Raleigh-Durham Airport: A Sprawling Hub For Travelers

Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) in North Carolina is not one of the biggest airports in the country, but it is one of the best. The airport has a footprint of around 550,000 square feet and is located 11 miles from Raleigh, 17 miles from Chapel Hill, and 10 miles from Durham. RDU has two terminals with ample parking, eateries, and places to explore during layovers. The airport has been ranked fifth in the large airports category (10 to 32.9 million passengers per year) in J.D. Power's 2023 North America Airport Satisfaction Study. RDU has been expanding to meet the growing demand for travel, with a $523 million budget for infrastructure expansion approved for fiscal year 2025-2026.

Terminals and gates

Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) in North Carolina is made up of two terminals. Terminal 1, which first opened in 1955, was reopened in 1982 and modernised in 2014. It has five gates in use. Terminal 2 opened in 2008 and was completed in 2011. It has 36 gates. Terminal 1 is smaller and operates a limited number of flights, while Terminal 2 is larger and handles the majority of RDU's traffic, including all international flights. Terminal 2 also has a greater selection of dining and shopping options.

RDU is North Carolina's second-largest airport, with over 400 flights departing each day to 48 destinations, including six international cities. In 2021, the airport saw more than 8.8 million passengers enter its gates, though this number was over 14.1 million per day before the Covid pandemic. The airport is located 11 miles from Raleigh, 17 miles from Chapel Hill, and 10 miles from Durham.

RDU offers a variety of dining options, ranging from fast food to full-service restaurants featuring local specialties and international favourites. Well-known restaurants include Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Bruegger's Bagels, Starbucks, 42nd St. Oyster Bar, and La Farm Bakery Café. There are also local boutiques that showcase North Carolina's unique culture and products, as well as national and international retail brands. Free Wi-Fi is accessible throughout both terminals, along with numerous charging stations.

The airport provides versatile parking options, including hourly, daily, and economy lots, to suit different travel needs. The hourly parking lot is located directly in front of Terminal 2, making it ideal for short visits. Daily parking offers affordable rates with easy terminal access, while the economy lots provide the lowest rates and regular shuttle service to the terminals. For those seeking convenience and proximity, premium parking options are also available.

Location and distance

Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) is located in Wake County, North Carolina, USA. It is situated 10 to 11 miles from downtown Raleigh, 10 to 17 miles from downtown Durham, and 17 miles from Chapel Hill. The airport is conveniently located about 25 miles between the two cities, Raleigh and Durham, which can be accessed by travelling northwest or southeast from the airport for approximately 15 minutes by car.

RDU is the second-largest airport in the state of North Carolina, with over 400 flights departing daily to 48 flight destinations, including six international cities. Delta Airlines handles all the international travel. The airport has two terminals, with most restaurants located in Terminal 2.

RDU is easily accessible and offers a range of parking options, including a central garage and lot within walking distance from the terminals, as well as economy lots outside the terminals with shuttle services available. The airport also provides a Cell Phone Lot for those waiting to pick up arriving passengers.

The airport's central location in the middle of the East Coast makes it a convenient travel hub, serving more than 11.8 million passengers annually before the Covid pandemic, with a daily average of over 14.1 million passengers. In recent years, RDU has experienced record-breaking passenger volumes, ranking 5th in the large airports category (10 to 32.9 million passengers per year) in J.D. Power's 2023 North America Airport Satisfaction Study.

Passenger numbers

Raleigh–Durham International Airport, locally known by its IATA code RDU, is the second-largest airport in North Carolina. It serves Raleigh, Durham, and the surrounding Research Triangle region of North Carolina as its main airport. The airport covers 5,000 acres and has three runways.

The airport's passenger terminal, built in 1943, has been expanded and renovated over the years to accommodate growing passenger numbers. The addition of new airlines and routes has also contributed to the increasing passenger traffic at RDU. For example, Delta Air Lines, which joined the airport in 1970, has recently built up its operations and now operates 80 flights, including a transatlantic flight to Paris that began in 2016.

In addition to Delta Air Lines, other airlines serving Raleigh–Durham International Airport include Avelo Airlines, Endeavor Air, Frontier Airlines, Allegiant Air, Spirit Airlines, and American Airlines. The airport has also seen the entry of both legacy and low-cost carriers, further contributing to its passenger numbers.

Raleigh–Durham International Airport's passenger numbers and expanding service offerings reflect its importance as a major transportation hub for the region.

Expansion plans

Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) has outlined its expansion plans in its Vision 2040 master plan. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved the plan in 2017, and it is expected to cost nearly $3 billion. The plan includes improvements to the airfield, terminals, ground transportation, and general aviation.

One of the most significant developments is the addition of a new 10,639-foot runway to the existing three. The new runway will be 600 feet longer than the existing one, allowing for the accommodation of larger aircraft. The runway is expected to be completed by 2028 and will cost $500 million. The expansion will also include the addition of more gates.

Other improvements to the airport's infrastructure include the expansion of Terminal 2, which will include enhancements to the security screening checkpoint area, the Federal Inspection Services facility, ticketing hall, ticket counters, kiosks, queue and circulation areas, checked baggage screening system, lobby areas, pre-security concessions, and baggage claim. Curbside roadway improvements are also planned.

To support the increasing number of international travellers, the Federal Inspection Station (FIS), or U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility, will be expanded.

Ground transportation facilities will also be improved, with construction already underway to expand the parking lots to add approximately 8,700 additional spaces and a Customer Amenity Building. The airport has also completed rehabilitation projects on International Drive and National Guard Drive, improving roadways around the airport campus.

History

Raleigh–Durham International Airport (RDU) is located in the heart of North Carolina, 11 miles (17.7 km) northwest of Raleigh and 10.5 miles (16.9 km) southeast of Durham, the two cities from which it takes its name. Covering an area of 5,000 acres (20.2 square kilometres), it is the second-largest and second-busiest airport in North Carolina, serving 136 tons of cargo and over 14 million passengers annually.

The history of Raleigh–Durham Airport can be traced back to 1929, when the region's first airport, Raleigh Municipal Airport, was opened south of Raleigh. However, this airport was quickly outgrown, and in 1939, the North Carolina General Assembly chartered the Raleigh–Durham Aeronautical Authority to build and operate a larger airport between Raleigh and Durham.

In 1940, Eastern Airlines President Captain Eddie Rickenbacker urged Wake and Durham counties and the cities of Durham and Raleigh to build an airport together. Due to the United States' increasing role in World War II, the federal government took control of the airport in 1942 and established a military base there. The base was designated as the Raleigh-Durham Army Air Field in January 1943, with barracks and three runways becoming operational on May 1, 1943. It served as a training facility for the Army Air Corps until 1948.

Eastern Airlines was permitted to use the airfield and began service from RDU to New York and Miami in 1943, with stops in Richmond, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, and Philadelphia during the four-hour flight to New York. In 1947, Capital Airlines, later renamed United, began service at RDU, and in 1948, Piedmont Airlines, later to become US Airways, joined, bringing the total daily flights to 22.

In 1955, RDU's first terminal opened, and in 1965, Eastern Airlines brought the commercial jet age to the airport with Boeing 727 jet service. The airport underwent major renovations and expansions in the 1960s to accommodate increasing passenger traffic, and in 1970, Delta Air Lines became the fourth carrier to serve RDU. Allegheny Airlines, later US Airways, began service in 1979, and by the 1980s, the airport expanded its international service with flights to London and Frankfurt.

Frequently asked questions