First international flight takes off from RDU since March 31

On Thursday, a Jet Blue flight to Cancun, Mexico, took off from Raleigh-Durham International airport.

It was the first international flight to leave RDU since March 31, around the start of the pandemic.

The flight is one of four new daily non-stop flights Jet Blue is adding from RDU. The others include, Fort Myers, Fla., San Juan, Puerto Rico and Montego Bay, Jamaica.

The airport told WRAL News Thursday's flight is a significant step toward recovery for the airport and the regional economy.

According to a RDU spokesperson, passenger traffic at RDU is currently at about 30% of 2019 levels after dropping to just 3% in April.