RDU International Airport
Phone: (919) 840-2123
Overview
Map
Google Rating
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I had an outstanding experience at Raleigh‑Durham International Airport. Flying out of Terminal 2 after a business trip was smooth, relaxing, and surprisingly enjoyable. The entire environment felt calm and well‑organized, which made the travel day much easier.
RDU offers an impressive variety of shops and restaurants in both terminals. Whether you want a full meal, a quick snack, or something to browse while waiting for your flight, there’s no shortage of options. Terminal 2 in particular has a great mix of local favorites and national brands, giving travelers plenty of choices without ever feeling crowded or overwhelming.
The people here truly make the difference. TSA agents were kind and efficient, airport staff were friendly and attentive, and the airline team handled everything with professionalism and a welcoming attitude. It’s clear that customer service is a priority at RDU.
Clean facilities, great amenities, and genuinely helpful staff make RDU a fantastic place to travel through. -
No special pass — just your ticket: You only need your airline ticket to access gates, shops and services once through security — no extra airport pass is required.
• Terminal layout & directory: RDU’s public site lists clear Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 maps, gate info, and an online terminal directory to plan where to go for check-in, bag claim, and amenities.
• Parking options for every budget: On-airport ParkRDU choices include Premier, Central (covered garage), Express and Economy (shuttle service); many lots offer online booking and frequent shuttles.
• Ground transport & access: Taxis, ride-share, rental cars, regional shuttles and buses serve RDU; curbside pick-ups/drop-offs are managed at lower levels of both terminals.
• Shops, dining & amenities: The Shops of RDU and dining pages show a mix of local concepts and national brands, free Wi-Fi, power outlets and traveler services across both terminals.
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What to keep in mind
• Security wait times vary — usually short but check first: Most passengers see under-30-minute TSA waits, but peak periods can be longer; TSA PreCheck is available. Real-time checks are recommended.
• Major construction & growth plans: RDU is executing a multi-billion-dollar expansion (runway, Terminal 2 work, parking upgrades) to double capacity — expect construction zones, traffic pattern changes and periodic disruption through the coming years. Plan extra time during travel.
• Book parking & timed services early: Popular lots and short-term parking can fill on busy travel dates — online reservations help guarantee spots and save time.
• Monitor flights & local traffic: Regional weather, national tech outages, or system issues can cause delays—check your airline and RDU flight status before leaving. Recent incidents show occasional widespread disruptions.
• Good for business & connections: With easy highway access, solid ground transport links, and ample food/retail, RDU works well for both quick business trips and family travel — just allow buffer time in peak seasons. -
My hometown airport, and I always love to visit. It's larger than it was when I was a child, but definitely nothing large like some of the major hubs. A good variety of foods, comfort and atypically no issues for me!
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My son and I are continuing the tradition of going every year to the NY Mets baseball home opening game. We usually fly out of PTI to LaGuardia. With all the bad publicity in regard to TSA and the major lines, we decided to fly to Islip McArthur Airport on Long Island instead. This was mainly to avoid LaGuardia when returning. Unbeknownst to us RdU has direct flights to Islip. We figured the 2 hour trip from Winston would be worth it. We still feared delays and for a 9:38am flight we decided to leave at 4:15am in case of delays. We arrived at 7:15 and parked in the long term parking. This cost $21 a day but you can reserve ahead of time and save so
E money. We parked, walked in, checked in, went through TSA and got to our gate all within half hour! Absolutely no lines, no chaos, & NO Hielo! This airport is great! We have so much time to kill and rest at our gate, it’s ridiculous. People are not lying when they say that it’s a pleasure flying out and into RDU. Our only complaint is the expense of food, but that’s at every airport throughout the country. Definitely worth a drive here instead of Charlotte! -
I'm from North Carolina and I'm highly disappointed. Our flight is delayed on a Monday in April and there's nothing open. At least near our gate...what are people supposed to do? I get it. It's a Monday but at 8:30pm places were closing. This is an "International" airport? What are you doing?? There's NOTHING for people to enjoy here if they are inconvenienced. It's terrible. We don't know if our flight to Philly will come tonight but to have literally nothing to eat or drink when there's 2 places right at the gate is ridiculous. Do better. Do we close everything at 9pm here? Even at the airport? 👎🏾
It's your loss because you don't even have an option for people. Not even ONE. Bad business. And this isn't my 1st time. Like I said, I'm from here.
11:05pm .....2 flights have arrived and the people arriving have NOTHING to look forward to. No restaurant, general store or bar is open to make money. Welcome to North Carolina. 👎🏾
Nearby Businesses
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