A surge in spring break travel brought over 1.2 million passengers through RDU in March, an increase of 31 percent from February 2025.
“The spring travel season is underway, and Triangle-area travelers are taking advantage of nearly 80 nonstop destinations they can reach from RDU, said Michael Landguth, president and CEO of the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority. “We look forward to welcoming more passengers in the months to come as we add flights to popular destinations and launch new nonstop international routes.”
International Travel: RDU added another new international destination to its route map when BermudAir’s inaugural flight touched down on April 11. The nonstop service connects the Research Triangle to the Bermuda Triangle in just two hours, with flights operating on Fridays and Mondays. RDU anticipates the route will be popular with leisure travelers, businesses connected to the insurance industry and Bermudians who come to North Carolina to pursue higher education opportunities. Service to another island getaway is growing at RDU. Delta Air Lines will become the third airline to offer nonstop flights to Puerto Rico when it launches operations to San Juan in December.
REAL ID: Enforcement of the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) REAL ID requirement is less than three weeks away. Beginning May 7, travelers will need a REAL ID, passport or other federally approved identification to board commercial flights. According to TSA, passengers who do not have acceptable identification can expect to face delays, additional screening and the possibility of not being allowed past the airport’s security checkpoint. For travelers who don’t have a REAL ID or passport, TSA accepts several other forms of documents. A full list of acceptable alternate identification can be found at tsa.gov. The list is subject to change by TSA at any time, so passengers are encouraged to check online before they travel. The North Carolina REAL ID is a driver license that looks like the traditional license or ID but has a star in the top right corner. North Carolina residents can get a REAL ID by going to an NCDMV office in person with the required documentation. You can learn more how to get a REAL ID at www.ncdot.gov.
John Brantley Boulevard Extension Environmental Workshop: The Airport Authority will hold a public workshop next month for the Environmental Compliance Review of one of its major capital projects – the extension of John Brantley Boulevard. The workshop is an opportunity for the community to learn about the Authority’s environmental analysis of the roadway extension project and submit comments. RDU’s Environmental Compliance Review process is the first of its kind among airports nationwide and exceeds federal and state environmental requirements. The meeting will be held on Thursday, May 1 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. in Room 100 of RDU Center, located at 1000 Trade Drive on the airport campus. Comments will be accepted in person at the workshop, by email to publiccomments@rdu.com or by mail to RDUAA – Environmental Programs, P.O. Box 80001, RDU Airport, NC 27623. The deadline for submitting comments is 5:00 p.m. on May 8. More information and the draft environmental report will be available on rdu.com prior to the May 1 workshop.