RDU expects nearly 200,000 travelers to fly through the airport from Friday, Aug. 30 – Monday, Sept. 2. Based on TSA projections, that would be a 13.5% increase in passenger traffic compared to the Labor Day weekend record set last year. 

“As our record growth streak continues, we appreciate all the travelers who choose to fly through RDU over the holiday weekend,” said Michael Landguth, president and CEO of the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority. “To prepare for the last weekend of the busy summer travel season, we are working with the airlines and TSA to anticipate passenger traffic levels and increasing our staffing during peak hours.” 

RDU recommends airport guests follow a few simple tips for a stress-free travel day:

• Check the status of your flight at rdu.com or on your airline’s mobile app before heading to the airport. 

• Reserve parking in the deck or lot of your choice at least 24 hours in advance at rdu.com or check parking capacity online before you drive to the airport.   

• Departing passengers should arrive at least two hours early for domestic flights and three hours early for international flights. 

• The cell phone lot, located at 1000 Trade Drive on the RDU campus, is just minutes from the terminals and a convenient place to wait for arriving guests.  

• Give your party 30 minutes from the time they land to pick up their luggage and get to the curb. 

• Both levels of Terminal 2 can be used for pickup and drop off to reduce congestion.