By Craig Anderson

NEW CASTLE -Delaware River and Bay Authority officials announced on Friday that the Wilmington Airport will again be categorized as a “Primary Commercial Service Airport.

The airport surpassed 10,000 enplanements (passenger boardings of commercial flights) for the second time in the past three years, a news release said. The airport hit the milestone after less than two months since the restoration of service on Feb. 1.

In 2021, Wilmington Airport also had shed its longstanding federal designation as a General Aviation Reliever Airport.

On February 1, Avelo Airlines began service at the Wilmington Airport with 149-seat, Boeing Next-Generation 737 aircraft, with flights to five Florida destinations: Orlando, West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, and Fort Myers. In total, nearly 22,000 passengers have either boarded or disembarked an Avelo Airlines flight at the Wilmington Airport.

Having met the industry recognized enplanement criteria associated with primary commercial service airports (10,000 annual enplanements), Wilmington Airport will programmatically be able to assume an annual federal primary entitlement of $1 million, a net increase of $850,000. As a General Aviation Reliever Airport, Wilmington Airport previously earned a non-primary entitlement of $150,000.

“Avelo Airlines and Wilmington Airport continue to enjoy robust demand for scheduled air service to great destinations,” said Stephen D. Williams, Deputy Executive Director of the DRBA.

“The Airport is the only one in Delaware to be classified as a Primary CSA, and this important designation significantly boosts eligibility for additional federal entitlement dollars.

“We’re proud to achieve this milestone again and, if the trend in demand continues, 50,000 enplanements will be quickly on the horizon.”