Here’s everything you need to know about parking at RDU Airport and picking up travelers

Air travel at Raleigh-Durham International Airport continues to set new records, returning to traffic seen before the pandemic.

That’s especially the case during the holidays. For the 2023 Thanksgiving holiday, the airport estimates 286,000 people will travel between Wednesday, Nov. 22 to Monday, Nov. 27.

The busiest day will be Sunday, Nov. 26, followed by Wednesday, Nov. 22.

If you’re flying in or out of Raleigh-Durham International Airport or picking someone up, here’s what you need to know.

Parking tips at RDU Airport

▪ Reserve your parking. Consider booking and paying for a parking space at least 24 hours in advance at rdu.com/parking/. Booking a spot in advance also might get you a cheaper rate, but that’s not always the case. RDU has gone to “dynamic” parking rates online, so you may get a discount depending on availability. Or you may pay the same as if you didn’t book in advance.

▪ This is important: If you’re planning on the drive-up rate, RDU does not accept cash for parking.

▪ Wherever you park, give yourself time to find a place to park. Booking in advance doesn’t reserve a particular spot, so you’ll have to hunt for an open one among the more than 11,000 in the deck.

▪ The airport uses the TransLoc app so travelers in Economy Lots 3 and 4 and Park Express can track the shuttle buses that run between the lot and the terminals. Free shuttles run every 20 minutes 24/7.

▪ The airport has started installing a new system that uses lights and arrows to guide people to open spaces in the decks, so that should help on the sixth floor. (The rest of the system will be installed by next spring).

Where to park at RDU Airport

Here are rates for the parking lots, effective April 1.

▪ Premier parking is the most expensive at $30 a day or $7.50 an hour for the drive-up rate for the first four hours. There are over 1,360 covered spots on the ground level of the parking deck between both terminals.

▪ Central deck is the closest garage to the terminals and includes most of the spaces in the parking decks as well as a large surface lot between the terminals. It now costs $5 an hour for the first four hours or $20 a day.

▪ Park Economy 3: This surface lot has 3,820 spaces off National Guard Drive near the Aviation Parkway exit from Interstate 40. It’s $3 an hour for the first four hours or $12 a day. Give yourself some extra time, because you may wait up to 20 minutes for a shuttle bus to take you to the terminal.

▪ Park Economy 4: The smaller of the two remote lots, Economy 4 is off International Drive on the north side of the airport campus. It’s also $3 an hour for the first four hours or $12 a day. Give yourself extra time here as well, because you may wait up to 20 minutes for a shuttle bus to take you to the terminal.

▪ The ParkRDU Express parking lot reopened this fall. With 1,000 spaces, it’s the smallest of the airport’s three remote lots. Find it at 1710 East International Drive just north of the passenger terminals. Rates are $4 an hour or $16 a day for the drive-up rate. There is a short shuttle ride to the terminals.

Where to go if picking up travelers

▪ If you’re picking someone up, wait in the cellphone lot. The lot is at 1000 Trade Drive, Morrisville, near the Aviation Parkway and Airport Boulevard entrances, a few minutes’ drive from the terminals. It’s across from SIXT rental car. You’ll see signs from I-40.

▪ Wait 15 minutes after someone has landed to go to the terminal to pick them up. It takes time for passengers to exit the plane, make their way through the terminal and collect checked bags.

▪ Drivers also have two more options to kill time: the newly reopened Sheetz on Aviation Parkway and the RDU Galleria, a combination food court, convenience store, bar and gas station, down the road at 1550 Aviation Parkway. The food court includes seating for about 90 people inside and 60 outside and has digital screens that show the status of arriving and departing flights at RDU.

Other tips for traveling

With crowded parking lots and terminals, here are some tips for making a trip to the airport go easier:

▪ Arrive two hours before your flight or more if you’re flying internationally. You’ll need that time to park, get through security and check in. Plus, many airlines begin boarding planes up to 40 minutes before the scheduled departure time.

▪ If you’ve got an early flight, be aware that morning is the busiest time at the airport. About a third of all daily departing flights at RDU take off by 8 a.m., and lines for security and coffee can be long. Give yourself time.

▪ Before you leave for the airport, check the status of flights, both incoming and departing, at www.rdu.com or using your airline app.

▪ Finally, be patient with airline and airport workers and fellow passengers, and expect plenty of company.

This story was originally published April 12, 2022 at 5:45 AM.