Work will soon begin on a terminal renovation at Raleigh-Durham International Airport. It's one of several major projects that are designed to increase the airport's capacity.
RDU Terminal 2, originally called Terminal C, was built in the 1980s as a hub for American Airlines. It now houses more than a dozen carriers flying passengers all over the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Europe.
Airport officials have worked to recruit more international routes in recent years, but facilities to serve the passengers haven't kept up with that growth. Arriving international flyers are funneled into a small area for passport control and customs inspection. All arriving international flights share a single baggage claim belt.
"We need more space for Customs and Border Protection," RDU Chief Development Officer Bill Sandifer said on a recent media tour. "The expansion will allow us to accommodate about two and a half times more inbound arrival passengers than we can accommodate today."
The Terminal 2 expansion also includes more space for passengers to check in.
"We get one more ticket island with an additional 20 airline positions, which are critically needed based on demand today and projected growth in the future," Sandifer said.
Passengers will notice some changes in early December. Crews will put up a temporary wall in the terminal as they prepare for demolition to add about 400 feet to the terminal lobby. The first phase of the expansion will open in 2029, and the project is scheduled to be finished in 2032.
The Terminal 2 is expansion is one project in the airport's Transform RDU initiative. Work is also underway on construction of a second, longer runway. The airport is also adding 7,000 parking spaces and expanding John Brantley Boulevard, the airport access road.
The expansion of the Economy 3 parking lot also includes a "Customer Amenity Building" with restrooms and lounge. It's scheduled to open by the middle of next year. The new runway, scheduled to be finished in 2029, will allow RDU to serve long-haul international flights.
The John Brantley Boulevard project is designed to reduce pick-up and drop-off bottlenecks in front of Terminal 2. Construction is scheduled to being next year with a target completion date of 2030.
