Raleigh-Durham International Airport has started a $775M expansion of Terminal 2, the largest terminal project now moving under RDU's Vision 2040 master plan.
RDU says it expands only when passenger demand reaches certain thresholds, rather than on a fixed calendar. The airport set a passenger traffic record in 2023, and its long-range plan says recent growth has made several capacity projects necessary.
- Vision 2040 was approved by the Federal Aviation Administration in 2017 after a two-year public process. It lays out major projects across the airfield, terminals, ground transportation, and general aviation.
- The terminal expansion is part of a broader buildout already underway at the airport. Vision 2040 also includes replacement of Runway 5L/23R, a project tied to a federal environmental approval issued in August 2023.
- RDU's planning framework is regional, but the airport remains a major piece of Durham's travel network, especially for residents and businesses in South Durham and Parkwood heading to the airport via I-40.
What's next: Construction on the new runway is expected to finish in 2029, according to RDU's master plan. The Terminal 2 expansion now moves from planning into a visible construction phase at one of Durham's main gateways to the region.