A record weekend at RDU is coming — which means you should simplify your parking
- August 29, 2024
- Posted by: Joe Milazzo II
- Category: Blog
RTA members and partners,
The traditional end of summer is Labor Day weekend in America, and that means many of us will be taking to the skies. There is no better place to commence that journey than RDU, our hometown international airport.
Our friends at the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority are projecting the busiest Labor Day weekend on record — more than 200,000 passengers during the four day weekend, or a 13.5% increase over last year.
Certainly, you will need to get there early, use tools like RDU.com or your airline’s website or app to monitor flights, etc.
If you are planning on parking at the airport, I cannot emphasize enough the importance and convenience of reserving your parking in advance via ParkRDU.com — you must do so at least 24 hours before entering the parking decks.
In addition, RDU’s new parking spot locator system that we discussed earlier this summer is incredibly effective. It reduces your waiting time and uncertainty looking for a parking space, which means it reduces your stress.
I first experienced a parking spot locator system like this at Aventura Mall in Miami a few years ago. The system in the main RDU ParkCentral deck works exactly the same way: an overhead sensor monitors four adjacent spaces — two on either side of the aisle — and if one or more of those spaces are available, the overhead light will be green. Even if there are only a handful of parking spots left on a particular parking deck level, you simply follow the green arrows to an available space.
The combination of reserved parking and a parking space locator system combines to make that portion of your journey very predictable and simple.
Whether you are taking to the skies, the roads, or staying close to home — have a safe and stress-free weekend, everyone.
Let’s get moving,
Joe Milazzo II, PE
RTA executive director
