Your Ultimate Airport Travel Guide

From navigating RDU and everything it’s got coming down the pipeline to being prepped before taking off, here’s your ultimate travel guide.

RDU is reaching new heights. Giving your future travel days a glow-up, the airport is investing $2.5 billion over the next 10 years to add new nonstop flights, fresh dining ops, smoother roadways and other upgrades—all resulting in a new and improved destination for local and visiting jetsetters. 

“With the busy summer season just around the corner, it’s clear that many Triangle-area travelers are ready to embrace their next adventure—especially beyond our borders,” said Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority Board Chair Tammie Hall-Roberts. “RDU continues to rise to the moment.” Here’s what’s taking off. 

Scan. Pay. Go.

No app download, no deck meltdown. RDU has rolled out Parking Mobile Pay for a smoother exit strategy from both lots and garages. Rather than risking a gate malfunction or missing ticket, simply scan the QR code on the ticket and use your credit card or Apple/Google Pay to make a digital getaway. Once paid, travelers have a 30-minute window to exit, with gates automatically recognizing payment. Of course, exit lanes and pay kiosks remain available. Consider your classic RDU parking headache sorted. 

Low Spirits

Spirit has split—is Frontier next? Following months of turbulence, Spirit Airlines abruptly ceased operations at RDU in early May, canceling flights and leaving travelers scrambling for alternatives. The system-wide grounding came after seven years of service connecting budget-conscious travelers across the globe.

The shake-up also raises a bigger question: Are budget airlines on the way out? Travelers are keeping their eyes on Frontier—many noting a scaling back in local routes and paused bookings earlier this spring. That said, Frontier was quick to shut down the rumors, with CEO James Dempsey going so far as to say the airline can “fill the massive gap left behind by Spirit’s collapse.” 

Still, whether or not Frontier can prove how sustainable the ultra-low-cost model actually is remains up in the air. 

Sky’s the Limit

To keep up with RDU’s 15.5 million passengers per year—and counting—major enhancements are in store. Dubbed Transform RDU, the project includes runway replacement, additional eco-friendly parking, a John Brantley Boulevard extension, and a Terminal 2 expansion—all set for phased completion by 2032.

For its part, the Terminal 2 expansion—which broke ground in January and is taking place behind a barrier stretching through the north end of the ticketing hall—involves additional ticketing counters, a roomier international arrival area and new baggage carousels. 

Catering to future parking demand, the Park Economy 3 Expansion project has already begun adding 7,000 new spots to the public surface lot near the intersection of Aviation Parkway and National Guard Drive—complete with some of the airport’s lowest daily parking rates and shuttle service to both terminals. 

The parking expansion project also includes a new solar-powered amenities building—set to debut late summer—offering restrooms, vending machines, a lounge with monitors displaying flight info, and office space for staff/law enforcement. 

Catch Flights, Not Feelings

New + upcoming routes taking off at RDU

• Breeze Airways: Bangor, Maine | May
• Breeze Airways: Stewart, New York | May
• Breeze Airways: Vero Beach, Florida | May
• Breeze Airways: San Antonio, Texas | May
• Breeze Airways: Madison, Wisconsin | May 
• Breeze Airways: Orange County, California | May
• Breeze Airways: Atlantic City, New Jersey | June
• Breeze Airways: Birmingham, Alabama | July
• Breeze Airways: Tallahassee | July
• Breeze Airways: Provo, Utah | October

First-Class Eats & Drinks

New + upcoming F&B spots at RDU

• Bond Brothers Kitchen & Bar | Terminal 2, Gate D3 | Now open
• Puro Gusto | Terminal 1, Gate A6 | Now open
• Natalie’s Candy Jar | Terminal 1, Gate A6 | Now open
• The District by Root & Branch | Terminal 1, Gate A7 | Now open
• Adios! by Oscar Diaz | Terminal 2, Gate C17 | Now open
• Lonerider | Terminal 2, Gate C7 | Coming soon

Taking Flight

Everything you need to know before going wheels up

	Why Bother	The Damage	The Perks	The Catch
TSA PreCheck	Faster security lines + keeping shoes, jacket, belt and electronics in place	~$80/5 years	Enroll at select Staples, Office Depot or OfficeMax locations, then knock out a quick 10-min. airport appointment.	You can still get pulled into regular screening at random.
CLEAR	Biometric screening lets you skip the ID-check line and head straight to security.	$209/year	Also applies to select stadiums, venues, Uber and even LinkedIn	Not every airport has CLEAR—including Charlotte.
Global Entry	Speedier customs reentry into the U.S. plus TSA PreCheck perks	$120/5 years	TSA PreCheck automatically included with membership	Approval can take months—and interviews are req’d.

REAL Talk

Still don’t have REAL ID? TSA’s ConfirmID program can help keep your trip from getting grounded. Travelers without a compliant ID may pay a $45 fee for temporary identity verification valid for a 10-day travel period to fly domestically—unless you have an acceptable alternative like a passport or Global Entry card. Pro tip: Complete the process online before you get to the airport to avoid the extra security-line chaos.

Travel Hacks

• If you must check a bag, do it online or in the app before you get to the airport—kiosk fees can be higher.
• Skip baggage and ship your luggage ahead of time via Stowic’s door-to-door service—the $40 flat-rate alone may be worth not lugging your bag.
• Print your boarding pass—don’t leave all hope in your Apple Wallet (spotty Wi-Fi, dead batteries… sometimes the odds *aren’t* in your favor).
• To fight off fraud, some airlines—especially international ones—require the physical credit card you booked with. 
• Double-check monitors before wandering too far. Your assigned gate at check-in can change on the fly—sometimes to the opposite end of the terminal.