Airport Opens Two New Restaurants in Terminal 2
The final month of the summer travel season brought more than 1.4 million travelers through Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU), a new record for the month of August.
“RDU thanks the more than four million passengers who chose to make us part of their travel plans this summer,” said Michael Landguth, president and CEO of the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority. “We are elevating their experience by adding more airlines and nonstop destinations than ever before, introducing new technology and reimagining their dining options with the recent opening of two new restaurants.”
Air Service: International air travel continues to grow at RDU, with Air Canada doubling the frequency of its nonstop service to Montreal. Beginning in May 2025, Air Canda will expand the route from seven times a week to 14 times a week. RDU added nonstop flights to Frankfurt, Germany; Panama City, Panama; and Mexico City, Mexico this year. The airport now serves a record number of cities outside the U.S.
New Restaurants: RDU welcomed two new restaurants to Terminal 2 recently. Crawford’s Genuine opened September 11 near Gate C1 and Carolina Craft opened near Gate C12 just in time for the busy Labor Day weekend. Crawford’s Genuine offers American cuisine with a North Carolina flair. Each dish is curated by five-time James Beard-nominated chef Scott Crawford and includes local flavors and fresh ingredients that reflect our region. Carolina Craft’s open-air bar features unique local breweries and distillers. Diners can celebrate North Carolina as they enjoy a selection of local craft beer or cocktails and build their own charcuterie boards. Ten more new restaurants will open in Terminals 1 and 2 next year as RDU reimagines the airport dining experience.
Biometric Technology: Biometric exit kiosks are now in place at 10 international gates in Terminal 2. The kiosks are part of a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) initiative to use facial recognition technology to verify the identity of outbound international passengers. CBP intends to provide a more efficient and secure screening process with the touch-free technology. Passengers can request to opt out of biometric screening and be vetted manually by an agent at the gate. Air Canada, Air France, Icelandair, Jet Blue, Lufthansa, Aeromexico and Copa are participating in the program. The kiosks are not currently used for domestic flights.
Runway Funding: RDU was awarded a $10 million Airport Improvement Program grant from the Federal Aviation Administration this month for construction of a replacement runway. The new Runway 5L-23R will be the most important two miles of pavement in the Research Triangle when it is complete, serving as the region’s gateway to the West Coast and transatlantic destinations. The runway is being replaced to maintain international connectivity and make room for a future gate expansion at Terminal 2. The Airport Authority appreciates federal support to help fund RDU’s most significant capital project.