Raleigh-Durham RDU Airport Starts Construction of New, Longer Primary Runway

Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) in North Carolina has started the construction of a new primary runway that will be longer than the existing one. The new runway will measure 10,639 feet, surpassing the 10,000-foot length of the current primary runway. This expansion is intended to accommodate long-haul widebody passenger and cargo aircraft, allowing them to carry more passengers and cargo to destinations, including the U.S. West Coast and Europe.

The project is estimated to cost $500 million, with construction expected to continue until the 2028-29 timeframe. Once the new runway becomes operational, the existing primary runway, which dates back to the 1980s, will be repurposed as a taxiway. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) granted approval for the construction of the new runway in August 2023.

RDU’s goal is to attract more long-haul flights, such as the Lufthansa service from Frankfurt scheduled to launch in June 2024, which will operate five times a week using an Airbus A330-300 aircraft.

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, msn.com, aviationweek.com