Wilmington Airport Welcomes New Commercial Service

American Airlines Partners with The Landline Company to Serve the Delaware Valley Region

/EIN News/ -- WILMINGTON, Del., May 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Delaware River and Bay Authority (DRBA) announced that American Airlines, in partnership with The Landline Company, will be launching a new service connecting the Wilmington Airport (ILG) to Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) via luxury motorcoaches.

Effective October 7, 2024, 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 PHL.
• The new service allows passengers to clear security at ILG, board a luxury motorcoach at ILG departure gates, and arrive at a secure gate at PHL’s Terminal F. Customers will then disembark at the gate and proceed to their next gate to continue their connecting flight.
• These luxury motorcoaches feature 35 premium leather seats in a 2 by 1 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.
• Additionally, 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 ILG, 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 (6) roundtrips per day, timed to connect with American flights out of PHL.
• To use the service, customers will book their flight through American Airlines’ website or mobile app, entering ILG as origin and selecting the destination (i.e. MIA) as the endpoint, just like a flight itinerary.

 American Airlines / Landline Schedule

Wilmington (ILG) to Philadelphia (PHL):

• Depart ILG at 6:45 AM; Arrive PHL at 7:35 AM
• Depart ILG at 8:00 AM; Arrive PHL at 8:50 AM
• Depart ILG at 11:00 AM; Arrive PHL at 11:50 AM
• Depart ILG at 1:30 PM; Arrive PHL at 2:20 PM
• Depart ILG at 4:00 PM; Arrive PHL at 4:55 PM
• Depart ILG at 6:00 PM; Arrive PHL at 6:50 PM 

 Philadelphia (PHL) to Wilmington (ILG)

• Depart PHL at 8:30 AM; Arrive ILG at 9:20 AM
• Depart PHL at 10:30 AM; Arrive ILG at 11:20 AM
• Depart PHL at 1:55 PM; Arrive ILG at 2:45 PM
• Depart PHL at 3:35 PM; Arrive ILG at 4:25 PM
• Depart PHL at 6:35 PM; Arrive ILG at 7:30 PM
• Depart PHL at 8:45 PM; Arrive ILG at 9:35 PM 

Landline connections offer customers the ability to clear security and check their bags prior to boarding the luxury motorcoach. Onboard, customers can enjoy premium leather seating, plentiful legroom comparable to the premium cabin of a regional jet, power in every seat and free Wi-Fi. 

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 Shorthaul 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.”

"We are thrilled to expand our network to Wilmington, allowing American Airlines passengers to clear security at their local airport, closer to home, and connect through Philadelphia post security," said Michael Sharer, Landline’s Northeast Operations Lead. "This service will provide a seamless, premium motorcoach connection to passengers with flights out of Philadelphia. Passengers can book their trips on AA.com by searching Wilmington (ILG) to their final destination."

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 over 100 destinations around the United States and the world.

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

About American Airlines Group 

To Care for People on Life's Journey®. Shares of American Airlines Group Inc. trade on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol AAL and the company's stock is included in the S&P 500. Learn more about what's happening at American by visiting news.aa.com and connect with American @AmericanAir and at Facebook.com/AmericanAirlines.

About Landline  

The biggest airlines in the world trust Landline to power their first and last mile connectivity. Landline’s industry-first platform allows airlines to leverage the seamlessness and affordability of ground transportation to add dynamic new routes to their network without sacrificing on quality or customer experience. Landline operates seamless multi-modal networks on behalf of Air Canada, United Airlines, American Airlines, and Sun Country Airlines. Landline is fundamentally reshaping the way every consumer thinks about the travel day by making air travel multi-modal. Visit landlineco.com for more information. 

 About the Delaware River and Bay Authority

The DRBA, a bi-state governmental agency created by Compact in 1962, owns and operates the Delaware Memorial Bridge, the Cape May- Lewes Ferry, and the Forts Ferry Crossing.  The DRBA also manages two airports in New Jersey (Millville Executive Airport and Cape May Airport) and three in Delaware (Wilmington Airport, Civil Air Terminal and Delaware Airpark). All DRBA operating revenues are generated through the bridge, ferry and airport facilities.  For more information, visit www.drba.net.

Attachments

• Landline Motorcoach with American Airlines Plane
• Landline Motorcoach

James E. Salmon
                    Delaware River and Bay Authority
                    302 571 6409
                    james.salmon@drba.net
                    
                    Nicholas Johnson 
                    Landline Company
                    nicholas.johnson@landlineco.com
                    
                    Jay Singh
                    American Airlines
                    Jay.Singh@aa.com