45–70 minutes from Media/Newtown Square to PHL, on a slow local
SEPTA Bus Route 118 is a Delaware County commuter line that happens to touch Philadelphia International Airport, running between Newtown Square, Media, Chester, and PHL in roughly 45–70 minutes depending on traffic. It’s aimed at workers heading to jobs around the airport, not at visitors trying to get downtown or to Center City hotels.
The base fare is $2.00 with a SEPTA Key card, the same as any city bus, but service to PHL is limited: only some 118 trips actually run all the way to the airport terminals. Compared with higher-frequency airport routes like the 37 and 108, the 118 shows up every 30–60 minutes at best, and gaps can stretch longer in the early morning and late evening.
Only check the timetable if you see a tiny airplane icon next to the trip on the official Route 118 PDF schedule; that symbol marks runs that serve PHL. Buses that do reach the airport loop stop near terminals A-East through F, the same curbside area used by other SEPTA buses, so you’ll be at the regular ground transportation zone, not dropped at some off-site park-and-ride.
The route runs along suburban arterials with lots of traffic lights between Newtown Square, Media, and Chester, so riders on Reddit report trips taking much longer than the 45-minute best case, especially during the 4–7 p.m. rush. One commuter said they’d never do it with luggage again after a car repair week turned into multiple hour-plus bus rides.
Regular airport employees along the line often combine the 118 with a ride to a more frequent option, like transferring to the Route 108 or Regional Rail at a shared stop instead of banking on a single bus. Some plan their shifts around a specific early or late trip they know usually shows up close to schedule, rather than treating “every 30–60 minutes” as reliable.
Watch out for missed runs: Delco riders say that if you miss one 118, you can be standing at certain stops in Newtown Square or Media for more than an hour, which can wreck an early shift at PHL or cut it too close for a flight. Punctuality is inconsistent because of the long, winding path through residential pockets and busy intersections.
Tip: Only use Route 118 to or from PHL if you already live or are staying along its corridor in Newtown Square, Media, or Chester and have checked the specific trip with the airplane icon; if your destination is Center City or University City, go straight to Regional Rail or buses 37/108 instead.