The New Hanover County Airport Authority expects to complete construction on the Wilmington International Airport's (ILM) newly expanded terminal in June. The $60 million capital project, which will fully conclude in 2022, includes repairs, roof replacement and 60,000 square feet in additional space.

ILM sought the renovations to accommodate increasing traveler volume. In 2018, the airport serviced a record 934,058 passengers. It broke another record in July, servicing 100,000 that month alone.

The project receives funds from multiple sources, such as the N.C. General Assembly, which provided nearly $12 million in 2018, and a limited obligation bond the county expects to issue in February.

The renovation is the latest in a series of capital improvements undertaken by the Airport Authority over the past 15 years. According to minutes from the Commissioners' Dec. 16 meeting, the Authority has spent $135 million on hangars, a customs building and a car-rental facility, among other things.

Additional space will be used for more seating at the gates and a larger TSA checkpoint. It will also go towards retail, a priority for the airport as it seeks to diversify a business model dominated by airline fees.

ILM, the fifth largest airport in the state, primarily contracts with American, United and Delta Airlines.

Reporter Jonathan Haynes can be reached at 770-365-8937 or [email protected]

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