Raleigh Airport Airlines: A Comprehensive Guide

what airlines are at raleigh airport

Raleigh–Durham International Airport (RDU) is the only airport in Raleigh, North Carolina. It is located 11 miles from central Raleigh and offers passenger service to nearly 80 destinations, including 15 international destinations in 11 countries. The airport serves 31 U.S. states, plus Puerto Rico. The airlines that operate from Raleigh–Durham International Airport include Delta Air Lines, Avelo Airlines, American Airlines, Spirit Airlines, and Frontier Airlines.

Characteristics Values
Airport Name Raleigh-Durham International Airport
Airport Code RDU
Airlines Avelo Airlines, Endeavor Air, Delta Air Lines, Eastern Airlines, Piedmont Airlines, United Airlines, American Airlines, Spirit Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Southwest Airlines, JetBlue, BermudAir, Breeze, WestJet, American Eagle, Flagship Airlines, Win Win Aviation
Operating Base Avelo Airlines, Endeavor Air
Focus City Delta Air Lines
Busiest Domestic Route Atlanta
Most Passengers Per Day New York Metropolitan Area

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Airlines that use Raleigh–Durham International Airport include Delta Air Lines, Avelo Airlines, and American Airlines

Raleigh–Durham International Airport (RDU) is the only airport in Raleigh, North Carolina. It is the second-largest airport in the state, serving nearly 80 destinations, including 15 international destinations in 11 countries. The airport is an operating base for Avelo Airlines, Endeavor Air, and Delta Air Lines, which has a focus city operation at RDU.

Avelo Airlines, which offers flights to Albany, Bermuda, and Calgary, among other destinations, opened its base at Raleigh-Durham in February 2023. Delta Air Lines has maintained its presence at the airport since 1970 and continues to serve various destinations, including Atlanta, Boston, and Cancun.

American Airlines also serves Raleigh–Durham International Airport, with flights to destinations such as Austin, Baltimore-Washington, and Cancun. Additionally, Spirit Airlines, Frontier Airlines, and United Airlines are among the carriers operating at the airport.

The airport has a long history, dating back to its opening in 1943, when Eastern Airlines and Capital Airlines were the first carriers to operate there. Today, with its busy schedule and diverse range of airlines, Raleigh–Durham International Airport offers convenient travel options to passengers from across the globe.

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Raleigh–Durham International Airport is the second-largest airport in North Carolina

Raleigh–Durham International Airport (RDU) is the second-largest airport in North Carolina. It is located 11 miles from central Raleigh and offers passenger service to nearly 80 destinations, including 15 international destinations in 11 countries. The airport serves 31 U.S. states, plus Puerto Rico, with Atlanta being the busiest domestic route and the New York metropolitan area seeing the most passengers per day.

RDU ranks 35th in passenger arrivals and departures in the U.S., with nearly 600 daily aircraft operations. The airport is run by the RDU Airport Authority, which is controlled by a board of representatives from Wake and Durham counties and the cities of Raleigh and Durham. The airport's main catchment area is central and eastern North Carolina, as well as southern Virginia.

The history of Raleigh–Durham International Airport dates back to May 1, 1943, when the airport opened with flights by Eastern Airlines. After World War II, Capital Airlines joined Eastern, followed by Piedmont Airlines in 1948. The airport has seen several notable incidents, including a shooting on board a United Airlines flight in 1986 and several crashes, including American Eagle Flight 3379 in 1994 and a Piper PA-32 in 2019.

Today, RDU is served by a variety of airlines, including Delta Air Lines, which maintains a focus city operation at the airport. Avelo Airlines also has an operating base at Raleigh-Durham, with service starting in February 2023. Other airlines serving RDU include American Airlines, Spirit Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Southwest, and United Airlines.

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The airport is 11 miles from central Raleigh

Raleigh–Durham International Airport (RDU) is 11 miles from central Raleigh. It is the second-largest airport in North Carolina. The airport serves 31 U.S. states, plus Puerto Rico, with Atlanta being the busiest domestic route and the New York metropolitan area seeing the most passengers per day. There are almost 600 daily aircraft operations.

RDU ranks 35th in passenger arrivals and departures in the U.S., offering passenger service to nearly 80 destinations, including 15 international destinations in 11 countries. The airport is an operating base for Avelo Airlines and Endeavor Air, as well as a focus city for Delta Air Lines. Delta Air Lines has maintained its focus city operation at RDU due to the area's strong economy and lack of a dominant network carrier. Avelo Airlines opened its operating base at Raleigh-Durham in February 2023.

RDU has a long history, opening on May 1, 1943, with flights by Eastern Airlines. The passenger terminal was constructed from materials left over after building four barracks for the Army Air Forces Air Technical Service Command airfield. The three runways from 1951 are still visible on the southeast side of the airport: runway 5 and runway 18 are 4,500 ft, and runway 14 is 4,490 ft.

Airlines that serve Raleigh–Durham International Airport include American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest, United Airlines, Spirit Airlines, and Frontier Airlines.

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The airport offers passenger service to nearly 80 destinations, including 15 international destinations

Raleigh–Durham International Airport (RDU) is the primary airport serving Raleigh, North Carolina. As of 2025, the airport offers passenger service to nearly 80 destinations, including 15 international destinations in 11 countries. The airport serves 31 U.S. states, plus Puerto Rico, with Atlanta being the busiest domestic route and the New York metropolitan area seeing the most passengers per day.

RDU ranks 35th in passenger arrivals and departures in the US, with nearly 600 daily aircraft operations. The airport is an operating base for Avelo Airlines and Endeavor Air, as well as a focus city for Delta Air Lines. Avelo Airlines opened its base at the airport in February 2023, joining a long list of airlines that have served Raleigh–Durham Airport since its opening in 1943, including Eastern Airlines, Capital Airlines, Piedmont Airlines, and United Airlines.

Today, RDU is served by 10 airlines, including Spirit Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines. The airport offers nonstop flights to various destinations within the United States, such as Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore-Washington, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, and Cleveland. Internationally, RDU provides nonstop service to destinations like Bermuda, Cancun, Mexico, and Calgary, Canada.

The airport is located 11 miles from central Raleigh, providing easy access to the city centre for arriving and departing passengers.

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The airport has a long history, opening on May 1, 1943, with flights by Eastern Airlines

Raleigh–Durham International Airport has a long history, opening on May 1, 1943, with flights by Eastern Airlines. The airport has grown and changed significantly over the years, becoming a bustling hub for air travel in the region.

The story of the airport began in the late 1930s when it became clear that the existing Raleigh Municipal Airport, which opened in 1929, was too small to meet the region's growing aviation needs. In 1939, the North Carolina General Assembly chartered the Raleigh–Durham Aeronautical Authority to build and operate a larger airport between Raleigh and Durham. This joint effort by the two cities and their counties was encouraged by Eastern Airlines President Captain Eddie Rickenbacker, who urged them to "not allow civic jealousies or selfish motives to creep into a project that means so much to all of you."

During World War II, the federal government took over the airport in 1942, and it became the Raleigh-Durham Army Air Field. The base, with its barracks and three runways, became operational on May 1, 1943, paving the way for Eastern Airlines to commence flights to and from the airport. The passenger terminal was constructed from materials left over after building the barracks for the Army Air Forces Air Technical Service Command airfield.

In the post-war years, the airport continued to develop. Capital Airlines, later renamed United, joined Eastern Airlines at Raleigh–Durham in 1947, and Piedmont Airlines, which would eventually become US Airways, began service in 1948. By April 1957, the airport was facilitating 36 departures a day: twenty Eastern, eight Capital, and eight Piedmont. Eastern Airlines brought the commercial jet age to the airport in 1965 with its Boeing 727 jet service.

Over the years, Raleigh–Durham International Airport has continued to expand and modernize, adding new terminals, facilities, and services. Today, it is the second-largest airport in North Carolina, serving nearly 80 destinations and offering passenger service to approximately 15 international destinations. The airport has indeed come a long way since its early days with Eastern Airlines, and it continues to play a vital role in the region's aviation landscape.

Frequently asked questions

Raleigh-Durham International Airport is served by Avelo Airlines, Endeavor Air, Delta Air Lines, Eastern Airlines, Piedmont Airlines, Capital Airlines, United Airlines, American Airlines, Spirit Airlines, and Frontier Airlines.

The airport code for Raleigh-Durham International Airport is RDU.

Raleigh-Durham International Airport offers passenger service to nearly 80 destinations, including 15 international destinations in 11 countries.

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