Raleigh Durham International Airport (RDU)
History, Facts and Overview

(Raleigh, North Carolina - NC, USA)

The year of 1929 was an important time for aviation history in North Carolina and marks the date when Raleigh first opened its municipal airport. However, just ten years later, it was decided to move this airfield to a strategic point between both the cities of Durham and Raleigh, and in 1943, the Raleigh Durham International Airport opened its doors for business.

Various airlines used the site over the years, including Allegheny and Capital, and in 1982, the current Terminal A opened to ease the problems with overcrowding, since more than two million passengers were now arriving and departing each year. In 2002, the Raleigh Durham Airport began redeveloping Terminal C, to allow greater overall capacity.


Passengers will find a range of amenities available at Raleigh Durham Airport, including financial facilities, a changing display of paintings in Terminal A, and a non-denominational chapel next to the luggage reclaim area. Onsite restaurants and eateries include A&W All American Food, Godfather's Pizza, Jump Asian Cuisine, Maui Taco, and Triangle Cyber Cafè, where you can surf the Internet whilst enjoying a quick snack.

Those travelers with a little time for shopping will find plenty of opportunities to max out credit cards. For the latest news, pay a visit to the CNBC outlet, Press Plus or Hudson News, while for high street fashion, the Brighton boutique and Brooks Brothers menswear store are available.

Worth a visit is the RDU Observation Park, which is located next to Terminal A and in the General Aviation Terminal. A view deck offers superb views across the longest runway and its incoming and outgoing aircraft, while the Crosswinds Café is on hand should you require refreshments whilst you enjoy the vistas.