Raleigh-Durham International Airport
Encyclopedia
Raleigh-Durham International Airport is a public international airport
International airport
An international airport is any airport that can accommodate flights from other countries and are typically equipped with customs and immigration facilities to handle these flights to and from other countries...

 located 4.5 miles (7 km) northeast of the town of Morrisville
Morrisville, North Carolina
Morrisville is a town in Wake County, North Carolina, United States. A small portion of the town extends into Durham County. The population was 18,576 according to a April 1, 2010 census. Morrisville is part of the Research Triangle metropolitan region...

 in suburban Wake County
Wake County, North Carolina
Wake County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the population was 900,993 making it North Carolina's second most populated county...

, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...

, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. The airport covers 4929 acres (1,995 ha) and operates three runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...

s, providing direct service to 40 domestic and international destinations on 372 daily flights. In 2007, more than 10 million passengers traveled through the airport. The RDU Airport Authority is in charge of the airport facilities and its operations. The Airport Authority is controlled by a board of representatives from the counties of Wake
Wake County, North Carolina
Wake County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2010 census, the population was 900,993 making it North Carolina's second most populated county...

 and Durham
Durham County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 223,314 people, 89,015 households, and 54,032 families residing in the county. The population density was 769 people per square mile . There were 95,452 housing units at an average density of 329 per square mile...

, and the cities of Raleigh
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...

 and Durham
Durham, North Carolina
Durham is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the county seat of Durham County and also extends into Wake County. It is the fifth-largest city in the state, and the 85th-largest in the United States by population, with 228,330 residents as of the 2010 United States census...

. The airport is the main base of operations for Ram Air Freight
Ram Air Freight
Ram Air Freight is a cargo airline based in Morrisville, North Carolina, USA. It specializes in prompt freight transportation. The airline has its main base at the Raleigh-Durham International Airport.-Destinations:...

.

Early days

The region's first airport opened in 1929 as Raleigh's Municipal Airport, located just south of what is now the city's downtown area. The initial airfield's runways were limited and not well suited to commercial service. Consequently, in 1939 the North Carolina General Assembly
North Carolina General Assembly
The North Carolina General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The General Assembly drafts and legislates the state laws of North Carolina, also known as the General Statutes...

 chartered the Raleigh-Durham Aeronautical Authority to build and operate a larger, replacement airport convenient to both Raleigh and Durham. This effort also was strongly promoted by Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines
Eastern Air Lines was a major United States airline that existed from 1926 to 1991. Before its dissolution it was headquartered at Miami International Airport in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida.-History:...

, led by then Eastern chairman Eddie Rickenbacker
Eddie Rickenbacker
Edward Vernon Rickenbacker was an American fighter ace in World War I and Medal of Honor recipient. He was also a race car driver and automotive designer, a government consultant in military matters and a pioneer in air transportation, particularly as the longtime head of Eastern Air Lines.-Early...

 who sought to make Raleigh-Durham a stopover on the airline's New York-Miami
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...

 route.

The new Raleigh-Durham Airport opened for commercial service on May 1, 1943 inaugurated with flights by Eastern Airlines. The passenger terminal was built from materials remaining after the construction of four Army barracks for the site's use as an Army Air Forces Air Technical Service Command airfield. Following World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

, Capital Airlines
Capital Airlines
Capital Airlines was an airline serving the eastern United States that merged into United Airlines in 1961. Its primary hubs were National Airport near Washington, DC, and Allegheny County Airport near Pittsburgh. In the 1950s it was the largest US domestic carrier after the Big Four . Its...

 and Piedmont Airlines
Piedmont Airlines (1948-1989)
Piedmont Airlines was a major airline in the United States which operated from 1948 until its operations were merged into USAir in 1989. Its headquarters were located at One Piedmont Plaza in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, a building which is now part of Wake Forest University.As of April 1989,...

 joined Eastern at RDU. Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...

 and Allegheny Airlines
Allegheny Airlines
Allegheny Airlines was an airline operating out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, from 1952 to 1979. It was a forerunner of today’s US Airways. Its headquarters were located on the grounds of Washington National Airport in Arlington County, Virginia....

 began service in the 1970s, and Trans World Airlines
Trans World Airlines
Trans World Airlines was an American airline that existed from 1925 until it was bought out by and merged with American Airlines in 2001. It was a major domestic airline in the United States and the main U.S.-based competitor of Pan American World Airways on intercontinental routes from 1946...

 and American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...

 began service in the 1980s.

Hub years

American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...

 built a dedicated terminal at RDU between 1985 and 1987 to house a new hub operation. However, the RDU hub was operating at a loss even during its heyday in the early 1990s, along with AA's contemporaneous north-south hubs in Nashville International Airport
Nashville International Airport
Nashville International Airport is a joint civil-military airport in southeastern Nashville, Tennessee. The IATA Airport Code BNA is derived from the early name of the facility—Berry Field, NAshville. Berry Field was the name of the airport until 1988, when the name was changed to reflect...

 and San Jose International Airport
San Jose International Airport
Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport is a city-owned public-use airport serving the city of San Jose in Santa Clara County, California, United States. It is named for San Jose native Norman Yoshio Mineta, who was Transportation Secretary in the Cabinet of George W...

. The hub's traffic peaked in 1991 and operations were gradually downsized through 1995, with some services shifting to American Eagle
American Eagle Airlines
American Eagle Airlines is a brand name used by American Eagle Airlines, Inc. , based in Fort Worth, Texas, and Executive Airlines based in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in the operation of passenger air service as regional affiliates of American Airlines. All three airlines are wholly owned subsidiaries...

 turboprops and others (such as AA's nonstop flight to Orly Airport
Orly Airport
Paris-Orly Airport is an airport located partially in Orly and partially in Villeneuve-le-Roi, south of Paris, France. It has flights to cities in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Caribbean, North America and Southeast Asia. Prior to the construction of Charles de Gaulle Airport, Orly was...

 in Paris) terminated entirely. Midway Airlines replaced AA as the airport's hub carrier from 1995 until 2003.

However, AA maintained a daily nonstop flight to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

, originally launched to Gatwick Airport
London Gatwick Airport
Gatwick Airport is located 3.1 miles north of the centre of Crawley, West Sussex, and south of Central London. Previously known as London Gatwick,In 2010, the name changed from London Gatwick Airport to Gatwick Airport...

 in May 1994 using a Boeing 767-200ER. The route continues to operate today, partly due to the needs of the region's corporate travelers, particularly those of GlaxoSmithKline
GlaxoSmithKline
GlaxoSmithKline plc is a global pharmaceutical, biologics, vaccines and consumer healthcare company headquartered in London, United Kingdom...

 which has major bases of operation in west London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

 near Heathrow Airport and in the Research Triangle Park
Research Triangle Park
The Research Triangle Park is a research park in the United States. It is located near Durham, Raleigh, and Chapel Hill, in the Research Triangle region of North Carolina...

 near RDU. On March 29, 2008, American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...

 upgraded its London flight to serve the larger and more centrally located Heathrow Airport
London Heathrow Airport
London Heathrow Airport or Heathrow , in the London Borough of Hillingdon, is the busiest airport in the United Kingdom and the third busiest airport in the world in terms of total passenger traffic, handling more international passengers than any other airport around the globe...

. The RDU-London flight used three-class 777-200 equipment for several years and is currently operated by two-class 767-300ER equipment.

Post-hub years

RDU's post-hub years have brought the addition of several new carriers (most notably Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines Co. is an American low-cost airline based in Dallas, Texas. Southwest is the largest airline in the United States, based upon domestic passengers carried,...

), as well as new destinations and the recovery and steady growth of passenger traffic. Due to high fuel prices, AMR
AMR Corp.
AMR Corporation is a commercial aviation business and airline holding company based in Fort Worth, Texas, United States. Formed in 1982, as part of American Airlines's non-bankruptcy reorganization into a Delaware corporation, its name derives from American Airlines's ticker symbol on the New York...

 reduced the number of flights by cutting the flights to Jacksonville
Jacksonville International Airport
Jacksonville International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located 13 miles north of downtown Jacksonville, a city in Duval County, Florida...

, Kansas City
Kansas City International Airport
Kansas City International Airport , originally named Mid-Continent International Airport, is a public airport located 15 miles northwest of the central business district of Kansas City, in Platte County, Missouri, United States. In 2008, 10,469,892 passengers used the airport...

, Newark and Louisville
Louisville International Airport
Louisville International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport centrally located in the city of Louisville in Jefferson County, Kentucky, USA. The airport covers 1,200 acres and has three runways. Its IATA airport code SDF is based on the airport's former name, Standiford Field...

. Mainline flights to Austin
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is a mixed-use commercial airport located southeast of the central business district of Austin, Texas, United States. It covers and has two runways and three helipads.The airport began passenger service on May 23, 1999...

, Columbus
Port Columbus International Airport
Port Columbus International Airport , commonly shortened to Port Columbus, is a Class C international airport located east of downtown Columbus, Ohio, USA. It is managed by the Columbus Regional Airport Authority, which also oversees operations at Rickenbacker International Airport and Bolton Field...

, New York (LaGuardia)
LaGuardia Airport
LaGuardia Airport is an airport located in the northern part of Queens County on Long Island in the City of New York. The airport is located on the waterfront of Flushing Bay and Bowery Bay, and borders the neighborhoods of Astoria, Jackson Heights and East Elmhurst. The airport was originally...

 and St. Louis
Lambert-St. Louis International Airport
Lambert-St. Louis International Airport is a Class B international airport serving Greater St. Louis. It is located approximately northwest of downtown St. Louis in unincorporated St. Louis County between Berkeley and Bridgeton. It is the largest and busiest airport in the state with 250 daily...

 were also dropped. Other destinations saw reduced service or downgrade of service. Along with the American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...

 cuts, other airlines cut flights and destinations also. This included United's service to Denver
Denver International Airport
Denver International Airport , often referred to as DIA, is an airport in Denver, Colorado. By land size, at , it is the largest international airport in the United States, and the third largest international airport in the world after King Fahd International Airport and Montréal-Mirabel...

 and US Airways' services to Las Vegas
McCarran International Airport
McCarran International Airport is the principal commercial airport serving Las Vegas and Clark County, Nevada, United States. The airport is located five miles south of the central business district of Las Vegas, in the unincorporated area of Paradise in Clark County. It covers an area of and...

 and Phoenix, while other airlines dropped frequencies on routes. Independently, ExpressJet ended its services to Kansas City
Kansas City International Airport
Kansas City International Airport , originally named Mid-Continent International Airport, is a public airport located 15 miles northwest of the central business district of Kansas City, in Platte County, Missouri, United States. In 2008, 10,469,892 passengers used the airport...

 and New Orleans
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport is a Class B public use international airport in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is owned by the City of New Orleans and is located 10 nautical miles west of its central business district. The airport's address is 900 Airline Drive...

 (ExpressJet now only operates flights under Continental Express). For the 2008 year, RDU lost over 30 flights compared to March 2008 schedule.
In 2010, RDU's traffic began to recover from the downturn of the past two years. In the first few months of the year, passenger numbers stabilized at RDU, ending the decrease in 2008/2009. In the first four months of 2010, 2.7 million passengers traveled through RDU. Growth was flat, compared to the same period a year ago, but these signs are positive, indicating that the decline is over. Also, after cutting service, carriers at RDU began to add (or re-add) new service to the schedule. In April 2010, Midwest Airlines
Midwest Airlines
Midwest Airlines was a U.S.-based airline and was also an operating brand of Republic Airways Holdings based in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. operating from Milwaukee's General Mitchell International Airport...

 resumed service from RDU, adding service to Milwaukee
General Mitchell International Airport
General Mitchell International Airport is a county-owned public airport located five miles south of the central business district of Milwaukee, a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States....

. Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines Co. is an American low-cost airline based in Dallas, Texas. Southwest is the largest airline in the United States, based upon domestic passengers carried,...

, which began service to RDU in June 1999, has also aggressively expanded at RDU, adding service to St. Louis
Lambert-St. Louis International Airport
Lambert-St. Louis International Airport is a Class B international airport serving Greater St. Louis. It is located approximately northwest of downtown St. Louis in unincorporated St. Louis County between Berkeley and Bridgeton. It is the largest and busiest airport in the state with 250 daily...

 in May, and replacing American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...

 as the largest carrier at RDU. JetBlue Airways
JetBlue Airways
JetBlue Airways Corporation is an American low-cost airline. The company is headquartered in the Forest Hills neighborhood of the New York City borough of Queens. Its main base is John F. Kennedy International Airport, also in Queens....

 also increased service to Boston
Logan International Airport
General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport is located in the East Boston neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts . It covers , has six runways, and employs an estimated 16,000 people. It is the 19th busiest airport in the United States.Boston serves as a focus city for JetBlue Airways...

 in May 2010.

Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...

 has rapidly increased operations at the airport since 2010, starting with resumed nonstop service to Los Angeles
Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles International Airport is the primary airport serving the Greater Los Angeles Area, the second-most populated metropolitan area in the United States. It is most often referred to by its IATA airport code LAX, with the letters pronounced individually...

 in June 2010, followed by new nonstop service to Columbus
Port Columbus International Airport
Port Columbus International Airport , commonly shortened to Port Columbus, is a Class C international airport located east of downtown Columbus, Ohio, USA. It is managed by the Columbus Regional Airport Authority, which also oversees operations at Rickenbacker International Airport and Bolton Field...

, Fort Myers
Southwest Florida International Airport
-Statistics:-Accidents and incidents:* November 28, 2007 - A single-engine fixed wing aircraft crashed about 9:20 a.m. one mile west of Runway 6. The crash killed the pilot...

, Hartford
Bradley International Airport
Bradley International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located in Windsor Locks on the border with East Granby and Suffield, in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. It is owned by the State of Connecticut....

, Miami
Miami International Airport
Miami International Airport , also known as MIA and historically Wilcox Field, is the primary airport serving the South Florida area...

, Orlando
Orlando International Airport
Orlando International Airport is a major international airport located southeast of the central business district of Orlando. It is the second busiest airport in Florida, after Miami International Airport...

, St. Louis
Lambert-St. Louis International Airport
Lambert-St. Louis International Airport is a Class B international airport serving Greater St. Louis. It is located approximately northwest of downtown St. Louis in unincorporated St. Louis County between Berkeley and Bridgeton. It is the largest and busiest airport in the state with 250 daily...

 and Tampa
Tampa International Airport
Tampa International Airport is a major public airport located six nautical miles west of the central business district of Tampa, in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. This airport is publicly owned by Hillsborough County Aviation Authority...

, and additional frequencies to Boston
Logan International Airport
General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport is located in the East Boston neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts . It covers , has six runways, and employs an estimated 16,000 people. It is the 19th busiest airport in the United States.Boston serves as a focus city for JetBlue Airways...

, Minneapolis-St. Paul
Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport
Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport is the largest and busiest airport in the five-state upper Midwest region of Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota, and Wisconsin.-Overview:...

 and New York (JFK)
John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport is an international airport located in the borough of Queens in New York City, about southeast of Lower Manhattan. It is the busiest international air passenger gateway to the United States, handling more international traffic than any other airport in North...

, in November 2010, and new services to Albany
Albany International Airport
Albany International Airport is a public use airport located six nautical miles northwest of the central business district of Albany, in Albany County, New York, United States. It is owned by the Albany County Airport Authority....

 and Providence in April 2011.

In February 2011, Continental Airlines commenced its first international flight from RDU with service to Cancún
Cancún International Airport
Cancún International Airport is located in Cancún, Quintana Roo, on the Caribbean coast of Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula. It is Mexico's second busiest airport, after Mexico City International Airport in Mexico City, but the biggest in Mexico and Latin America for International passengers...

. Delta added three daily flights to Baltimore in September 2011. In November, Vision Airlines
Vision Airlines
Vision Airlines, formerly Vision Air, is an airline with its operations headquartered in Suwanee, Georgia. Commercial and charter flights are offered primarily in the southeastern and central portions of the USA. Las Vegas is the farthest western city served by the airline as of April 2011...

 began operations at RDU, and added a twice weekly flight to Freeport
Grand Bahama International Airport
Grand Bahama International Airport is a privately owned international airport in Freeport, Bahamas. The airport is a joint venture between Hutchison Port Holdings and The Port Group...

.

Terminals, airlines and destinations

Raleigh-Durham International Airport consists of two terminals: Terminal 1 (gates A10-A28) and Terminal 2 (Concourse C gates C1-C25, Concourse D gates D1-D20). Gates C23, C24, and C25 are international gates, and are able to accommodate aircraft up to the Boeing 747
Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...

.

Airport lounges

The following Airport lounge is located in Terminal 1:
  • The Club at RDU operated by RDU Airport Authority (After security, across from Gate A21)


The following Airport lounges are located in Terminal 2:
  • Admirals Club operated by American Airlines
    American Airlines
    American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...

     (After security, across from Gates C1 and C3)
  • Delta Sky Club operated by Delta Air Lines
    Delta Air Lines
    Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...

     (After security, across from Gate C3)
  • US Airways Club operated by US Airways
    US Airways
    US Airways, Inc. is a major airline based in the U.S. city of Tempe, Arizona. The airline is an operating unit of US Airways Group and is the sixth largest airline by traffic and eighth largest by market value in the country....

     (Currently under construction, opening 2012)

Cargo terminal

The airport incorporates two cargo areas, North Cargo and South Cargo. The North Cargo terminal area is used by cargo airlines. The largest cargo operators are FedEx, UPS, and Ram Air Freight, which has its headquarters here, adjacent to Terminal 2. The South Cargo terminal area is used by the following commercial airlines for cargo operations:

Passenger statistics

Since September 11, 2001, passenger traffic at RDU has rebounded to near pre-9/11 levels:
1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s

Top destinations

Busiest Domestic Routes from RDU (September 2010 - August 2011)
Rank City Passengers Carriers
1 Atlanta, GA
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport , known locally as Atlanta Airport, Hartsfield Airport, and Hartsfield–Jackson, is located seven miles south of the central business district of Atlanta, Georgia, United States...

614,000 AirTran, Delta
2 Charlotte, NC
Charlotte/Douglas International Airport
Charlotte Douglas International Airport is a joint civil-military public international airport located in Charlotte, North Carolina. Established in 1935 as Charlotte Municipal Airport, in 1954 the airport was renamed Douglas Municipal Airport after former Charlotte mayor Ben Elbert Douglas, Sr...

337,000 US Airways
3 Philadelphia, PA
Philadelphia International Airport
Philadelphia International Airport is a major airport in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, and is the largest airport in the Delaware Valley region and in Pennsylvania...

288,000 Southwest, US Airways
4 New York, NY (LGA)
LaGuardia Airport
LaGuardia Airport is an airport located in the northern part of Queens County on Long Island in the City of New York. The airport is located on the waterfront of Flushing Bay and Bowery Bay, and borders the neighborhoods of Astoria, Jackson Heights and East Elmhurst. The airport was originally...

261,000 American, Delta, US Airways
5 Chicago, IL (ORD) 242,000 American, United
6 Dallas/Fort Worth, TX 214,000 American
7 Baltimore, MD 199,000 Delta, Southwest
8 Boston, MA
Logan International Airport
General Edward Lawrence Logan International Airport is located in the East Boston neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts . It covers , has six runways, and employs an estimated 16,000 people. It is the 19th busiest airport in the United States.Boston serves as a focus city for JetBlue Airways...

177,000 Delta, JetBlue
9 New York, NY (JFK)
John F. Kennedy International Airport
John F. Kennedy International Airport is an international airport located in the borough of Queens in New York City, about southeast of Lower Manhattan. It is the busiest international air passenger gateway to the United States, handling more international traffic than any other airport in North...

172,000 American, Delta, JetBlue
10 Washington, D.C. (DCA)
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is a public airport located south of downtown Washington, D.C., in Arlington County, Virginia. It is the commercial airport nearest to Washington, D.C. For many decades, it was called Washington National Airport, but this airport was renamed in 1998 to...

133,000 American, US Airways

Airport facilities

The airport has implemented the most ambitious expansion in its history, begun in 2006 and completed in January 2011. The airport has two terminals: an older Terminal 1, and a new Terminal 2. 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 the covered parking decks between the terminals.

Terminal 1

The first terminal facility at RDU opened in 1955. Expanded in the 1970s, the building was named Terminal B in 1981 when then-new Terminal A opened. The buildings were connected by a landside interior walkway. Terminal B was closed in 1989. In 1994, Terminal B lost its identity when it was renovated into an extension of Terminal A; an airside walkway was added to link all gates. Most recently, in 2001 the south end of Terminal A was extended to include five temporary gates (A5-A9); these gates were closed in 2009, as the airlines using them moved to other gates.

Terminal A was renamed Terminal 1 on October 26, 2008 to bring RDU in line with terminal naming conventions and to end years of confusion.

For several years there have been concepts to renovate Terminal 1. The current proposal will shift JetBlue to Terminal 2 in 2011 and AirTran (which is being acquired by Southwest) to the older, northern end of Terminal 1. The main part of Terminal 1, unoccupied at that time, will be rebuilt to accommodate the merged Southwest and AirTran with some additional gates available for assignment to other low-cost carriers. After Southwest moves into this rebuilt area of Terminal 1, the older section dating to 1955 will probably be razed.

Terminal 2

Terminal 2 occupies the site of the former Terminal C, built between 1985 and 1987 for the American Airlines hub. In planning the terminal, American assumed that only around 20% of passengers would originate or terminate their trips in Raleigh-Durham; rather, Terminal C was optimized for the exchange of passengers between connecting flights, with a relatively small check-in and baggage claim area. In reality, connecting passengers only accounted for around two-thirds of the terminal's passengers. After the American and Midway hubs closed, the airport faced a decision about the future of Terminal C and how to eliminate the inconveniences it imposed on local passengers.

In December 2003, the Airport Authority announced plans to expand and renovate the originally 300,000-square-foot (28,000 m²) building, transforming it into a new 900,000 ft² (84,000 m²) facility. In January 2006, however, the airport decided instead to replace the building entirely.

Terminal 2 was designed by Fentress Architects
Fentress Architects
Fentress Architects is an international design studio known for sustainable and iconic public architecture. Founded in 1980 by Curtis W. Fentress, FAIA, RIBA, the firm is internationally recognized for innovative designs of international airports, national museums, convention centers, high-rise...

 under a philosophy of contextual regionalism, related to Critical regionalism
Critical regionalism
Critical Regionalism is an approach to architecture that strives to counter placelessness and lack of identity in Modern Architecture by utilizing the building's geographical context...

. The terminal, invoking the flowing hills and culture of North Carolina's Piedmont region
Piedmont (United States)
The Piedmont is a plateau region located in the eastern United States between the Atlantic Coastal Plain and the main Appalachian Mountains, stretching from New Jersey in the north to central Alabama in the south. The Piedmont province is a physiographic province of the larger Appalachian division...

, consisted of two phases of construction. The first, larger Phase 1 opened on October 26, 2008 while Phase 2 opened on January 23, 2011 in time for the 2011 NHL All Star Game
58th National Hockey League All-Star Game
The 58th National Hockey League All-Star Game, also known as the 2011 National Hockey League All-Star Game presented by Discover, was the National Hockey League’s annual All-Star game played on January 30, 2011. The game took place during the 2010–11 NHL season at the RBC Center in Raleigh, North...

. Terminal 2 has 36 gates; three configured for international flights. All gates feature adjustable jetbridges that can accommodate aircraft from regional jet
Regional jet
A Regional jet , is a class of short to medium-range turbofan powered airliners.-History:The term "Regional jet" describes a range of short to medium-haul turbofan powered aircraft, whose use throughout the world expanded after the advent of Airline Deregulation in the United States in...

s to Boeing 747
Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...

s. The federal inspection area has 16 stations.

FBOs

RDU has two, full service, FBOs on the airfield:
  • TACAir
  • Landmark Aviation
    Landmark Aviation
    Landmark Aviation is an aviation services company that offers a wide variety of services at MRO repair centers, at 41 FBOs across the United States and Canada, with 1 in Ireland & 2 in France and within its aircraft sales, charter and management business...



Both FBOs Offer:
  • 24 Hour Fuel Services
  • Heated Hangars
  • Internet Cafe
  • Maintenance Services
  • Sleep Rooms
  • Catering
  • Rental Cars
  • US Customs
  • Complimentary Coffee
  • Conference Room
  • Crew Showers
  • Hotel/Dinner Reservations
  • Taxi/Limousine Services
  • Flight Training On Site
  • Tie-Downs

General Aviation Terminal

RDU's General Aviation Terminal serves as:
  • Terminal for charter flights (sports, military and leisure)
  • Pilot's resource center
  • Private-event facility
  • Office for several local aviation-related companies
  • Cross-Winds Cafe
  • Indoor/Outdoor observation deck, overlooking runway 5R/23L
  • Raleigh-Wake squadron of the North Carolina wing of the Civil Air Patrol
    Civil Air Patrol
    Civil Air Patrol is a Congressionally chartered, federally supported, non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force . CAP is a volunteer organization with an aviation-minded membership that includes people from all backgrounds, lifestyles, and...

     Meeting Location
  • Rental Car Facility (military personnel and charter flight passengers)

Runways

RDU has three runways. Two parallel runways are designated 5L/23R and 5R/23L, and a cross-winds runway designated 14/32. Both parallel runways have been equipped with LED lights.
  • Runway 5L-23R: 10000 feet (3,048 m) x 150 feet (concrete)
  • Runway 5R-23L: 7500 feet (2,286 m) x 150 feet (asphalt)
  • Runway 14-32: 3550 feet (1,082 m) x 100 feet (asphalt)


Prior to September 11, 2001, The RDU Airport Authority and Federal Aviation Administration
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...

 planned a fourth runway at the airport, but with the demise of the Midway Airlines
Midway Airlines (JI)
Midway Airlines was an airline based in Morrisville, North Carolina, USA, near Durham. It operated between 1993 and 2003.-History:Midway Airlines was formed by Jet Express, a carrier that fed Trans World Airlines and USAir during the late 1980s and early 1990s...

 hub and the airline industry downturn following 9/11 terrorist attacks, this plan was placed on hold. During the period between May 27, 2008 and June 24, 2008, and between May 19, 2010 and June 17, 2010, runway 5R-23L was closed for renovation.

Parking

In addition to standard hourly and daily parking garages, RDU operates four park-and-ride lots served by shuttle bus.
  • Lot 1 is a "cell-phone waiting" lot
  • Lots 2 and 5 are used primarily for seasonal overflow and holiday traffic.
  • Lots 3 and 4 are traditional park-and-ride facilities.


There are, currently, a total of 11,021 parking spaces available to passengers

Military

  • 1st (Attack) Battalion, 130th Aviation Regiment Battalion
    Battalion
    A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...

     of the 130th Aviation Regiment
    Regiment
    A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...

     — North Carolina Army National Guard
    North Carolina Army National Guard
    The North Carolina Army National Guard is a component of the United States Army, the United States National Guard, and the North Carolina National Guard. Nationwide, the Army National Guard comprises approximately one half of the US Army's available combat forces and approximately one third of its...

     AH-64A/D Apache/Apache Longbow
    AH-64 Apache
    The Boeing AH-64 Apache is a four-blade, twin-engine attack helicopter with a tailwheel-type landing gear arrangement, and a tandem cockpit for a two-man crew. The Apache was developed as Model 77 by Hughes Helicopters for the United States Army's Advanced Attack Helicopter program to replace the...

     attack helicopter unit, the first Reserve
    United States Army Reserve
    The United States Army Reserve is the federal reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the reserve components of the United States Army....

     component unit to receive the Apache
  • USO of NC (United Service Organization of North Carolina
    United Service Organization of North Carolina
    The United Service Organizations of North Carolina is the oldest continuously operating United Service Organization in the world as well as the first USO .The USO of North Carolina supports military, retired military and their families in or from North Carolina.The USO of NC today operates...

    ) RDU is North Carolina's first airport-based USO and opened for military families in 2004. The facility is run by donations made to the USO. RDU USO location and facts:
    • Terminal 2 Ticketing Area
      • Open 24 hours a day
      • Staffed by Volunteers
      • 3100 square feet (288 m²)
      • Media Center
      • Bright Spaces (children only play area)
      • Reading Room
      • Kitchen

Observation areas

RDU maintains two public observation decks.
  • One deck overlooks runway 5L/23R near the air traffic control tower and park-and-ride lot 2. It has a playground with a simplistic model of RDU's runways for kids and air traffic communications are broadcast via a loudspeaker for the curious public.

  • The second deck is located at the General Aviation Terminal. It includes a cafe called "CrossWinds Cafe". This observation deck allows for both inside and outside viewing.

Public transit

Public transportation to and from RDU is provided by Triangle Transit, which offers scheduled, fixed-route regional and commuter bus service between the airport, Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...

, and the principal cities of Raleigh, Durham and town of Chapel Hill (where TTA connects with the respective local urban transit systems), as well as to and from Research Triangle Park and several of the region's larger suburban communities.
  • TTA Route 100 [Downtown Raleigh - RDU - Regional Transit Center]

For hire

  • Taxicab service at RDU is operated by RDU Taxi Inc., with a contract that runs through December 31, 2012.
  • Shuttle services: As in most regions, numerous hotels throughout the area offer guest shuttles to and from the airport. Service varies by location, however most are available from approximately 6 a.m. daily through the final arrival/departure of the evening.
  • Major rental car providers operate from the airport.

Incidents and accidents

  • On October 19, 2011, A Piper PA-31T Cheyenne
    Piper PA-31T Cheyenne
    -See also:-References:*Taylor, John W.R. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1976-77. London:Jane's Yearbooks, 1976, ISBN 0-354-00538-3.-External links:*...

     (N154CA) veered off the runway shortly after landing on runway 5R. The front landing gear
    Landing Gear
    Landing Gear is Devin the Dude's fifth studio album. It was released on October 7, 2008. It was his first studio album since signing with the label Razor & Tie. It features a high-profile guest appearance from Snoop Dogg. As of October 30, 2008, the album has sold 18,906 copies.-Track...

     collapsed resulting in both propellers making contact with the ground. It is too early to determine the cause, but heavy rain was reported at the time of the accident. Two people were on board the twin-engine plane, but they were not injured.

  • On July 14, 2011, Delta Connection Flight 4904, operated by Atlantic Southeast Airlines, was headed to RDU when it was clipped by a Boeing 767
    Boeing 767
    The Boeing 767 is a mid-size, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It was the manufacturer's first wide-body twinjet and its first airliner with a two-crew glass cockpit. The aircraft features two turbofan engines, a supercritical wing, and a conventional tail...

     headed to Amsterdam at the Boston Logan International Airport. Both the CRJ900 and Boeing 767 appeared to have sustained damage, and are being inspected. There were no serious injuries.

  • On December 13, 1994, American Eagle Flight 3379 operated by AMR's regional airline Flagship Airlines
    Flagship Airlines
    Flagship Airlines was a regional airline headquartered on the grounds of Nashville International Airport in Nashville, Tennessee. The airline operated under the American Eagle Airlines name....

    , a Jetstream 31 was on a regularly scheduled service of Raleigh-Greensboro
    Piedmont Triad International Airport
    Piedmont Triad International Airport is an airport just west of Greensboro, serving Greensboro, High Point and Winston-Salem as well as the entire Piedmont Triad Region in North Carolina. The airport has 3 runways; the third opened January 27, 2010 for traffic. The airport is located just off...

    -Raleigh when it crashed into a wooded area about 4 miles (6.4 km) SW of the airport, in the vicinity of Morrisville, NC. Of the 20 onboard (18 passengers and 2 crewmembers) 15 were killed while the 5 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.

  • On February 19, 1988, American Eagle Flight 3378 operated by the Avair, a Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner
    Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner
    The Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner or the Fairchild Aerospace Metro is a 19-seat, pressurised, twin turboprop airliner first produced by Swearingen Aircraft and later by Fairchild at a plant in San Antonio, Texas, United States....

     was on a regularly scheduled flight between Raleigh and Richmond
    Richmond International Airport
    - Accidents and incidents :*In 1996, Eastwind Airlines Flight 517 from Trenton experienced loss of rudder control while on approach to Richmond, however rudder control was regained shortly after and the aircraft landed normally. There was one minor injury....

     when it crashed into a reservoir about a mile from the airport, where it had departed in the vicinity of Cary, North Carolina
    Cary, North Carolina
    Cary is a large town and suburb of Raleigh, North Carolina in Wake and Chatham counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located almost entirely in Wake County, it is the second largest municipality in that county and the third largest municipality in The Triangle after Raleigh and Durham...

    : The aircraft 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.

See also


External links

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