RDU Officials Unveil Billion-Dollar Expansion Plans for Roads, Terminals

Raleigh-Durham International Airport's Transform RDU program is bringing more than $2.5 billion in construction to the Triangle over the next decade, and the changes are no longer confined to planning documents. Workers have already erected a temporary wall over the large windows on the north end of Terminal 2's main ticketing hall, the first visible sign of an expansion that will stretch the hall roughly 400 feet to accommodate new ticket counters, additional baggage carousels and a larger U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility for international arrivals.

The News & Observer reported that RDU does not expect the north-end ticketing hall work to be complete until 2029. Once that phase wraps up, contractors will shift to the south end of the building to add another Transportation Security Administration checkpoint. A disruptive Terminal 2 bridge replacement is not scheduled to begin until 2027. When fully built out, the expanded terminal is projected to more than double its current capacity.

John Brantley Boulevard, the airport's primary roadway, is also actively under construction. Workers began widening the road this month, adding lanes to reduce congestion and minimize bottlenecks. The longer curbside that comes with the extension is designed to speed up pickups and drop-offs at Terminal 2. A separate project, International Drive Rehabilitation, is also listed among the airport's roadway improvement priorities.

Parking is another major piece of the program. Construction has been underway since 2023 on the expansion of Park Economy 3, the existing 3,820-space lot on National Guard Drive that provides shuttle service to both terminals. RDU's own project page describes the expansion as creating approximately 8,700 additional spaces along with a new Customer Amenity Building, though local media reports have cited a figure of 7,000 economy spaces being added to the lot off Aviation Parkway and National Guard Drive. The project has earned Platinum Envision verification from the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure, the organization's highest recognition, and will include solar panels and EV chargers.

Alongside those ground-level changes, RDU is planning a new 10,639-foot primary runway, designated 5L-23R, which the airport says will carry more passengers and cargo and open the door to additional gates at Terminal 2. A General Aviation Corporate Campus and upgrades to rental car and ground transportation centers round out the broader program.

The Federal Inspection Services expansion is directly tied to RDU's Vision 2040 master plan, which anticipated significant growth in international travel. The landside Terminal 2 planning also covers security screening areas, ticketing kiosks and queue circulation, upgrades to the checked baggage screening system, lobby and pre-security concession spaces, baggage claim areas, and curbside roadway improvements.

Joe Milazzo, executive director of the Regional Transportation Alliance, said the funding picture draws from several sources. "The $2.5 billion airport construction project is funded mainly by passenger facility charges, along with airline fees, customer spending at the airport, limited federal grants and local tax dollars," Milazzo said.

The economic stakes behind the investment are substantial. According to the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau, an estimated 19 million people visit Wake County each year, spending more than $3.4 billion annually. Hotel lodging tax collections topped $41.4 million in 2025, while prepared food and beverage tax collections reached $48.9 million, a 5.4 percent increase over the prior year.

The full Transform RDU program is projected to wrap up in 2032, but Milazzo noted that travelers will begin noticing changes well before then. Based on the temporary wall now in place at Terminal 2 and the active lane work on John Brantley Boulevard, that timeline is already arriving.