RDU preparing for 300,000 travelers, expected to be busiest Memorial Day weekend ever

Workers at Raleigh-Durham International Airport are expecting a record number of Memorial Day weekend travelers.

The airport said Wednesday it expects about 300,000 travelers to fly through from Thursday through Tuesday. TSA projects about 8% more people to travel through RDU compared to the 2023 Memorial Day weekend.

“RDU is working with the airlines and TSA to anticipate passenger traffic levels and staffing needs as we head into the summer travel season,” said Michael Landguth, president and CEO of the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority. “RDU is expected to set a record for passenger traffic this year, with Memorial Day weekend marking the official start of the busy summer travel season

“We strongly encourage airport guests to arrive early and follow RDU’s tips for a stress-free travel day.”

RDU offered several traveling tips:

• Check the status of your flight before coming 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 leave for the airport.
• Departing passengers should get to the airport 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.

“We expect record passenger volumes throughout the Memorial weekend and encourage all passengers to arrive in the terminal at least two hours prior to departure,” said Jennifer Gordon, TSA’s Federal Security Director at RDU. “Our state-of-the-art checkpoint technology increases security effectiveness, efficiency and enhances the flying experience for the traveling public.

“Please pay attention to all signs and instructions from TSA officers.”

For the first time ever, TSA will likely be screening more than 3 million passengers nationwide in a single day at some point this summer. Four of TSA’s top 10 busiest days have come this month.

The TSA also offered several tips for travel on its website.