How early should I get to RDU?

Raleigh-Durham International Airport, Raleigh-Durham, NC · Checked Oct 24, 2026

The short answer

Arrive at least 2 hours before a domestic flight to allow for parking, check-in and security; more time may be needed at peak periods

Arrive at least 3 hours before an international flight

Those are blanket rules. Your real number depends on your terminal, the time of day, traffic from your door, and whether you have PreCheck or a bag. Leave By works out your exact leave time.

Source: rdu.com

Security lines at RDU

RDU publishes no typical wait times or peak hours. In TSA's hourly screening counts for Sep 13-19, 2026, RDU was busiest from 4am to 7am, peaking 5-6am. A second busy stretch ran from about noon to 6pm, and traffic dropped sharply after 7pm. Thursday, Friday and Sunday were the busiest days that week; Tuesday was the quietest. A few Terminal 2 hours could not be read from TSA's file, so treat these as a pattern, not exact counts.

Busiest times: 4:00-7:00am (peak 5:00-6:00am), 12:00-6:00pm, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays (TSA counts, week of Sep 13, 2026).

Nationally, TSA checkpoints are busiest from 5 to 7 AM local time. See TSA's hourly numbers and the busiest days to fly.

TSA PreCheck: RDU takes part in TSA PreCheck, and both terminals have PreCheck screening, including a CLEAR lane for PreCheck travelers. Both checkpoints open at 3:30am and close at 10:30pm, but CLEAR lanes close earlier in the evening.

CLEAR: Available at this airport (see terminals below for which checkpoints).

Touchless ID: The Points Guy reported in April 2026 that TSA PreCheck Touchless ID had recently come online at RDU. This research could not confirm which airlines offer it there.

Terminals and checkpoints

Terminal 1 (A gates)

Southwest Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Avelo Airlines, Breeze Airways, Sun Country Airlines

Terminal 1 CheckpointPreCheckCLEAROpen 3:30am-10:30pm daily, per RDU. RDU lists CLEAR here 4am-7:45pm daily (standard lane) and 4am-7pm weekdays, 4am-6pm weekends (PreCheck lane); CLEAR's own site lists slightly different hours.

Terminal 1 has gates A1-A9
Breeze and Sun Country moved from Terminal 2 to Terminal 1 in April 2024
Post-security pet relief area is near Gate A7

Terminal 2 (C and D gates)

Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, United Airlines, JetBlue, Frontier, Air Canada, Aer Lingus, Aeromexico, Air France, BermudAir, Copa Airlines, Icelandair, Lufthansa, Volaris

Terminal 2 CheckpointPreCheckCLEAROpen 3:30am-10:30pm daily, per RDU. RDU lists one CLEAR lane for standard and PreCheck travelers, 4am-7:45pm daily; CLEAR's own site lists 4am-7pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday.

Terminal 2 has 36 gates on Concourses C and D and handles all international arrivals
Delta has the largest market share at RDU
Air Canada and Frontier ticketing is at Counter D
The north end of the ticketing hall has been walled off for expansion work since January 2026, for about two years; all ticket counters and checkpoint lanes stay open
The TSA PreCheck enrollment center is in Terminal 2 near Bag Claim 5 (Mon 9am-1pm; Tue-Fri 9am-1pm and 2-6pm)

Between terminals: The terminals are not connected after security. Walk between them through the parking garage atrium (5-10 minutes) or take a free parking shuttle: from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2 use the ParkRDU Economy shuttle, and from Terminal 2 to Terminal 1 use the ParkRDU Express shuttle. You will go through security again in the other terminal.

Terminals are not connected after security. Go to the right terminal the first time.

Getting to RDU

Rideshare and taxi: Drop off at the Terminal 1 curb or the Terminal 2 upper level (Departures). Ride app and prearranged pickups are outside baggage claim: Terminal 1 Zone 1 and Terminal 2 Zone 8. Curbs are for active loading only; the free Cell Lot is at 1000 Trade Drive, about three minutes from the terminals.

Transit: GoTriangle serves RDU. The RDU Shuttle runs from the Regional Transit Center Monday-Saturday, 6am-6pm. Route 100 runs direct from downtown Raleigh after 6:30pm Monday-Saturday and all day Sunday. Stops are between Zones 2 and 3 at Terminal 1 and between Zones 6 and 7 at Terminal 2.

Driving and parking: From I-40 take Exit 284 or 285; from I-540 take Exit 2 (Aviation Parkway). Parking is cashless. Drive-up rates: Premier $34/day, Central $22.75/day (both in the garage between the terminals), Express $18.50/day (shuttle every 5-10 minutes) and Economy 3 $14.50/day (shuttle about every 20 minutes, 24/7). Book online at least 24 hours ahead to guarantee a space; if Central is full and you have not booked, follow signs to another lot.

Construction and changes in 2026

Terminal 2 expansion: a floor-to-ceiling wall closes the north end of the ticketing hall for about two years (from January 2026) while crews add ticketing, international arrivals and checkpoint lanes. All ticket counters and checkpoint lanes remain open, but you may hear construction noise. The full project is due in 2032.
John Brantley Boulevard, the main road serving both terminals, is being widened and extended. Utility work is underway now; lane closures are expected to start in summer 2027, and a temporary Terminal 2 departures curb near Terminal 1 is expected in early 2028.
A new primary runway (5L-23R) is under construction and due to open in 2029. This is airfield work and does not change terminal access.

Checking a bag

Delta: bags 45 minutes before domestic departure (30 minutes without bags). Southwest: bags 45 minutes before a domestic flight (60 minutes international), check in at least 30 minutes before. American and United: check in and check bags 45 minutes before domestic departure (AP, May 2025). Most RDU ticket counters open around 4:30am, and curbside check-in is offered for select airlines.

RDU tips first-timers miss

Check your terminal first: Southwest and the low-cost carriers use Terminal 1; Delta, American, United, JetBlue and all international airlines use Terminal 2
Morning is the busiest time at security, peaking 5-6am, so early flyers should not cut it close
Book parking online at least 24 hours ahead to guarantee a spot in the lot you want, especially for the garage
CLEAR lanes close around 6-7:45pm, before the checkpoints close at 10:30pm, so evening flyers may get only standard or PreCheck lanes
Went to the wrong terminal? Walk through the garage atrium in 5-10 minutes rather than driving around
Terminal 2's ticketing hall is partly walled off for construction, but every counter and checkpoint lane is open

Leaving for RDU?

Pick your flight and where you're starting. Leave By checks live traffic, security lines and your terminal, and tells you the minute to walk out the door.