JetBlue announced Wednesday morning that the airline will start service at Wilmington International Airport this year.

According to a news release, the airline will offer daily nonstop service between ILM and Boston (BOS) from April 30 to Oct. 25.

"JetBlue will operate the flights on their A220, which offers wider seats, large windows and overhead bins, as well as the latest tech and entertainment in-flight," the release stated.

Dave Jehn, vice president of network planning and airline partnerships at JetBlue, stated in the release, “This new route not only provides convenient access to Boston’s rich history and cultural attractions but also connects Wilmington travelers to JetBlue’s broader focus city network, offering seamless travel opportunities to destinations across the U.S. and beyond.”

Jeff Bourk, ILM director, stated in the release that airport officials are excited to add another carrier to ILM's lineup, calling JetBlue an "afforable customer-focused airline." 

ILM currently has two other seasonal flights to Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) – one offered by American Airlines and the other by Delta Air Lines. Avelo Airlines plans to begin offering a flight in April to regiona airport Boston/Manchester, New Hampshire (MHT), which is about 50 miles from the city of Boston.

Another benefit of JetBlue's announcement Wednesday, according to Bourk: "JetBlue’s nonstop service to Boston gives travelers even more ways to fly to Boston and all their great connections including many international connections to Europe."

According to a JetBlue news release, the Wilmington flight and others elsewhere are part of the airline’s JetForward strategy, "which includes building the best East Coast leisure network."

The ILM service represents one of five new routes from Boston "to picturesque summer escapes," the JetBlue release stated. The other four airports included in that description are Norfolk, Virginia (ORF); Islip, New York (ISP); Traverse City, MI (TVC); and Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada (YHZ).

"We continue to focus on growing our leisure network in Boston by introducing more incredible new summer seasonal markets,” stated Daniel Shurz, JetBlue’s head of revenue, network and enterprise planning, in the JetBlue release. “We know customers across New England love taking advantage of JetBlue’s great service and competitive fares for their summer vacations, and we think each of these will be extremely popular for our loyal customers."

In Wilmington, Wednesday's news follows the ongoing growth of new airlines at ILM and marks the third major airport announcement in two months.

On Dec. 19, United Airlines, one of ILM's three legacy carriers, shared the news that it's adding nonstop service to Denver on Saturdays during the summer seaons and increasing its Chicago service for the summer with daily flights between ILM and Chicago O'Hare International Airport.  

Avelo Airlines announced Dec. 4 the disount carrier plans to establish a base at Wilmington International Airport and add three new nonstop destinations, including BOS and Nashville, Tennessee (BNA).