offers a refreshingly fast, smooth and simple hometown airport feel, complete with affordable parking and a superior customer experience. If you’re looking for quality service without the big-city airport hassles associated with parking, check-in or security screening, the American Airlines Landline connection service at ILG is for you!”

“We are pleased to expand our innovative partnership with Landline to Wilmington Airport and the State of Delaware,” said Joe Sottile, director of short haul network planning for American Airlines. “This new service will provide local residents access to American’s global network, including convenient one-stop service to more than 100 destinations around the world via our Philadelphia hub.”

With this new service, American will be the only U.S. airline offering service to all 50 states. Tickets are now available for purchase at aa.com or through American’s mobile app for one-stop connections to more than 100 destinations around the United States and the world.

The Delaware River and Bay Authority will work jointly with American Airlines and Landline on a final service agreement to support the start of service and associated terminal work.