New RDU terminal to open in October

Morrisville, N.C. — The Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority announced Thursday that the new Terminal 2 will open on Sunday, Oct. 26.

The $570 million project is the airport's first new passenger facility in more than 20 years. It will open in two phases, with the second phase scheduled to open in 2011.

Terminal 2 replaces the red-roofed Terminal C, which was built as a hub for American Airlines in 1987 and designed primarily for passengers changing planes. With the demise of American's hub, however, officials said fewer than 5 percent of RDU's passengers now change planes at the airport.

The north concourse of the terminal will feature 19 gates, seven security checkpoint lanes and 26 shops and restaurants in 550,000 square feet. The south concourse will add 13 gates, another seven security lanes and 17 more retailers.

Some of the merchants expected in the new terminal are 42nd Street Oyster Bar, Carolina Ale House, A Southern Season, Brooks Brothers and Apple iPod.

American, American Eagle, Delta, United, Midwest Connect and Air Canada will initially fly out of the terminal. Continental, Northwest and US Airways will move to Terminal 2 when the south concourse opens.

The public will be invited to tour the new terminal in the weeks leading up to the opening. The date for the open house hasn't been announced.

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Latest Comments

great...just in time for airlines to all scale back their flights. see what happens Raleigh-Durham when you drag your feet.

pack-man
August 22, 2008 1:20 p.m.

Well...this article makes me feel old! I actually worked on the Civil plans for the terminal C when it was built in 87!!!! Now it's outdated.....aargghhh!

ObamaMustGo aka NCcarguy
August 21, 2008 5:38 p.m.

LOL! Wichita is still the same--no changes since then; I just went through there a few months ago. Although I'm no fan of the RDU Airport Authority, this new terminal will be a welcome change from the out-dated Terminal A and the spartan Terminal C. I commute through many airports across the country and an airport terminal can speak volumes about my initial impressions of the city. Having popular, well-liked vendors is a key. The more I've seen other cities upgrade their terminals and vendors, in particular, the more I see RDU as the 'po-dunk' airport referred to earlier. It has, however, recently added Starbucks in Terminal A. Hopefully, Terminal 2 will have some moving sidewalks. If any of you have come in on Northwest at Terminal A, you'll know what I'm talking about!

dcflyer84
August 21, 2008 5:28 p.m.

Subwayscoundral, Have you ever flown into Laguadia, I don't think its changed since the 1960s!

wildervb
August 21, 2008 4:19 p.m.

Good for the Triangle. I fly all the time and you go into a city that has "po-dunk" written all over the airport, it says something about the companies there. The terminal was out dated and this is good for the area. Now if they could just do something about Terminal A near the southwest side. That looks like Wichita----1963