Raleigh-Durham Airport (RDU) Flights & Flight Status

Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) is located at the heart of the Research Triangle, the metropolitan area of North Carolina anchored by the cities of Raleigh and Durham, and the university town of Chapel Hill.

Although it’s not the busiest airport in North Carolina – that accolade belongs to Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) – It’s one of the fastest-growing airports in the country with more than 350 flights daily. Sixteen airlines offer non-stop routes to more than 60 destinations across North and Central America as well as to European destinations like London and Paris.

RDU serves the state capital, Raleigh, and is the gateway to a region known for its flourishing tech companies, abundant natural beauty and rich cultural attractions. Above all, the Triangle is famous for the three research universities that give it its name: Raleigh’s North Carolina State University, Durham’s Duke University and the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (UNC).

As someone who grew up in England, I first became familiar with RDU while studying abroad at UNC. It was the base for my student adventures across America and a place that I have returned to many times since.

It’s one of my favorite airports in the US not only for nostalgic reasons, but because it has everything you need without being overwhelming. It’s modern, well designed and easily navigated, with a great range of services and rarely too many people.

Airport layout and services

RDU has two terminals. Terminal 1 is reserved for domestic flights and hosts airlines like Avelo, Spirit and Alaska Airlines. Terminal 2 offers international and domestic flights with companies like Delta, United, American Airlines, Air France and Lufthansa. Most airlines operate out of one terminal or the other, with the exception of Southwest which sees all departing flights leave from Terminal 1 and international flights land at Terminal 2. You can walk between the terminals in approximately five minutes; there’s also a free shuttle.

Services in both terminals

Both terminals offer a full range of services from ATMs and Post Office boxes to a meditation room, smoking area and pet-relief area. Wi-Fi is free and easy to connect to from anywhere in the airport. I especially love that each session lasts 48 hours so you don’t have to worry about losing comms in the event of an unexpected delay. I should know – I once spent almost half that time waiting for a flight to get clearance for takeoff due to heavy snow. Similarly, if your device is running low on juice you’ll find 110-volt and USB power outlets under the tables at seating clusters in all boarding areas.

One special service that’s definitely worth a mention: Both terminals have a nursing suite especially for breastfeeding moms. I have spent way too many hours trying to subtly feed a fussy baby in the brightly lit public spaces of other airports to not appreciate the sanctuary offered by a private room complete with a changing table and electrical outlets. This suite is located at Gate A6 in Terminal 1 and at Gate C8 in Terminal 2.

Retail and dining

If you’ve spent any time at all in North Carolina you’ll know it’s a state obsessed with college sports. The rivalry is real, and you can kill time at RDU browsing shops full of Tar Heel, Blue Devil and Wolf Pack merchandise. At the time of writing there were four shops in Terminal 1 and 14 in Terminal 2. Together they also offer the expected range of souvenirs and other travel essentials.

The restaurant offering is similarly standard with nothing particularly exceptional but plenty of options to suit most dietary requirements. My favorites include Salsarita’s Fresh Cantina in Terminal 1 for made-to-order Mexican food and La Farm Bakery + Café in Terminal 2. The latter is an outpost of a French boulangerie in Cary, NC and can be relied upon for fresh breakfast pastries and good coffee ahead of an early flight. If you’re visiting North Carolina from overseas, you can get your first taste of that legendary Southern staple – fried chicken and biscuits – at Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen (also in Terminal 2).

Airport lounges

There are three lounges at RDU, all of them located in Terminal 2. You’ll find the American Airlines Admirals Club and the Delta Airlines Sky Club opposite Gate C3. Finally, the United Club is located opposite Gates D1 and D3. All three offer eligible guests a quiet space in which to work, relax and enjoy complimentary food and drink.

Check-in and security

RDU stays open 24/7. However, security checkpoints open at 4am each morning while most ticket counters open half an hour later. I have always found the check-in and security process at this airport to be fairly quick and painless – although with London Heathrow as my home airport, my baseline for comparison may differ from other people’s. Certainly RDU’s own website recommends arriving at least two hours before a domestic flight and at least three hours before an international flight.

Self-service check-in kiosks are available in both terminals to help reduce queuing times during peak periods. Typically these are early morning, midday and early evening at RDU. If you’re worried or are on a particularly tight schedule, remember that expedited security screening is available for registered TSA PreCheck customers and can cut screening time down to 10 minutes or less.

I do have two less-positive comments. The first is the airport’s Smarte Carte system which charges you a non-refundable fee to rent a luggage trolley – which seems unfair for a service that is a necessity for many. The other is that Customs staff tend to be relentlessly humorless. In my experience, this makes for an uncomfortable reception for incoming visitors that’s at odds with the effusive Southern hospitality you can expect everywhere else in North Carolina.

Getting to and from the airport

By bus

RDU is connected to the GoTriangle bus system by the GoTriangle Route 100 and RDU Shuttle buses. These buses depart from between Zones 2 and 3 for Terminal 1 and from between Zones 6 and 7 for Terminal 2. It takes approximately 40 minutes to get to downtown Raleigh, 1 hour and 15 minutes to get to Chapel Hill, and 1 hour and 20 minutes to reach downtown Durham. Both the Chapel Hill and Durham routes require a change.

By taxi

The only authorized taxi service is RDU Taxi. You’ll find their cabs waiting curbside at both terminals. There are also various licensed personal and shared transport services. For groups, I find that companies like My RDU Airport Shuttle often offer the best balance of convenience and affordability – but bear in mind these services must be booked in advance.

Many hotels in the Research Triangle area also offer a free airport shuttle service. Examples include the DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Hotel Raleigh – Durham and Holiday Inn Express & Suites Raleigh Airport – Brier Creek. However, there are more than 40 options to suit all tastes and budgets.

By car

RDU is located 14 miles northwest of Raleigh and 14 miles southeast of Durham, making it almost exactly equidistant between the two. It’s also just 17 miles east of Chapel Hill. By car, the journey to and from each of these destinations takes around 20 minutes, traffic permitting. Passengers can be dropped off and picked up at the Terminal 1 curb. For Terminal 2, you must be dropped off at the upper level (departures) and collected from the lower level (arrivals).

My friends have often saved money when coming to fetch me by using the Cell Phone Lot, a handy free waiting area located outside the airport where people can park until the traveler they’re collecting is ready.

Renting a car

On-site rental companies at RDU include Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, National, Payless, Sixt and Thrifty. You can catch a free shuttle bus to any one of their offices from the green Rental Car shuttle stops located at Zone 4 for Terminal 1 and Zone 5 for Terminal 2.

Parking

There are five airport car parks at RDU. The cheapest are the ParkRDU Economy 3 and 4 lots, both of which are a 10 to 12 minute ride from the terminals on the free shuttle. The shuttle runs every 20 minutes around the clock. The most luxurious option is the ParkRDU Premier lot, which offers exclusive, covered parking spaces situated within a few steps of the terminals.

For me, the ParkRDU Central lot offers the best value. Located a five-minute walk or less from the terminal with a choice of covered and open-air spaces, it’s considerably cheaper than the Premier option while allowing you to avoid the stress of navigating a shuttle while laden with luggage. Whichever you go for, remember all parking must be booked a minimum of 24 hours in advance.