RDU

Raleigh-Durham Airport (RDU) Flights & Information

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Raleigh-Durham Airport (RDU) Flight Information

Find helpful information about Raleigh-Durham Airport (RDU) to aid in your flight search on Cheapflights.

Airport code

RDU

Daily departures

2,998

Daily arrivals

2,808

Most popular destination

JFK (New York)

Cheapest destination

HVN (New Haven)

Average flight price

$452
Average number of daily flights departing from RDU
Average number of daily flights to RDU
Average for round-trip flights in April 2025

Raleigh-Durham Airport Guide

John Walton
October 23, 2024

Raleigh-Durham International (RDU) is the main airport serving the Piedmont region of North Carolina, located in the middle of the Research Triangle metropolitan area consisting of Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill. It’s a compact, efficient airport with 2 terminals that are both easy to navigate.

You’ll find domestic flights to all the major US hubs and nonstop flights to many US destinations as well, all on a variety of low-cost or full-service airlines. There are also international flights to Mexico and Panama, plus transatlantic options to Frankfurt, London (Heathrow), Paris and Reykjavik.

Raleigh-Durham terminals and layout

Raleigh-Durham International Airport has 2 terminals helpfully numbered 1 and 2. They are arranged around a U-shaped road serving both terminals. You can walk between the 2 terminals via the central parking garage tunnel, but it’s a good quarter mile between them so this is one of those airports where it’s smart to know which terminal your airline uses if you’re being dropped off or picked up.

Terminal 1 is smaller and is home to domestic flights only. Airlines using this terminal include Alaska, Avelo, Breeze, Southwest, Spirit and Sun Country. There are 2 floors, but only one has road access. You’ll find ground transportation downstairs with ticketing, check-in and bag claim, and then you head upstairs to security and departures.

Terminal 2 is the larger of the two, with some domestic and all international flights into RDU. A wide range of airlines call this one home: Aeromexico, Air Canada, Air France, Allegiant, American Airlines, Bahamasair, Copa, Delta Air Lines, Frontier, Icelandair, JetBlue, Lufthansa and United Airlines. This terminal is split into 2 levels with road access to both. Ticketing, check-in, security and departures are upstairs, while baggage claim and arrivals are downstairs.

Airport hotels at Raleigh-Durham are all off-site and reached via shuttle buses that pick up from clearly marked locations outside each terminal. There’s a really wide variety of options from all the usual hotel groups and a few more besides, with several clusters of hotels around the airport.

I reckon the best combination of proximity to the airport and value for money is the cluster around Airport Boulevard on the far side of Interstate 40. Take a look at the map while you’re making your choice if you want one within walking distance to a restaurant or bar – there are a few with a selection close by, but many are quite a hike from the nearest option.

Arriving at RDU airport

Domestic arrivals into Terminal 1 (which is a fully domestic terminal) are really simple: head to the central exit from the upstairs gate concourse down to the baggage claim areas on the ground level and then out to the pickup zones.

It’s a fairly similar process arriving into Terminal 2 if you’re on a domestic flight or arriving from an airport with US border preclearance, where you go through customs and immigration at your departure airport and then arrive like a domestic flight. At RDU, this means many Canadian flights, but do check with your airline.

International passengers arriving from other countries need to go through US immigration and customs. Since there aren’t a lot of international arrivals and the immigration area is relatively small, you might want to try to snag a seat toward the front of your plane to avoid getting stuck behind a couple hundred fellow passengers, especially if you’re a visitor from another country.

Note that, like all US airports, if you’re connecting from an international flight (without preclearance) you will need to go through immigration, collect any checked baggage, clear customs and then recheck that luggage for your onward flight. Raleigh-Durham has the fast-track arrivals Global Entry kiosks for passengers who are pre-enrolled.

The ground pickup zones are clearly marked for pre-arranged services, the ParkRDU parking buses, hotel/motel shuttles, and rental car services.

Getting to and from RDU by public transit

Public transportation from Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill and other parts of the Research Triangle is pretty limited. For most of the day there’s no direct connection to any of the cities – you’ll need to take the RDU shuttle to the Regional Transit Center and connect from there to other buses serving the region. In the evenings and weekends, Bus 100 from Raleigh takes over the shuttle function.

A relatively inexpensive option can be a shared ride shuttle, where the shuttle service clusters several riders into one van or small bus between the airport and their destination. Several with official permits are listed as “Shared Transportation Services” on the airport website, where you can find contact info for booking.

How to get to and from Raleigh-Durham by car

If you’re visiting, a rental car may be a good option for you – all the usual national options are at RDU with their lots a short shuttle ride away from the terminal. Each operates its own shuttle service from the marked areas at the terminals – check with your rental car company for full details.

Taxis are available at both terminals – look for the Taxi Dispatch signs and symbols. Pre-booked cars, executive/limo services and group transportation all have their own special pickup areas, and the airport offers a list of permitted companies in each category if you want to especially sure.

Rideshare apps including Uber, Lyft and Blacklane all operate at RDU and are my first choice. I’ll usually check which one has the best pricing when I’m looking to travel. They all pick up from the “pre-arranged” zones.

Security lines and departures at RDU

The TSA runs security at Raleigh-Durham and operates PreCheck fast-track lanes for pre-enrolled passengers in both terminals. There’s also an enrollment office in the Terminal 2 bag claim area. The CLEAR fast-track program has kiosks and special lanes in both terminals, with separate standard and TSA PreCheck lanes in Terminal 1 and a combined lane for both in Terminal 2.

Liquids, aerosols, creams, gels and pastes you’d like to carry on the plane are subject to the usual set of TSA rules: all must be inside one quart-sized plastic resealable bag, and none can be in any individual container larger than 3.4 fluid ounces.

In Terminal 1, once you’re into departures it’s pretty smooth sailing – Gate A1 is all the way to your right, Gate A9 is all the way to your left and the others are between them in order. If you’re looking for the Starbucks, it’s to your left and kind of hidden behind the restrooms near Gate A7.

Terminal 2 gates are split into C and D sections with Gate C1 immediately to your right and stretching down to C25. Gate D1 is just to your left, and the gate numbers increase to D20 down the terminal. International flights use the gates at the very far end of the C gates.

There are a couple of moving walkways to speed you on to the further gates. Starbucks lovers in need of coffee in this terminal should note that the only outlet is all the way down at the far end of the D gates between D12 and D14.

Lounges and free Wi-Fi at Raleigh-Durham International Airport

RDU is home to 3 airline club lounges – one for American Airlines, one for Delta Airlines and one for United Airlines club members. Some frequent flyers (including those of the oneworld, SkyTeam and Star Alliance partner airlines) and some premium cabin passengers will have included access. They’re all pretty standard for clubs from each airline.

All 3 clubs are close to the central area of Terminal 2 – there are no lounges or clubs in Terminal 1. You’ll find the American and Delta clubs near gate C3, while the United club is opposite Gates D1 and D3. There are no Priority Pass options at RDU.

You’ll find free Wi-Fi throughout the terminals – just look for the “RDU Free WiFi” network and connect.

This Cheapflights-commissioned article is presented as-is, for general informational purposes only, and may not be up-to-date. The opinions contained in the article are original to the author and reflect their authentic experience, which may vary significantly from the experience of others.

Find flight deals to Raleigh

Cheapest flights to Raleigh
Explore the most affordable flight options available to Raleigh. Find the lowest fares based on data from user searches, with prices last updated on April 25, 2025.

Thu 6/55:00 pmLGA - RDU
Nonstop1h 51mFrontier
Wed 6/112:20 pmRDU - LGA
Nonstop1h 40mFrontier
Deal found 4/24$84
Mon 5/121:22 pmEWR - RDU
Nonstop1h 36mSpirit Airlines
Thu 5/153:55 pmRDU - EWR
Nonstop1h 37mSpirit Airlines
Deal found 4/24$94
Thu 5/298:47 amBOS - RDU
Nonstop2h 11mFrontier
Sun 6/19:50 amRDU - BOS
Nonstop2h 10mFrontier
Deal found 4/24$115
Mon 5/121:22 pmEWR - RDU
Nonstop1h 36mMultiple Airlines
Tue 5/133:38 pmRDU - EWR
1 stop5h 28mMultiple Airlines
Deal found 4/23$134
Tue 5/278:10 pmEWR - RDU
Nonstop1h 50mDelta
Tue 6/105:31 pmRDU - EWR
Nonstop1h 48mDelta
Deal found 4/23$137
Thu 7/176:30 amJFK - RDU
Nonstop1h 39mJetBlue
Sun 7/208:55 amRDU - JFK
Nonstop1h 40mJetBlue
Deal found 4/24$137
Fri 5/307:45 pmEWR - RDU
1 stop4h 14mUnited Airlines
Wed 7/26:00 amRDU - EWR
Nonstop1h 40mUnited Airlines
Deal found 4/25$147
Sun 5/258:50 amJFK - RDU
Nonstop1h 52mDelta
Tue 6/106:33 pmRDU - JFK
1 stop5h 07mDelta
Deal found 4/25$147
Sun 6/156:30 amLGA - RDU
Nonstop1h 38mDelta
Sun 6/226:10 amRDU - LGA
Nonstop1h 41mDelta
Deal found 4/25$147
Thu 6/196:00 amLGA - RDU
1 stop3h 28mUnited Airlines
Tue 6/247:50 pmRDU - LGA
1 stop3h 48mUnited Airlines
Deal found 4/24$157
Sat 5/1711:00 amJFK - RDU
1 stop6h 23mFrontier
Tue 5/204:50 pmRDU - JFK
1 stop7h 45mFrontier
Deal found 4/25$160
Thu 5/298:47 amBOS - RDU
Nonstop2h 11mMultiple Airlines
Sun 6/15:05 pmRDU - BOS
1 stop13h 58mMultiple Airlines
Deal found 4/25$160

Search for flights from Raleigh

Cheapest flights from Raleigh
Explore the most affordable flight options available from Raleigh. Find the lowest fares based on data from user searches, with prices last updated on April 25, 2025.

Sun 5/2510:45 pmRDU - MIA
Nonstop2h 10mFrontier
Fri 5/307:35 pmMIA - RDU
Nonstop2h 23mFrontier
Deal found 4/24$71
Tue 6/242:20 pmRDU - LGA
Nonstop1h 40mFrontier
Wed 6/255:00 pmLGA - RDU
Nonstop1h 51mFrontier
Deal found 4/25$77
Thu 5/83:55 pmRDU - EWR
Nonstop1h 37mSpirit Airlines
Mon 5/121:22 pmEWR - RDU
Nonstop1h 36mSpirit Airlines
Deal found 4/25$87
Tue 5/67:00 amRDU - MCO
Nonstop1h 53mFrontier
Tue 5/68:15 pmMCO - RDU
Nonstop2h 04mFrontier
Deal found 4/24$88
Fri 5/910:12 pmRDU - MIA
Nonstop2h 10mMultiple Airlines
Thu 5/159:05 amMIA - RDU
1 stop9h 45mMultiple Airlines
Deal found 4/24$93
Tue 5/205:59 pmRDU - MIA
Nonstop2h 10mAmerican Airlines
Sun 5/257:08 amMIA - RDU
Nonstop2h 10mAmerican Airlines
Deal found 4/25$126
Sat 8/308:20 amRDU - MIA
Nonstop2h 12mDelta
Tue 9/96:40 pmMIA - RDU
Nonstop2h 16mDelta
Deal found 4/24$127
Tue 5/67:00 amRDU - MCO
Nonstop1h 53mMultiple Airlines
Mon 5/126:15 amMCO - RDU
1 stop8h 43mMultiple Airlines
Deal found 4/24$128
Thu 5/153:55 pmRDU - EWR
Nonstop1h 37mMultiple Airlines
Mon 5/1910:00 pmEWR - RDU
1 stop11h 42mMultiple Airlines
Deal found 4/25$129
Sat 5/107:04 amRDU - EWR
Nonstop1h 46mDelta
Mon 5/129:30 amEWR - RDU
Nonstop1h 44mDelta
Deal found 4/25$137
Tue 6/311:54 amRDU - JFK
Nonstop1h 56mDelta
Sat 6/78:50 amJFK - RDU
Nonstop1h 56mDelta
Deal found 4/25$137
Mon 6/98:41 pmRDU - JFK
Nonstop1h 49mAmerican Airlines
Mon 6/1610:52 amJFK - RDU
Nonstop1h 38mAmerican Airlines
Deal found 4/25$138

Raleigh-Durham Airport (RDU) flight status

Find the status of flights flying to and from Raleigh-Durham Airport (RDU). Search by flight number or origin/destination and date/time to find the specific flight(s) you’re interested in.
Utilize the flight tracker to see the current status of flights flying to and from Raleigh-Durham Airport.
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Sun 4/27
9:00 pm

Reviews of airlines servicing Raleigh-Durham Airport (RDU)

Read reviews of airlines servicing Raleigh-Durham Airport (RDU). Use this information to make informed decisions when choosing an airline for your flight to or from Raleigh-Durham Airport (RDU). Reviews last updated April 25, 2025.
8.1
Very good
160 reviews

Overall

8.1

Crew

8.8

Entertainment

6.6

Boarding

8.3

Comfort

8.2

Food

6.7

Reviews

1 / 10
It was comfortable and the crew was great! A few free snacks offered would be nice!
8.1
Very good
160 reviews
8.1
Very good
160 reviews

Overall

8.1

Crew

8.8

Entertainment

6.6

Boarding

8.3

Comfort

8.2

Food

6.7

Reviews

1 / 10
It was comfortable and the crew was great! A few free snacks offered would be nice!
8.0
Very good
9,927 reviews
8.1
Very good
160 reviews

Overall

8.1

Crew

8.8

Entertainment

6.6

Boarding

8.3

Comfort

8.2

Food

6.7

Reviews

1 / 10
It was comfortable and the crew was great! A few free snacks offered would be nice!
8.0
Very good
4,289 reviews
8.1
Very good
160 reviews

Overall

8.1

Crew

8.8

Entertainment

6.6

Boarding

8.3

Comfort

8.2

Food

6.7

Reviews

1 / 10
It was comfortable and the crew was great! A few free snacks offered would be nice!
8.0
Very good
7,920 reviews
8.1
Very good
160 reviews

Overall

8.1

Crew

8.8

Entertainment

6.6

Boarding

8.3

Comfort

8.2

Food

6.7

Reviews

1 / 10
It was comfortable and the crew was great! A few free snacks offered would be nice!
7.9
Good
2,393 reviews
8.1
Very good
160 reviews

Overall

8.1

Crew

8.8

Entertainment

6.6

Boarding

8.3

Comfort

8.2

Food

6.7

Reviews

1 / 10
It was comfortable and the crew was great! A few free snacks offered would be nice!

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