Travel Tips

Please, Don't Call it a "Shuttle"

We keep getting questions from members of the community. They each ask, basically, the same question. "How do I book the shuttle from ILG to PHL?" 

We will try to explain it to everyone, so please share this page with your friends, family, and co-workers. Let's ensure everyone knows there is NOT a "shuttle from ILG to PHL." Only American Airlines service via American Eagle (aka Landline) on a Luxury Motorcoach exists.
 

We have a video to help explain this to Landline's Hannah Tamura, who joined us when the luxury Motorcoach visited in August. Listen to Hannah explain how it works while showing you how you will ride comfortably on the first leg of your American Airlines trip.
 

"I CAN DRIVE MYSELF TO PHL"

You have fun with that. We know a few people who would rather walk barefoot on glass than have to leave Newark, Delaware, five hours before their flight from PHL "just in case there is some traffic or accident or construction or rubbernecking" on the way and so they can find parking, wait for an actual parking shuttle to take them to the terminal than wait in the insanely long lines at the PHL TSA checkpoint.
 

Seriously, who hasn't been through that exercise in misery? When have you ever driven to PHL without some issue on 95 (during relatively regular hours)? It is not possible; it is almost as hard as defying gravity without a plane, hot-air balloon, or the broom from Wicked.
 

Let's Play a Game of "What If"

For this game, let's assume you travel to PHL 2.5 hours before your flight departs on any airline. You leave your home in Wilmington, Delaware, since it isn't far from Wilmington to PHL. You hear a traffic report that says 95 is slow, so you take 495.
 

There is construction toward the Pennsylvania line, and it slows you down at the merge back to 95. You crawl past the truck weigh station and then deal with the nightmare that is the 322 merge onto 95 North. Seriously though, who designed the highway there? You get into the right lane to smartly avoid the people who refuse to merge nicely with the others (stop being so possessive on the highway; we're all going to the same place, and if you merge nicely and at a safe distance, we all keep moving forward).
 

After passing the first few Chester exits just before the 476 ramp, traffic slows again for a few minutes, as is the norm in that area. Ten minutes later, you are past that lovely section of the highway and nearly to the safe point. NOPE - traffic stops, no one is moving. You see people ahead of you out of their vehicles chatting.
 

Word eventually filters back to you that a multi-vehicle accident is blocking all the northbound lanes and is expected to be closed for a few hours. You're not going to make your flight. You turn around to grab your travel information from the backseat of your car and see a Landline motorcoach cruising along 291, which runs parallel to 95 at this point.
 

This situation could impact Landline Motorcoach in two ways, and both would result in your continued travel. First - since an operation center monitors traffic and where the Motorcoach is on the route, they detoured that Landline vehicle from ILG to PHL to avoid the accident on 95.
 

And our second possible outcome - the Motorcoach is stuck behind you a half-mile while all those folks (some headed to the same flight you are) are enjoying the ride, watching a movie on the free wi-fi. At the same time, American Airlines representatives make arrangements to adjust or rebook their travel. They don't even need to pick up their phone to do it; it is automatically done via "Itinerary Protection," which is part of their ticket when they purchase their travel from Wilmington Airport ILG to any of more than 100 destinations worldwide.
 

SO, WHAT WILL YOU DO?

Plenty of people have said it isn't worth it for them. Usually, those are the folks that live in North Wilmington or Claymont. The service is a blessing for those in Kent and Sussex County, even those in Salem County, who do not have to worry about getting to PHL. Get yourself to ILG, pay less for parking, have a faster TSA experience, and the rest is smooth flying. 
 

Plenty of people have said it isn't worth it for them. Usually, those are the folks that live in North Wilmington or Claymont. The service is a blessing for those in Kent and Sussex County, even those in Salem County, who do not have to worry about getting to PHL. Get yourself to ILG, pay less for parking, have a faster TSA experience, and the rest is smooth flying.
 

We met a Mother of three as she boarded the Motorcoach at ILG. She had an excellent reason for loving the service.

"When I travel with these kids, I have to take an infant car seat, a toddler seat, and a booster," she said. "Trying to do that by myself at PHL is impossible. No one will help you; here, I got to unload the stuff from the car in the lot in front of the terminal; one of the Airport employees brought me a couple of luggage carts and even helped me load them and get into the terminal. I was through TSA in less than five minutes. Now that I have gotten to relax, the kids can be comfortable, and my trip begins without the stress or worry I have when I fly from PHL. I will NEVER fly from anywhere other than Wilmington Airport ILG."
 

Well said, and you're welcome. We'll see you on the Motorcoach.

How to Book American from Wilmington Airport ILG

1. Visit AA.com
2. Enter ILG as your departing airport or your destination if you are coming to ILG.
3. Enter the other airport in the destination or departure portion.
4. Search and select the flights you would like.

The leg between ILG and PHL will show “BUS” for the “wingless flight” on the Landline Luxury Motorcoach. It may show American Eagle but that is what you will see whenever it is an American Airlines partner on a leg of your travel itinerary.