Raleigh–Durham International Airport

Not to be confused with Raleigh County Memorial Airport in West Virginia.

"Durham Airport" redirects here. For the British airport, see Teesside International Airport.

Raleigh–Durham International Airport (IATA: RDU, ICAO: KRDU, FAA LID: RDU), locally known by its IATA code RDU, is an international airport that serves Raleigh, Durham, and the surrounding Research Triangle region of North Carolina as its main airport. It is located in unincorporated Wake County, but is surrounded by the city of Raleigh to the north and east, and the towns of Cary and Morrisville to the south. The airport covers 5,000 acres (20 km²) and has three runways.^[2][3]

Raleigh–Durham International Airport
IATA: RDU ICAO: KRDU FAA LID: RDU
Summary
Airport type	Public
Owner/Operator	Raleigh–Durham Airport Authority
Serves	The Research Triangle Metropolitan Region of North Carolina
Location	Cedar Fork Township, Wake County, North Carolina, U.S.
Opened	May 1, 1943; 81 years ago (1943-05-01)
Focus city for	Delta Air Lines
Operating base for	Avelo Airlines
Elevation AMSL	436 ft / 133 m
Coordinates	35°52′40″N 078°47′15″W
Website	www.rdu.com
Maps
FAA airport diagram
Runways
Direction Length Surface ft m 05L/23R 10,000 3,048 Concrete 05R/23L 7,500 2,286 Asphalt 14/32 3,570 1,088 Asphalt 05L/23R 10,639 3,243 Under Construction (Concrete)
Statistics (2024)
Total Passengers 15,475,466 Aircraft movements 214,222 Air Cargo (lbs.) 202,634,559
Sources: RDU website[1]

As of 2025, RDU ranks 35th in passenger arrivals and departures in the US, offering passenger service to over 75 destinations, including 14 international destinations in ten countries.^[4] There are more than 400 average daily flights.^[5] The RDU Airport Authority is in charge of the airport facilities and operations and is controlled by a board of representatives from the counties of Wake and Durham and the cities of Raleigh and Durham.

Raleigh–Durham International Airport is the second-largest airport in the state of North Carolina, behind Charlotte Douglas International Airport. The main catchment area is central & eastern North Carolina, and southern Virginia.^[6] The airport is an operating base for Avelo Airlines and Endeavor Air, as well as a focus city for Delta Air Lines.

In 2024, RDU served a record 15.5 million passengers, which broke the airport's record of 14.5 million passengers set in 2023.^[7]

History

Founding

Early view of Raleigh–Durham Airport

The region's first airport opened in 1929 as Raleigh Municipal Airport, south of Raleigh. It 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. This was promoted by Eastern Air Lines, led by then chairman Eddie Rickenbacker, who wanted to make RDU a stop on the airline's New York–Miami route.

The new Raleigh–Durham Airport opened on May 1, 1943, with flights by Eastern Airlines. The passenger terminal was built from materials remaining after the construction of four barracks for the Army Air Forces Air Technical Service Command airfield.^[8] The three runways the airport had in 1951 are still visible on the southeast side of the airport: 4500-ft runway 5, 4500-ft runway 18 and 4490-ft runway 14.

After World War II, Capital Airlines joined Eastern at RDU; Piedmont Airlines arrived in 1948. The April 1957 Official Airline Guide shows 36 departures a day: twenty Eastern, eight Capital and eight Piedmont. Nonstop flights did not reach beyond Washington, Atlanta, or the Appalachians (but Eastern started a Super Constellation nonstop to Newark in 1958). The next airline (aside from United's takeover of Capital in 1961) was Delta Air Lines in 1970. In April 1969, nonstops didn't reach beyond New York or Atlanta, and Chicago was the only nonstop west of the Appalachians. RDU's first scheduled jets were Eastern 727s in 1965.

In the 1970s, the last decade before airline deregulation, Piedmont connected RDU to Charlotte, Greensboro, New Bern, Norfolk, Richmond, Rocky Mount, Washington, Wilmington and Winston-Salem.^[9] United flew to Asheville, Charlotte, Huntsville and Newark,^[10] while Eastern flew to Atlanta, Charlotte, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Richmond and Washington,^[11] and Delta flew to Chicago and Greensboro.^[12]

After deregulation, Allegheny Airlines arrived in 1979, and by 1985 Trans World Airlines, American Airlines, Ozark Air Lines, People Express, New York Air and Pan Am had all put in appearances.

Hub years

American built a terminal at RDU between 1985 and 1987 to house a new hub, and flew to 38 cities when the hub started in June 1987.^[13] The December 1987 timetable shows AA nonstops to 36 airports and American Eagle prop nonstops to 18 more. American later flew to London-Gatwick and Paris-Orly.^[14] The RDU hub operated at a loss even during its heyday in the early 1990s, like the hub AA had at Nashville.^[15] American's December 1992 timetable, around the time of the hub's peak, showed 211 daily departures to 64 destinations, almost all in the eastern United States (the westernmost destinations being American's hubs at Dallas/Fort Worth and Chicago–O'Hare).^[16] The hub faced intense competition from Delta and Eastern in Atlanta, Northwest in Memphis, and from USAir in Charlotte, as well as the short-lived Continental hub in Greensboro that opened in 1993.^[17] American began to consider closing the hub in late 1993; operations were reduced until June 1995 when American closed the hub.^[16][17] In 1996, Air Canada became the airport's first international carrier with service to Toronto.^[18]

American retained a daily nonstop flight to London, which continued to operate until the COVID-19 pandemic and resumed in 2022.^[19][20][21] The RDU-London route was originally launched based on a purchasing commitment from GlaxoSmithKline, which has major offices at both ends of the route; the route is no longer dependent on GSK for revenue.^[22]

Midway Airlines replaced AA as the airport's hub carrier from 1995 until 2003.^[23] In 1995, Midway had flights to Boston, Hartford, Long Island, Newark, Newburgh, New York, Philadelphia and Washington in the Northeast, and to Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa and West Palm Beach in Florida.^[24] American subleased its gates at RDU to Midway in order to repay $113 million in American-guaranteed bonds that had been used to construct the hub facilities.^[25] Midway suspended service for some time after the September 11, 2001 attacks, and ceased operations in 2002, filing for bankruptcy in 2003.

Recent history

RDU Airport structure

RDU's post-hub years have brought the addition of new carriers and destinations, notably discount carriers such as Allegiant Air, Southwest Airlines and Frontier Airlines. Because of the economic downturn and high fuel prices in 2008, American ended most point to point flights it operated out of the airport. Several mainline flights were also dropped and service to other cities was reduced or downgraded. Other airlines also cut flights and destinations including United Airlines and US Airways. Also in 2008, the airport was modernized; the current rebuilt Terminal 2 opened, on the site of the old Terminal C that was built in 1987. The rebuilt was completed in 2011, and was designed by Fentress Architects.^[26][27]

By 2010, RDU's traffic began to recover. In the first few months of the year, passenger numbers stabilized at RDU, ending the decrease the airport experienced in 2008 and 2009. In the first four months of 2010, 2.7 million passengers traveled through RDU.^[28] Growth was flat compared to the same period a year before, but these signs were positive indicating that the decline was over. Airlines at RDU began to add new services to the schedule with both legacy and low-cost carriers significantly increasing service since the early 2010s.

Delta Air Lines maintains a focus city operation at RDU, which it decided to maintain in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic due to the area's strong economy and lack of a dominant network carrier.^[29]

In November 2022, Avelo Airlines announced the opening of an operating base at Raleigh-Durham. Service started on February 15, 2023. Avelo currently operates two aircraft and around 90 employees at the airport.^[30]

Endeavor Air, a regional airline for Delta, plan to open a new crew base in the summer of 2025, with expected 130 to 170 employees.^[31]

Future

The Vision 2040 Master Plan details several major improvements that are aimed to be made by 2040. Proposed in 2017 by the RDU Airport Authority, the plan calls for major additions and renovations of current facilities at the airport. This includes the construction of a consolidated rental car facility, an on-site hotel, expansion of parking lots, expansion of both terminals, improvements to the taxiway layout, and the replacement of both runways. The proposal included lengthening runway 5R/23L to 9,000 feet (2,700 m) and rebuilding runway 5L/23R to a length of 11,500 feet (3,500 m) just northwest of its current position. The existing runway 5L/23R will become a taxiway for the new runway. After modifying the planned runway length multiple times, the FAA authorized the construction of the new runway on September 5, 2023.^[32] The construction of RDU's new 5L/23R runway began on October 11, 2023. The new runway will be built at a length of 10,639 feet (3,243 m) and is anticipated to be finished in 5 years.^[33]

In June 2023, the Airport Authority Board approved an agreement to advance the planning process for terminal 1 expansion to allow for future growth as RDU reached new passenger traffic records and destinations served. RDU is also planning on expanding their customs and border patrol center to accommodate for the increase of international flights at RDU.^[34]

Facilities

RDU Airport interior

Terminals

Terminals at RDU Airport

The airport contains two terminals with a total of 45 gates.^[35] The two terminals do not have an airside connection; passengers moving between the terminals may ride a shuttle bus or take the moving walkway through covered parking decks between the terminals. All non precleared international flights are processed in Terminal 2 and arrive into gates C21, C23, C24 and C25.

• Terminal 1 contains 9 gates, A1–A9. The Vision2040 plan proposes the addition of 4, 7, 12 or 15 gates. The terminal is used by Alaska Airlines, Avelo Airlines, Breeze Airways, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines, and Sun Country Airlines. In 2024, RDU moved three airlines in Terminal 2 to maximize check-in, gate space, and overall terminal space for airlines at Terminal 2.
• Terminal 2 contains 36 gates, with concourses C and D. This is the only terminal at RDU that hosts international arrivals, utilizing gates C21 and C23–C25. Aeroméxico Connect, Air Canada, Air France, American Airlines, Copa Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines, Icelandair, JetBlue, Lufthansa and United fly from Terminal 2.^[35] American Airlines Admirals Club, Delta Air Lines Sky Club, United Club, and USO of North Carolina are all located in this terminal.^[36][37]

Cargo areas

The airport incorporates two cargo areas, North Cargo and South Cargo.^[38] The North Cargo terminal area is used by cargo airlines. The largest cargo operators are FedEx and UPS. The South Cargo terminal area is used by commercial airlines for cargo operations.

Maintenance base

Endeavor Air built a maintenance base in 2019.^[39] The primary function is line maintenance. No hangar is available for maintenance.^[40]

Lounges

United Airlines has a United Club in Terminal 2, across from gates D1-D3, Delta Air Lines has a Delta Sky Club in Terminal 2, across from gate C3, and American Airlines has an Admirals Club in Terminal 2, also across from gate C3.

Airlines and destinations

Passenger

Airlines	Destinations	Refs
Aeroméxico Connect	Mexico City	[41]
Air Canada	Seasonal: Toronto–Pearson (resumes May 1, 2025),[42] Vancouver (begins June 5, 2025)[43]	[44]
Air Canada Express	Toronto–Pearson Seasonal: Montréal–Trudeau	[44]
Air France	Paris–Charles de Gaulle	[45]
Alaska Airlines	Seattle/Tacoma	[46]
American Airlines	Charlotte, Chicago–O'Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth, London–Heathrow, Los Angeles, Miami, New York–LaGuardia, Philadelphia, Phoenix–Sky Harbor Seasonal: Cancún, Washington–National	[47]
American Eagle	Chicago–O'Hare, Nashville, New York–JFK, New York–LaGuardia, Pittsburgh, Washington–National Seasonal: Miami	[47]
Avelo Airlines	Albany, Fort Myers, Manchester (NH), New Haven, Rochester (NY) Seasonal: Montego Bay,[48] Punta Cana (begins February 22, 2025)[48]	[49]
BermudAir	Bermuda (begins April 11, 2025)[50]	[51]
Breeze Airways	Akron/Canton, Albany (begins June 5, 2025),[52] Columbus–Glenn, Daytona Beach,[53] Fort Myers, Hartford, Long Island/Islip, Louisville (resumes February 21, 2025),[54] Memphis (begins May 9, 2025),[52] New Haven,[55] New Orleans, Orlando (begins May 9, 2025),[52] Pittsburgh, Portland (ME), Providence, Rochester (NY) (begins May 9, 2025),[52] Sarasota, Tampa, West Palm Beach, White Plains Seasonal: Burlington (VT), Jacksonville (FL), Los Angeles, Pensacola (begins April 30, 2025),[52] San Diego, Syracuse	[56]
Copa Airlines	Panama City–Tocumen	[57]
Delta Air Lines	Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Fort Lauderdale, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Orlando, Salt Lake City, Seattle/Tacoma, Tampa Seasonal: Cancún	[58]
Delta Connection	Austin, Cincinnati, Kansas City (begins May 7, 2025),[59] Nashville, Newark, New York–JFK, New York–LaGuardia, Orlando, Washington–National	[58]
Frontier Airlines	Atlanta, Boston, Cleveland, Denver, Miami, New York–LaGuardia, Las Vegas (resumes May 22, 2025),[60] Orlando, Philadelphia, San Juan, Tampa Seasonal: Buffalo, Chicago O'Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth, Detroit, Houston–Intercontinental, Indianapolis, Portland (ME), Syracuse	[61]
Icelandair	Reykjavík–Keflavík	[62]
JetBlue	Boston, Fort Lauderdale, New York–JFK, San Juan	[63]
Lufthansa	Frankfurt	[64]
Southwest Airlines	Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Chicago–Midway, Dallas–Love, Denver, Fort Lauderdale, Houston–Hobby, Nashville, Orlando, St. Louis, Tampa Seasonal: Kansas City, Las Vegas, New Orleans, Phoenix–Sky Harbor	[65]
Spirit Airlines	Fort Lauderdale	[66]
Sun Country Airlines	Seasonal: Minneapolis/St. Paul	[67]
United Airlines	Chicago–O'Hare, Denver, Houston–Intercontinental, Newark, San Francisco, Washington–Dulles	[68]
United Express	Houston–Intercontinental, Newark, Washington–Dulles Seasonal: Chicago–O'Hare	[68]
WestJet	Seasonal: Calgary (begins June 9, 2025)	[69]

Destinations Maps
RDU Atlanta Austin Cleveland Columbus Dallas/ Fort Worth Dallas–Love Seattle/Tacoma New Orleans Ft. Myers Chicago–O'Hare Los Angeles Miami Tampa Orlando Fort Lauderdale Houston–Intercontinental Houston–Hobby Washington–Dulles Washington–National Baltimore San Diego Kansas City Detroit Chicago–Midway Minneapolis/ St. Paul Nashville Denver Salt Lake City Phoenix– Sky Harbor Las Vegas San Francisco Charlotte West Palm Beach Jacksonville St. Louis Cincinnati Akron–Canton Sarasota Daytona Beach Indianapolis Louisville Memphis Pensacola Domestic destinations from RDU (excludes Northeast U.S., and U.S. Territories). Red dots represent year-round destinations; Green dots represent seasonal destinations; Blue dots represent future destinations.
New Haven Boston JFK LaGuardia Newark Philadelphia Pittsburgh Hartford Albany Manchester Rochester Long Island Providence White Plains Burlington Portland Syracuse Northeast U.S. destinations from RDU. Red dots represent year-round destinations; Green dots represent seasonal destinations; Blue dots represent future destinations.
RDU Mexico City Toronto–Pearson Calgary Vancouver Montréal–Trudeau Cancún Panama City–Tocumen San Juan Bermuda Punta Cana Montego Bay North America destinations from RDU (excludes domestic U.S.). Red dots represent year-round destinations; Green dots represent seasonal destinations; Blue dots represent future destinations.
Paris London–Heathrow Frankfurt Reykjavík–Keflavík European destinations from RDU. Red dots represent year-round destinations; Green dots represent seasonal destinations; Blue dots represent future destinations.

Cargo

Airlines	Destinations	Refs
FedEx Express	Atlanta, Charlotte, Indianapolis, Memphis, Newark Seasonal: Columbus, Greensboro, Harrisburg	[70]
FedEx Feeder	New Bern, Jacksonville (NC), Wilmington (NC)
UPS Airlines	Atlanta, Charlotte, Columbia, Louisville, Manteo/Dare County, New Bern, Norfolk, Ontario, Philadelphia, Wilmington (NC) Seasonal: Edenton, Greensboro, Greenville/Spartanburg, Jacksonville (NC), Orlando	[70]
Quest Diagnostics	Concord, Reading

Statistics

Top destinations

Busiest domestic routes from RDU (December 2023 – November 2024)^[4]

Rank	City	Passengers	Carriers
1	Atlanta, Georgia	709,320	Delta, Frontier, Southwest
2	Charlotte, North Carolina	524,880	American
3	Orlando, Florida	365,030	Delta, Frontier, JetBlue, Southwest
4	Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas	328,250	American, Frontier
5	Chicago–O'Hare, Illinois	319,460	American, Frontier, United
6	New York–LaGuardia, New York	315,920	American, Delta, Frontier
7	Miami, Florida	293,310	American, Delta, Frontier
8	Boston, Massachusetts	291,510	Delta, Frontier, JetBlue
9	New York–JFK, New York	289,270	American, Delta, JetBlue
10	Denver, Colorado	283,330	Frontier, Southwest, United

Busiest international routes from RDU (October 2023 – September 2024)^[71]

Rank	Airport	Passengers	% Change from Jul '23 - Jun '24	Change in Rank	Carriers
1	London–Heathrow, United Kingdom	133,498	2.39%		American
2	Paris–Charles de Gaulle, France	115,970	4.93%		Air France, Delta
3	Toronto–Pearson, Canada	92,256	0.15%		Air Canada
4	Reykjavík–Keflavík, Iceland	74,258	12.95%		Icelandair
5	Frankfurt, Germany	34,750	358.81%	2	Lufthansa
6	Cancún, Mexico	27,809	3.60%	1	American, Delta
7	Montréal–Trudeau, Canada	16,481	4.14%	1	Air Canada
8	Mexico City, Mexico	14,441	8925.63%	2	Aeromexico
9	Panama City–Tocumen, Panama	14,030	877.02%		Copa Airlines
10	Freeport, Bahamas	2,025	31.19%	2	Bahamasair

Annual traffic

Annual passenger traffic at RDU airport. See Wikidata query.

Annual traffic at RDU

Annual Passengers at RDU Enplaned and Deplaned 1985–Present^[72]

Year	Passengers	Year	Passengers	Year	Passengers	Year	Passengers
1985	2,771,009	1995	5,937,135	2005	9,303,904	2015	10,015,244
1986	3,100,002	1996	6,417,871	2006	9,432,925	2016	11,049,143
1987	4,854,073	1997	6,724,874	2007	10,037,424	2017	11,653,693
1988	7,352,007	1998	7,228,653	2008	9,715,928	2018	12,801,697
1989	8,594,671	1999	8,941,775	2009	8,973,398	2019	14,218,621
1990	9,265,665	2000	10,438,585	2010	9,101,920	2020	4,883,913
1991	9,381,586	2001	9,584,087	2011	9,161,279	2021	8,795,128
1992	9,925,364	2002	8,241,253	2012	9,220,391	2022	11,842,330
1993	9,695,886	2003	7,912,547	2013	9,186,748	2023	14,523,996
1994	8,999,491	2004	8,637,606	2014	9,545,360	2024	15,475,466

Airline market share

Largest airlines at RDU (December 2023 – November 2024)^[73]

Rank	Airline	Passengers	Share
1	American Airlines	3,035,000	21.09%
2	Delta Air Lines	2,975,000	20.67%
3	Southwest Airlines	2,198,000	15.27%
4	United Airlines	1,463,000	10.16%
5	Frontier Airlines	1,257,000	8.74%
	Other	3,465,000	24.07%

Accidents and incidents

• On January 2, 1953, a USAF Douglas C-47 crashed near RDU attempting to land with rain and low visibility after diverting from Pope AFB in Fayetteville. The aircraft crashed nearly two miles south of the airport in Crabtree Park. Three out of the four occupants died.^[74]
• On Wednesday, November 12, 1975, Eastern Air Lines Flight 576, a Boeing 727-225, crashed while attempting to land on runway 23 (now runway 23 Left). The aircraft hit the ground 282 feet (86 m) short of the runway and bounced back into the air before coming down on the runway and sliding 4,150 feet (1,260 m) down the runway, stopping where the south end of Terminal 1 is today. Of the 139 persons on the flight, eight were injured, one seriously. The NTSB investigation initially blamed the crash on "the pilot's failure to execute a missed approach when he lost sight of the runway environment in heavy rain below decision height." The accident report and probable cause were later revised to include the influence of undetected wind shear.^[75] The aircraft (Boeing 727-225, N8838E) sustained major damage and was moved to an area on the north end of closed runway 18. A temporary structure was built around the aircraft, which was eventually repaired and returned to service.
• On December 31, 1986, a passenger aboard United Airlines Flight 1502 was wounded after a local hunter fired his rifle from the ground into the airframe of the landing aircraft. Robert Raymond Proulx, fired a bullet through the fuselage wounding a passenger (Barry Rollins) in the thigh and the cheek as the projectile ricocheted inside the cabin.^[76][77][78]
• On February 19, 1988, AVAir Flight 3378, a Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner was on a regularly scheduled flight between Raleigh and Richmond operating for American Eagle when it crashed into a reservoir about a mile from the airport in the vicinity of Cary. The aircraft had departed during low ceiling, low visibility and night conditions. Analysis of radar data indicated the aircraft was in a 45-degree descending turn. Both crew members and all 10 passengers were killed. It was revealed during the investigation that the pilot had complained of illness but decided to continue the flight.
• On December 13, 1994, American Eagle Flight 3379 operated by AMR's regional airline Flagship Airlines,^[79] a Jetstream 31 was on a regularly scheduled service of Raleigh–Greensboro–Raleigh when it crashed into a wooded area about 4 miles (6.4 km) SW of the airport, in the vicinity of Morrisville. Of the 20 onboard (18 passengers and two crewmembers) 15 were killed while the five survivors received serious injuries. The probable cause of the crash was the pilot not following proper procedure when it came to an engine failure situation.^[80]
• On July 31, 2000, a Win Win Aviation de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter crashed on approach nearly two miles SSW of RDU on a positioning flight due to fog and darkness. The pilot was not instrument rated to fly in bad weather. One crewmember out of the three occupants died.^[81]
• On October 20, 2019, a Piper PA-32 crashed in a wooded area of Umstead State Park on approach to runway 32. Both occupants of the plane died.^[82]
• On July 29, 2022, a CASA C-212 Aviocar from Raeford West Airport made an emergency landing and subsequently slid off runway 23L due to its lack of right landing gear. On approach, the 23-year old co-pilot, Charles Hew Crooks, exited the plane over Fuquay-Varina and subsequently died. The pilot was transported to the hospital with minor injuries as the result of a rough landing.^[83][84]
• On April 25, 2024, a Socata TBM 850 from Wilmington operated by UNC Air Operations crashed during landing on runway 32. Both the pilot and the sole onboard passenger were injured.^[85]

See also

• Aviation portal

• List of airports in North Carolina
• List of the busiest airports in the United States
• North Carolina World War II Army Airfields

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency

1. "Statistics".
2. FAA Airport Form 5010 for RDU PDF, effective October 31, 2024.
3. "RDU airport data at skyvector.com". skyvector.com. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
4. "RITA – BTS – Transtats". Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Retrieved March 27, 2024.
5. https://www.rdu.com/airline-information/rdu-airlines/
6. "Raleigh-Durham International Airport Launches its 'Return to Travel' Campaign". Airports Council International-North America. Retrieved December 1, 2024.
7. "RDU Ends 2024 with Record Passenger Traffic". Retrieved January 16, 2025.
8. Baskas, Harriet (October 11, 2004). "Stuck at the Airport: Raleigh–Durham – Haven for Bibliophiles at RDU". Expedia.com. Archived from the original on August 5, 2002. Retrieved September 22, 2008.
9. "PI121578p22". Archived from the original on March 15, 2013. Retrieved August 28, 2012.
10. "UA061176p80". Archived from the original on March 15, 2013. Retrieved August 28, 2012.
11. "EA090672p52". Archived from the original on March 15, 2013. Retrieved August 28, 2012.
12. "DL102774p69". Archived from the original on March 15, 2013. Retrieved August 28, 2012.
13. Belden, Tom (August 4, 1987). "American Begins Service To New Hub". Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved December 9, 2013.
14. "Daily Departures from the Raleigh/Durham Hub 1987-1995". Departed Flights. Archived from the original on January 15, 2018. Retrieved January 14, 2018.
15. "Future of American's N. C. Hub Is Uncertain". Star-News. Wilmington, NC. November 18, 1991. pp. 2B. Retrieved July 25, 2013.
16. "AARDUhub". www.departedflights.com. Archived from the original on January 15, 2018. Retrieved July 16, 2018.
17. Deak, Leslie (January 26, 1995). "American Airlines to eliminate RDU hub". Duke Chronicle. Archived from the original on December 12, 2013. Retrieved December 9, 2013.
18. Ohnesorge, Lauren. "RDU Announces Another Direct International Flight – Raleigh to Montreal". Research Triangle Regional Partnership. Triangle Business Journal. Retrieved December 12, 2024.
19. Trodden, Kathryn. "RDU-to-London flight upgraded in response to customer demand". News & Observer. Archived from the original on October 8, 2018. Retrieved October 7, 2018.
20. Ohnesorge, Lauren. "Why Raleigh-Durham International Airport needs a new GlaxoSmithKline". Triangle Business Journal. Archived from the original on March 24, 2017. Retrieved October 7, 2018. When American Airlines (NYSE: AAL) decided to take a bet on a nonstop flight from Raleigh-Durham International Airport to London decades ago, it was because of one company: Glaxo – now called GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE: GSK).
21. Dolande, Rainer Nieves (June 5, 2022). "American Airlines resumes flights between Raleigh and London". Aviacionline.com. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
22. "Why Raleigh-Durham International Airport needs a new GlaxoSmithKline". Triangle Business Journal. April 17, 2015. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
23. "Raleigh–Durham, San Jose and Portland Airports: Colourful Pasts and Hope for the Future". Centre for Aviation. March 16, 2010. Archived from the original on August 14, 2011. Retrieved July 25, 2013.
24. "JI080195p2". Archived from the original on March 15, 2013. Retrieved August 28, 2012.
25. Fins, Antonio (March 16, 1997). "A Tale of 2 Cities ... And The Loss of an Airline Hub". Sun-Sentinel. Archived from the original on December 13, 2013. Retrieved December 9, 2013.
26. "Construction on New RDU Terminal Taking off". August 24, 2007.
27. "Raleigh-Durham International Airport's Terminal 2 Opens". October 27, 2008.
28. "Raleigh-Durham International Airport". Archived from the original on November 27, 2010. Retrieved July 1, 2010.
29. "Delta Trimming of Routes Portends Larger Industry Reconfiguration of Flights". Airline Weekly. March 3, 2021. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
30. "Avelo Airlines Celebrates First Anniversary of its Raleigh / Durham Base with Three New East Coast Routes". Avelo Airlines. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
31. Leyva, Hannah. "Delta regional subsidiary Endeavor Air opening RDU crew base". CBS17. Retrieved February 7, 2025.
32. "FAA Authorizes RDU to Replace its Primary Runway". RDU Official Website. RDU. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
33. "RDU Breaks Ground on the Triangle's Most Important Two Miles of Pavement". RDU Official Website. RDU. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
34. "Memorial Day Weekend Passenger Traffic Tops 2019". June 15, 2023.
35. "Terminal Directory - Raleigh/Durham International Airport". Retrieved April 8, 2021.
36. "Airline Clubs". Raleigh-Durham International Airport.
37. "Raleigh-Durham International Airport - About this Location". USO of North Carolina. USO of North Carolina. Retrieved December 14, 2024.
38. "RDU Fixed-Base Operators and Cargo". Retrieved March 13, 2021.
39. Ohnesorge, Lauren. "Airline to build maintenance base at RDU, plots hires of technicians, pilots, attendants". Triangle Business Journal. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
40. "RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA LINE MAINTENANCE OPERATION" (PDF). Maintenance Base Profiles 2021. Delta Air Lines Tech Ops. Retrieved December 16, 2024.
41. "Flight Schedule". Aeroméxico. Archived from the original on April 6, 2017. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
42. "Air Canada reveals major US route changes for summer 2025". Inside Flyer. Retrieved November 24, 2024.
43. "RDU to launch new international flight to Vancouver". CBS17. Retrieved December 2, 2024.
44. "Flight Schedules".
45. "Air France Flight Status and Schedule". Air France. Paris: Air France-KLM.
46. Airlines, Alaska. "Flight Timetable". Alaska Airlines. Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
47. "Flight schedules and notifications". Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
48. Stradling, Richard (December 4, 2024). "RDU, Avelo Airlines announce two more international flights from the Triangle". The News & Observer. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
49. "Destinations".
50. Watson, Starletta. "BermudAir to launch nonstop flights between Bermuda and RDU in Spring 2025". cbs17.com. CBS 17. Retrieved November 14, 2024.
51. "Route Map, Schedules & Fares".
52. Stradling, Richard. "Breeze Airways announces new nonstops from RDU, including two more exclusive routes". News and Observer. News and Observer. Retrieved February 5, 2025.
53. "Avelo Airlines Expands Service with New Nonstop Flights Between Daytona Beach and Hartford". Travel and Tour World. Retrieved July 31, 2024.
54. Ohnesorge, Lauren. "Low-cost airline ramps up at RDU". Triangle Business Journal. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
55. "Breeze Airways to begin flying from Tweed-New Haven Airport". NBC Connecticut. August 13, 2024. Retrieved August 13, 2024.
56. "Explore our destinations". Breeze Airways. Retrieved November 16, 2022.
57. "Flight Schedule". Copa Airlines.
58. "Flight Schedules". Archived from the original on June 21, 2015. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
59. Ewing, Ryan. "Delta Expands in Raleigh". AirlineGeeks. Retrieved February 15, 2025.
60. Ohnesorge, Lauren. "RDU scores another flight to Las Vegas". Triangle Business Journal. Triangle Business Journal. Retrieved January 6, 2025.
61. "Frontier". Archived from the original on September 12, 2017. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
62. "Our Flight Schedule 2022 | Icelandair".
63. "JetBlue Airlines Timetable". Archived from the original on July 13, 2013. Retrieved January 29, 2017.
64. "Timetable & Flight status". Lufthansa. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
65. "Check Flight Schedules". Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
66. Ohnesorge, Lauren. "Spirit Airlines to debut at RDU with seven nonstop flights". Triangle Business Journal. BizJournals. Retrieved January 15, 2019.
67. "Sun Country Airlines announces 16 new routes". www.bizjournals.com. Retrieved May 31, 2023.
68. "Where Does United Fly? United Airlines Interactive Route Map". Retrieved February 6, 2024.
69. "WESTJET NS25 NETWORK & FREQUENCY CHANGES – 17NOV24". AeroRoutes. November 17, 2024. Retrieved November 17, 2024.
70. "Air Carriers : T-100 Segment (All Carriers)". Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
71. "International_Report_Passengers | Department of Transportation - Data Portal". data.transportation.gov. Archived from the original on July 19, 2019. Retrieved July 25, 2021.
72. "Historical Passenger Traffic at RDU 1985-Present". rdu.com. Retrieved June 11, 2024.
73. "Raleigh/Durham, NC: Raleigh-Durham International (RDU)".
74. Accident description for 43-15273 at the Aviation Safety Network
75. "NTSB Aircraft Accident Report" (PDF). National Transportation Safety Board.
76. Accident description for unknown at the Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved on December 21, 2023.
77. "FBI Accuses Hunter of Shooting at Plane, Wounding Passenger". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 22, 2023.
78. "Projectile Pierces Belly of United Airlines Boeing 737 Moments Before Landing at Raleigh-Durham Airport". upi.com. Retrieved December 22, 2023.
79. Harro Ranter (December 13, 1994). "ASN Aircraft accident British Aerospace 3201 Jetstream 32 N918AE Raleigh–Durham Airport, NC (RDU)". Archived from the original on October 20, 2012. Retrieved January 8, 2011.
80. "NTSB Identification: DCA95MA006". www.ntsb.gov. Archived from the original on January 20, 2009.
81. Accident description for N201RH at the Aviation Safety Network
82. Stradling, Richard. "Florida couple killed when their RDU-bound plane crashed in Umstead State Park". newsobserver.com. News Observer. Archived from the original on October 21, 2019. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
83. Johnson, Kristen. "27-year-old man who 'exited' plane found dead in Fuquay-Varina after massive search". newsobserver.com. News & Observer. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
84. Burnside, Tina (July 30, 2022). "Federal officials are investigating the death of a co-pilot who exited a plane in mid-air in North Carolina". cnn.com. CNN. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
85. "Medical plane crash at RDU: UNC doctor sent home from hospital, pilot still undergoing treatment". ABC 11. Retrieved April 25, 2024.

External links

• Raleigh–Durham International Airport
• "Raleigh–Durham International Airport – RDU" (PDF). at North Carolina DOT airport guide
• FAA Airport Diagram (PDF), effective February 20, 2025
• FAA Terminal Procedures for RDU, effective February 20, 2025
• Resources for this airport:
  • AirNav airport information for KRDU
  • ASN accident history for RDU
  • FlightAware airport information and live flight tracker
  • NOAA/NWS weather observations: current, past three days
  • SkyVector aeronautical chart for KRDU
  • FAA current RDU delay information