Raleigh-Durham International (KRDU), North Carolina
Landing essentials
Whether you can land, whether you can refuel, and how customs works here.
Overview
Raleigh-Durham International sits roughly 1.77 nautical miles from its metro area in North Carolina, handling a substantial mix of scheduled airline and business aviation traffic. The airport is towered, offers 100LL and Jet A fuel, and reports 187,038 total annual operations against 32,745 business aviation operations for 2025 according to FAA TFMSC data. Its runway system includes a 10,000-foot concrete primary runway alongside a 7,500-foot secondary runway and a shorter crosswind runway, supporting a wide range of aircraft categories. Onsite CBP inspection services and a USDA compliance agreement support international operations directly at the field.
Runways
Raleigh-Durham International has three paved runways. The longest, 05L/23R, is 10,000 ft long and 150 ft wide, with a concrete surface.
Runway geometry from published threshold coordinates. Not for navigation.
Runways are listed longest first.
Source: FAA Form 5010.
Fuel and airfield services
Raleigh-Durham International has Jet A and 100LL available on the field. Fueling is available 24 hours a day, every day, and the airport has an operating control tower.
Source: FAA Form 5010 / NASR.
Customs
Raleigh-Durham International has US Customs and Border Protection clearance available onsite, with general clearance for international arrivals. A USDA compliance agreement is in place.
Source: CBP list of ports of entry.
Business aviation traffic
Raleigh-Durham International recorded 32,745 business aviation movements in 2025. Traffic peaks in October. Business aviation traffic at KRDU peaks in October, with other months showing comparatively steadier, lower volumes across the year.
Business jet movements, FAA TFMSC count. Peak month October, 3,337 movements in 2025.
Source: FAA TFMSC, business jet movements, 2025.
Climate
Raleigh-Durham International averages 18.6 days above 90°F in July, 18.0 freeze days in January and 0.7 snow days in January. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 90.8°F, and January the coldest, at 51.9°F.
Weather station is on the field. Some values are estimated by the agency. 1991–2020 climate normals.
Source: NOAA NCEI.
Operating constraints
Raleigh-Durham International has published operating constraints in five categories: access, weight restrictions, runway notes, pavement strength and other notes.
Prior permission is required for landing; contact operations by phone.
A 24-hour prior permission requirement applies to jet aircraft and transient military aircraft.
Prior permission is required for all military aircraft, both fixed-wing and rotary-wing, and for unscheduled charter flights carrying 30 or more passengers. Military practice approaches require 24-hour prior notice, coordinated through airport operations or RDU approach control. Fixed-wing and rotary-wing military aircraft heading to the ARNG ramp also require 24-hour prior notice, coordinated with the point of contact. The OSACOM flight detachment maintains a separate contact line.
The airport is closed to airships.
The Army National Guard ramp has limited parking; contact ARNG operations by phone. Aircraft should contact Forecast Base 10 minutes prior to landing. The ramp is closed to all fixed-wing aircraft except Army and military transport aircraft with prior permission, with facility hours of 1300 to 2130Z, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays. Appointments are required for operations after duty hours.
Apron taxi-lane F between taxiways T1 and T7 is closed to aircraft with a wingspan greater than 171 feet.
Taxiway D is closed to aircraft with a wingspan greater than 171 feet when taxiways G and H are occupied.
Taxiway E is closed to aircraft with a wingspan greater than 171 feet.
Taxiway C between taxiways F and G is restricted to aircraft with a maximum gross takeoff weight of less than 490,000 pounds.
Runway 05L/23R is ungrooved.
PCR VALUE: 801/R/B/W/T
PCR VALUE: 783/F/C/X/T
No jet engine maintenance runs are permitted between 0000 and 0600 local time.
Taxiway E behind South Cargo 4 and taxiway J behind the corporate hangars are not visible from the air traffic control tower.
Taxiways F4 and F5 are closed until further notice.
All Category V aircraft taxiing on taxiway A are restricted to a taxi speed of 15 miles per hour.
Terminal 1 aircraft must contact air traffic control on frequency 121.9 prior to pushback onto taxiway A. Terminal 2 aircraft must contact ramp tower on frequency 130.175 prior to pushback. North Cargo apron aircraft in Airplane Design Group IV or V must contact air traffic control on frequency 121.9 prior to pushback.
Source: FAA Chart Supplement.
Nearby airfields
Raleigh-Durham International has five airfields within 28 NM. The closest is Southern Wake Regional, 16.03 NM south.
Part of the Raleigh and Durham area.
Source: Skystar calculation from official coordinates.
Skystar at KRDU
We arrange catering, fuel and trip support here. Supplier prices reach you unchanged; our coordination fee sits on its own line.
The same order, priced two ways.
$2,400.00 catering order at KRDU.
Unchanged.
What the kitchen invoices us is what your quote reads.
One line, fixed.
It does not move with the size of the order.
At cost.
Passed on at the exact amount the processor took.
Market practice figures are industry averages, not a specific competitor.
Frequently asked questions
Is customs available at KRDU for international arrivals?
Raleigh-Durham International operates CBP inspection services onsite, supported by a USDA compliance agreement. Crews arriving from international points can clear customs directly at KRDU rather than routing through a separate port of entry. The airport is towered and operates on an ALL / ALL / ALL attendance schedule. Dispatchers should still confirm specific inspection hours and any advance notice requirements with airport operations before filing an international arrival. This onsite arrangement covers both passenger and cargo clearance needs.
What runway is available at KRDU for the largest business aircraft?
Runway 05L/23R at Raleigh-Durham International is the longest surface, at 10,000 feet by 150 feet, with a concrete surface. This runway is ungrooved, a factor to weigh for wet-runway performance planning. A second parallel runway, 05R/23L, offers 7,500 feet on asphalt. A third runway, 14/32, is shorter at 3,570 feet by 100 feet. KRDU's pavement classification numbers are listed as 801/R / B/W / T and 783/F / C/X / T for its main runways.
Are there taxiway restrictions at KRDU tied to aircraft wingspan?
Yes, several taxiways at Raleigh-Durham International carry wingspan-based restrictions. Apron taxi-lane F between taxiways T1 and T7 is closed to aircraft with a wingspan greater than 171 feet. Taxiway D closes to the same wingspan category whenever taxiways G and H are occupied. Taxiway E is closed outright to aircraft exceeding 171 feet of wingspan. Dispatchers planning wide-body or large business jet movements at KRDU should account for these limits during ground routing.
Does military traffic need prior permission to operate at KRDU?
Yes, military aircraft face several prior-permission requirements at Raleigh-Durham International. All military aircraft, fixed-wing and rotary-wing, require PPR, and unscheduled charter flights carrying 30 or more passengers face the same rule. Military practice approaches require 24-hour prior notice through airport operations or RDU approach control. Fixed-wing and rotary-wing military aircraft heading to the ARNG ramp also require 24-hour prior notice. The ARNG ramp itself keeps limited parking and restricted hours for non-Army, non-military-transport fixed-wing traffic.
What is the seasonal traffic pattern for business aviation at KRDU?
Business aviation traffic at Raleigh-Durham International, tracked as cross-border activity by FAA TFMSC for 2025, shows its highest monthly count in October at 3,337 operations. Other months run in a narrower band, generally between roughly 2,300 and 2,900 operations. July shows the lowest count in the data at 2,297 operations. KRDU's annual business aviation total for the year stands at 32,745 operations against 187,038 total operations. Dispatchers scheduling October movements at KRDU should anticipate the year's busiest traffic period.