Raleigh–Durham International Airport
Raleigh–Durham International Airport | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Focus city for | Delta Air Lines | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operating base for | Breeze Airways | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Time zone | EST (UTC−05:00) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC−04:00) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 436 ft / 133 m | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 35°52′40″N 078°47′15″W / 35.87778°N 78.78750°W | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Public transit access | GoTriangle: RDU, 100 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Website | rdu | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Maps | |||||||||||||||||||||||
FAA airport diagram | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Interactive map of Raleigh–Durham International Airport | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Statistics (2025) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sources: RDU website | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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.
As of 2025, RDU ranks 34th in passenger arrivals and departures in the US, offering passenger service to around 85 destinations, including 12 international destinations in nine countries. It was the 35th busiest US airport by international passenger traffic in September 2025. The airport serves 32 U.S. states, plus Puerto Rico, with Atlanta being the busiest domestic route, and New York metropolitan area having the most passengers per day. As of 2025, Delta Air Lines has the largest market share, and Breeze Airways flies to the most destinations with 40. There are nearly 600 daily aircraft operations. 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.
RDU is the second-largest airport in the state of North Carolina, behind Charlotte Douglas International Airport. The main catchment area comprises central and eastern North Carolina as well as parts of southern Virginia. The airport is an operating base for Breeze and Endeavor Air, as well as a focus city for Delta Air Lines. Breeze considers the area a key market.
In 2025, RDU served a record 15.6 million passengers, which broke the airport's 2024 record of 15.5 million passengers.