Air travel Coverage

Frontier adds flights to RDU ahead of summer travel season

Frontier Airlines is expanding its flight schedule and adding destinations at RDU ahead of the busy summer travel season.

RDU Airport Authority Board approves $326 million budget, passenger traffic up more than 26%

The Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority Board approved the annual Business Plan and Capital and Operating Expense Budgets for the year ending Mar. 31, 2024.

RDU hiring more TSA employees in response to rapid growth

RDU is growing rapidly. As the number of people traveling surges, the airport is expanding to meet the demand.

Nia Harden, WRAL reporter

RDU launches new flights, hires TSA agents ahead of busy travel season

Two events are happening Wednesday that attest to how much RDU is growing. The number of people traveling is surging, and the airport is expanding to meet the demand.

Avelo Airlines launches new flights at RDU

​​​​​​​RDU is seeing tremendous growth, which is why new nonstop flight options were added at the airport.

Nia Harden and Destinee Patterson, WRAL reporters

Runways reopen after fuel leak at Charlotte Douglas International Airport

WCNC Charlotte reports a runway was closed after a departing flight leaked fuel that had to be cleaned up.

WCNC Charlotte

Spirit Airlines flight lands safely after crew reported a battery fire in the overhead bin

A Spirit Airlines flight was diverted and landed safely in Jacksonville, Florida, on Wednesday after the crew reported a battery in an overhead bin was on fire.

Dave Alsup, Joe Sutton and Amanda Jackson, CNN

Charge dismissed against woman who forced emergency landing at RDU

The dismissal of Miles' charge does not preclude further action by the appropriate federal agencies, RDU said. In a statement, the FBI Charlotte Field Office said no further charges were expected unless additional evidence comes to light.

Charge dismissed against woman who forced American Airlines emergency landing at RDU

The dismissal of Miles' charge does not preclude further action by the appropriate federal agencies, RDU said. In a statement, the FBI Charlotte Field Office said no further charges were expected unless additional evidence comes to light.

WRAL Staff

Travel season off to an early start

The recent warm weather has people making early spring break vacation plans. WRAL 5 On Your Side's Keely Arthur spoke with one travel agency that said people looking for vacations are coming like a tsunami.

WRAL Investigates new airplane security plans

After a woman forced a plane to land Wednesday at Raleigh-Durham International Airport, the Federal Aviation Administration once-again called for an additional layer of in-air security to protect the cockpit from unruly passengers.

Keep the cockpit safe: Feds call for additional security after unruly passenger forces plane to land at RDU

A Washington, D.C. woman faces obstruction charges following a Wednesday incident on an American Airlines flight that was forced to land at Raleigh-Durham International Airport.

Cullen Browder, WRAL anchor/reporter

5 On Your Side: Traveling for spring break? Don't fly these dates

5 On Your Side's Keely Arthur went to Emerald Isle to see how the local tourism industry is preparing and how you can save while soaking in the sun.

Keely Arthur, WRAL consumer reporter

'I started freaking out': Woman charged after American Airlines flight diversion explains what led up to emergency landing

Tiffany Miles is facing a charge of airport obstruction. On Thursday, she's out of jail and on her way to Washington, D.C.

Joe Fisher, WRAL reporter

Unruly American Airlines passenger describes in-flight altercation that led to emergency landing

Tiffany Miles is facing a charge of airport obstruction. On Thursday, she's out of jail and on her way to Washington, D.C.

Planes temporarily halted to RDU International

The FAA issued a ground stop for flights going to RDU at 3:34 p.m. and was lifted shortly after 4 p.m.

American Airlines flight diverted to RDU, canceled after passenger disrupts flight

The flight diverted to RDU due to a "disruptive passenger" Wednesday. The FAA put flights coming into RDU on a ground stop just after 3:30 p.m. as the flight came into the airport.

Leslie Moreno, WRAL Reporter

More than 2,100 flights canceled as millions brace for cross-country winter storm

At least 27 states are under a winter weather alert as millions of people are bracing for a snow storm.

New flights, destinations take off from RDU Thursday

On Thursday, Raleigh-Durham International Airport is expecting two major take-offs -- Avelo Airlines' first flight out of Terminal 1 and Breeze Airways' first flight out of the airport.

Destinee Patterson, WRAL reporter

4 new airlines, more direct flights give Triangle travelers options

Four airlines: Breeze, Avelo, Iceland-Air and Bahamas-Air have been added to the lineup at RDU in the past 12 months.

North Carolinians, travelers react to the suspected Chinese spy balloon shot down off the coast

Multiple videos from people on the Carolina coastline who witnessed fighter jets shoot down the suspected surveillance balloon pop up. WRAL News has reactions from one traveler who came through the Wilmington International Airport about the balloon, as well as a few senators from the State.

Leslie Moreno, WRAL reporter

More space inside and out part of RDU master plan

RDU Airport Authority is planning for 10 years and $10 billion in investment to improve the experience for travelers.

RDU planning billions in upgrades with the passenger in mind

"We need to go into construction in 2025, because in a couple places where the building functions, we're out of space for folks," said Bill Sandifer, RDU chief development officer.

Monica Casey, WRAL reporter

TSA investigates after handgun passes through RDU security

The Transportation Security Administration confiscates everything from water bottles to gifts at airport checkpoints nationwide, but none of the representatives who spoke to WRAL News on Friday could explain how a handgun cleared airport security at Raleigh-Durham International Airport.

TSA: Man passed through RDU security with a gun, boarded plane

Gun owner Cliff Waddell wants to know why his .38-caliber revolver made it through a TSA checkpoint on Wednesday at Raleigh-Durham International Airport.