Raleigh–Durham International Airport

The N.C. General Assembly charters the Raleigh-Durham Aeronautical Authority in 1939, changed in 1945 to the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority. While under construction, RDU is taken over in 1942 by the federal government for use during World War II. The base is designated Raleigh-Durham Army Air Field in January 1943 with barracks and three runways becoming operational on May 1, 1943. The base serves as a training facility for the Army Air Corps until Jan. 1, 1948. Eastern Airlines is permitted use of the airfield and begins service from RDU to New York and Miami in 1943. These flights stop in Richmond, Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Philadelphia during the four-hour flight to New York. Stops were made in Charleston, Savannah, Jacksonville, Orlando, Vero Beach and West Palm during the six-hour flight to Miami. Eastern Airlines brings the commercial jet age to RDU with Boeing 727 jet service in 1965. In 1970, Delta Air Lines becomes the fourth carrier to serve RDU. Allegheny Airlines, later to become US Airways, begins service at RDU in 1979, now five carriers serve RDU. Trans World Airlines begins service in 1984 as the sixth carrier to serve RDU passengers. The current Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Air Traffic Control Tower opens in May 1987. American Airlines opens its north-south hub operation at RDU in the new Terminal C in June 1987, greatly increasing the size of RDU’s operations with a new terminal including a new apron and runway. American brought RDU its first international flights to Bermuda, Cancun and Paris-Orly. Continental Airlines also begins service in 1995 bringing the number of major carriers to nine. In 1996, American Airlines ceases hub operations at RDU due to difficulty competing with USAir’s hub in Charlotte and Delta’s hub in Atlanta. American begins downsizing its RDU operations and eventually discontinues almost all of its mainline flights here, although it still runs a daily service to London-Gatwick and a number of commuter flights through American Eagle. RDU’s first international carrier, Air Canada, introduces service to Toronto in 1996. RDU opens Park and Ride 4 in 1999 on a permanent basis to accommodate the growing number of RDU travelers. RDU invests $3.5 million in paving, lighting, curb and gutter and bus shelter improvements. The nation’s largest low-fare carrier, Southwest Airlines, starts service at RDU with 12 daily departures to five destinations in 1999. In February 2000, RDU ranks as the nation’s second fastest growing major airport in the U.S. by Airports Council International. Passenger growth hits 24 percent over the previous year, putting RDU second only to Washington-Dulles International Airport. In the first half of 2000, RDU opens a new $40 million terminal area parking garage, providing customers a total of 2,700 new parking spaces between the terminals. The capacity of Park and Ride 3 doubles from 2,000 to 4,000 spaces. New spaces open in time for the 2000 winter holiday travel season. An underground pedestrian walkway connecting the new parking garage to Terminal A opens just in time for the busy winter travel season of 2000. In 2001, RDU opens the Terminal A south concourse for use by Northwest and Continental Airlines. The addition adds 46,000 square feet and five aircraft gates to the terminal. America West begins service at RDU with flights to Phoenix and Las Vegas in 2002. RDU celebrates an expanded concessions program in 2002 with the grand opening of The Shops of RDU Landing, offering passengers 35 new restaurants and retail outlets. In 2003, RDU installs its first permanent work of art , a tile mural depicting North Carolina’s ecosystems. The artwork is located in the underground pedestrian walkway connecting the parking garage with Terminal A. RDU launches RDU Airport Taxi Service, featuring a new fleet of vehicles and on-demand service to and from the airport in 2003. RDU celebrates the centennial of flight in 2003 with the dedicatio