RDU Sets Travel Record In 2005 With 8 Percent Increase

More than 9.3 million passengers traveled through RDU Airport in 2005.

The number represents an overall 8 percent gain over 2004 when 8.6 million passengers chose RDU for their travel plans.

A new record was achieved in 2005 for the number of RDU's origination and destination passengers, or people who began or ended their trip at RDU. Approximately 98 percent, or 9.2 million people were origination and destination passengers last year.

The average load factor on all flights from RDU for December was 76 percent, with a year-end average of 71 percent, meaning that approximately seven out of every 10 seats were filled on each flight.

RDU offers 212 daily departures to 36 destinations. Last year, airlines introduced new service to Salt Lake City and New Orleans, although the New Orleans flights are currently suspended due to the impact of Hurricane Katrina.

RDU also posted gains in air cargo and outbound taxi trips. Air cargo grew by 1.4 percent, while taxi trips increased to 201,631, a 9.1 percent increase over 2004 figures.

Parking in RDU's hourly and daily lots was almost unchanged from 2004, with 1,987,656 vehicles exiting the public parking lots in 2005.

The 2005 year-end activity report was released Thursday during the January meeting of the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority.