The Thanksgiving holiday makes for a historically busy travel week out of Wilmington International Airport.  In fact, it’s the busiest travel period of the year, according to ILM spokesperson Erin McNally.  “Generally, the busiest travel days are the Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving as well as the Saturday and Sunday after Thanksgiving, ...

An historic tall ship that doubles as a floating museum is docked along the Riverwalk in downtown Wilmington this weekend.   The 95-foot-long ship currently stationed at London Wharf is a replica of the Nao Trinidad, one of five ships that departed Spain in 1519 under the direction of famous explorer Ferdinand Magellan. At a time when some still thought the earth wa ...

Low-cost carrier Sun Country Airlines will begin a seasonal nonstop route out of Wilmington International Airport next summer.  Beginning June 2023, Sun Country Airlines will offer a nonstop seasonal route between ILM and the Minneapolis−Saint Paul International Airport (MSP).  Sun Country Airlines’ announcement Tuesday was part of the carrier&# ...

Nearly 200 passengers boarded the inaugural flight from Wilmington International Airport to Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Nov. 11, the fourth nonstop route offered by low-cost carrier Avelo Airlines this year.   According to airport officials, approximately 180 of the 189 seats available on the Boeing 737-800 aircraft were full. Passengers waiting at the gate for the ...

Growth at Wilmington International Airport continues this year with ILM reporting another record-breaking month in September.   The airport logged 51,548 seats of outbound traffic in September, a 14% increase from the previous record set in September 2021 with 45,083 outbound passengers. Total passengers flying through ILM in September numbered 101,367.   As ...

The Wilmington area continues to see record growth in the hospitality sector. For the Wilmington and Beaches Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, (CVB) that means opportunity.    The CVB’s annual Program of Work (POW) reveals the results of a variety of research studies that will translate into initiatives designed to encourage growth in the hospitality ...

Across the Wilmington area Friday, Ironman 70.3 North Carolina participants weren’t the only ones gearing up for an intense performance. Staff at hotels, restaurants and other local businesses are preparing for a busy weekend with about 7,000 visitors in town.     Kim Hufham, president and CEO of the New Hanover County Tourism Development Authority, estim ...

2022 continues to be a strong year for Wilmington International Airport.   August was the best August on record at ILM with 106,167 total passengers, a 5% increase from the previous record set in August 2019. May was also a record-breaking month.   “ILM has really been going gangbusters in terms of passenger growth,” said airport director Jeff Bou ...

Cape Fear Fair & Expo's two-decade ride on the grounds of Wilmington International Airport has come to an end, and the organization that runs it has no plans to hold the fair elsewhere this year. The airport authority declined to grant the fair's January request to use the airport property again, something the fair's officials knew was coming. "T ...

While some locals focus on the traffic and detours that major races like the Ironman 70.3 North Carolina and the Wilmington Marathon cause, the economic impact they have on the region can make it worth the few extra minutes of drive time.    The YMCA Wrightsville Beach Sprint Triathlon, which will take place Sept. 24, is one of the longest-running triathlons on ...