RDU Airport, NC – The year-end travel period kicks off today at Raleigh-Durham International Airport. More than 300,000 passengers are expected to travel through RDU in the two week period beginning today and ending Wednesday, January 2.

The busiest days of the holiday travel period are:
Friday, December 21
Sunday, December 23
Thursday, December 27
Friday, December 28
Wednesday, January 2

The busiest day will be Friday, December 21, when more than 34,000 people are expected to travel through the airport.

Following are additional holiday travel tips.

Check flight status before coming to the airport.
Weather can greatly impact flight schedules. Before coming to the airport, RDU recommends checking the status of your flight by contacting your airline’s 800 number or by visiting the airline’s Web site. Links to airline Web sites can be found at www.rdu.com.

If possible, print your boarding pass at home or work. At the airport, use the airline’s electronic kiosks to speed up the check-in process.

Limit liquids and gels in carry-on luggage.
Remember the 3-1-1 rule for carry-on liquids. All liquids, aerosols and gels must be in a three ounce or smaller container, in one clear, zip-top bag and only one bag per traveler.

Do not wrap gifts.
Wrapped gifts may be unwrapped during the security screening process.

Watch electronic signs for parking availability.
RDU has plenty of parking for holiday travelers. The most popular parking areas, including the garage between the terminals, may fill up. RDU encourages motorists to read the electronic signs leading into the airport for information on parking availability.

Motorists parking in the garage are reminded to keep their parking tickets with them. ExitExpress is the way to pay for parking at RDU; pay stations are located between the terminals and the garage.

Prepare for security checkpoint.
All undeveloped film should be placed in your carry-on luggage. Checked baggage screening equipment may damage undeveloped film.

Before proceeding through the metal detector at the security checkpoint, remove coats, jackets, blazers and shoes. All metal objects, including cell phones and pagers, should be placed in carry-on luggage or in the containers provided at the checkpoint. Remember, carry-on baggage is limited to one carry-on bag plus one personal item per passenger.

Keep boarding passes and photo IDs out and visible throughout the security screening process.

For additional security checkpoint tips, please visit www.tsa.gov

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