Raleigh–Durham International Airport

Raleigh–Durham
International Airport
  • IATA: RDU
  • ICAO: KRDU
  • FAA LID: RDU
  • WMO: 72306
Summary
Airport typePublic
Owner/OperatorRaleigh–Durham Airport Authority
ServesThe Research Triangle Metropolitan Region of North Carolina
LocationCedar Fork Township, Wake County, North Carolina, U.S.
OpenedMay 1, 1943 (1943-05-01)
Focus city forDelta Air Lines
Operating base forAvelo Airlines
Time zoneEST (UTC−05:00)
 • Summer (DST)EDT (UTC−04:00)
Elevation AMSL436 ft / 133 m
Coordinates35°52′40″N 078°47′15″W / 35.87778°N 78.78750°W / 35.87778; -78.78750
Public transit access GoTriangle: RDU, 100
Websiterdu.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 passengers15,475,466
Aircraft movements214,222
Air Cargo (lbs.)202,634,559
Sources: RDU website[1]

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 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]

As of 2025, RDU ranks 35th in passenger arrivals and departures in the US, offering passenger service to over 80 destinations, including 15 international destinations in 11 countries.[4] It was the 38th busiest US airport by international passenger traffic in 2023.[5] The airport serves 31 U.S. states, plus Puerto Rico, with Atlanta being the busiest domestic route, and New York metropolitan area having the most passengers per day.[6] As of 2025, Delta Air Lines has the largest market share, and Breeze Airways flies to the most destinations with 30.[7][8] There are nearly 600 daily aircraft operations.[9] 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 & Durham plus the cities of Raleigh & 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.[10] The airport is an operating base for Avelo Airlines and Endeavor Air, as well as a focus city for Delta Air Lines. Breeze considers the area a key market.[11]

In 2024, RDU served a record 15.5 million passengers, which broke the airport's 2023 record of 14.5 million passengers.[12]

  1. ^ "Statistics".
  2. ^ FAA Airport Form 5010 for RDU PDF, effective September 4, 2025.
  3. ^ "RDU airport data at skyvector.com". skyvector.com. FAA data effective September 4, 2025.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference transtats.bts.gov was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ "U.S. International Air Passenger and Freight Statistics" (PDF). U.S. Department of Transportation. Office of the Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs. Retrieved April 20, 2025.
  6. ^ "Consumer Airfare Report: Table 6 - Contiguous State City-Pair Markets That Average At Least 10 Passengers Per Day". Office of the Secretary of Transportation. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
  7. ^ "Mar 2025 Activity Report with CYTD" (PDF). RDU. Retrieved May 7, 2025.
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference BreezeOctNov was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ "Operating and Capital Budgets 2025-26" (PDF). Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority.
  10. ^ "Raleigh-Durham International Airport Launches its 'Return to Travel' Campaign". Airports Council International-North America. Retrieved December 1, 2024.
  11. ^ "Breeze Airways". Air Line Pilots Association. Retrieved August 17, 2025.
  12. ^ "RDU Ends 2024 with Record Passenger Traffic". January 16, 2025. Retrieved January 16, 2025.
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