As we head into the heart of summer, it will be the busiest time of the year at University of Illinois – Willard Airport. We expect nearly 500 people a day to use the airport, boarding flights to Chicago O’Hare and Dallas/Ft. Worth on our longtime partner, American Airlines. Travelers this summer can look forward to larger jets, with 70 seats, and first class available on virtually all flights. Willard has come a long way from the days of 19-seat turboprops.
You might want to get to the airport a little early. We’re happy that our new partner, Ion Grove Café, is now open. Limited snacks and retail options are now available, an amenity the airport has been working towards for the past year.
We’re also working hard to recruit more flights, more airlines, and more destinations. We wouldn’t be where we are today without the community’s support, as more than a dozen partners have pledged to achieve a total of more than $800,000 in incentives for flights to vacation destinations. While competition for low-cost airlines remains stiff, we’re in a better position than ever to offer the airlines a strong business case and mitigate their risk in launching service.
The Airport is working, this summer, to make travel as safe as possible. Thanks to federal and state grants, we’re spending more than $10 million to rebuild our midfield taxiways, making it easier for new pilots to navigate to and from our runways.
We also have our eyes on May of 2025. That’s when all travelers will be required to have a Real ID to board a flight. It’s easy to get your Real ID in Illinois, and the time to do it is now to make your future travel seamless.
2024 is shaping up to be a great year at Willard Airport. As always, we hope you’ll Fly Champaign-Urbana first.
Tim Bannon, A.A.E.
Executive Director
University of Illinois – Willard Airport
