In 1926, it all started with a flight carrying mail from Chicago to St. Louis. And 100 years later, the story of that one flight unfolded into a global network: American Airlines. Willard Airport is proud to celebrate American’s centennial in 2026, along with its 72 years of service to Champaign-Urbana.
“American is proud to be among the small group of airlines that have celebrated 100 years of flight,” said Robert Isom, American’s Chief Executive Officer. “There’s no brand in aviation more iconic than American, built on a culture of innovation and forward-thinking. We’re poised to continue that legacy into the next 100 years for our customers and team members.”
American continues to perform well at Willard Airport. It fills 81% of seats it has for sale in Champaign-Urbana, including 85% of seats on the route to Dallas/Ft. Worth. That’s the highest share of seats filled over a rolling 12-month period in a decade.
That strong performance translated into meaningful passenger volume in 2025, with 85,406 passengers boarding American Airlines flights at Willard Airport. The milestone reflects both the community’s continued demand for air service and American’s long-standing role in connecting Champaign-Urbana to its global network.
