More travelers will soon be able to skip security lines at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL), part of American Airlines’ expansion of its bus program, which launched last year.
Travelers flying with American out of PHL can clear security at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport (AVP) and Wilmington Airport (ILG), and then ride a Landline Company bus to PHL to catch their flight, AVP and the Delaware River and Bay Authority announced this week.
“We can’t wait to greet new guests from Wilmington and Wilkes-Barre Scranton airports,” PHL CEO Atif Saeed said in a statement. “Landline has been a game changer for regional passengers. It provides them with access to hundreds of flights from Philadelphia International Airport, from the convenience of their local airport.”
American began the bus program from Atlantic City and Lehigh Valley International Airports in 2022, transporting travelers from the curb of one airport to another, pre-security. The expansion of the program, which allowed travelers to go through security at the smaller, less crowded airports before being dropped off at PHL gates, launched in 2023. Since 2022, approximately 150,000 passengers have taken advantage of the service to connect to or from PHL, according to Saeed.
Starting on Aug. 6, travelers who buy a special ticket will be able to board a bus out of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport with four daily round trips, the airport announced this week. The buses out of Wilmington Airport will begin operating on Oct. 7, with six daily round trips, according to a statement from the Delaware River and Bay Authority.
Travelers can also board a bus at PHL and ride back to their local airport when returning from a trip.
When travelers book a flight online that originates at their local airport, they’ll see options to connect via a bus to PHL to catch an American flight.
“Being able to start your trip from [Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport] and connect through Philadelphia alleviates some of the stress when starting your travel from a larger airport,” Carl R. Beardsley Jr., executive director of the airport, said in a statement this week.
The buses seat 35 people and have WiFi and power outlets, The Inquirer reported in 2023.
The program also avoids having several people drive or take a car to the airport, which can have an environmental benefit, says Nicholas Johnson, vice president and head of revenue at Landline.
“This takes those cars off the road, takes those emissions out of the air,” he said.
Although the air travel industry took a hit during the pandemic, PHL expects passenger volume to increase by 18% between June and August compared to last summer, putting it on par with 2019 levels, according to a statement from the airport on Thursday. Officials credit the anticipated increase in part to the expansion of American Airlines’ service to Europe, new Frontier flights, and airlines using larger planes with more seats since the pandemic.
American also announced on Thursday that beginning this winter, it will offer flights out of PHL to Bridgetown in Barbados, and Liberia in Costa Rica.
