Raleigh-Durham International Airport travelers ran into a serious security bottleneck Thursday morning, with waits at Terminal 2 stretching to about an hour. Four screening lanes were out of service, turning the usual preflight shuffle into a much slower march toward the gates.
People reported waits of up to 60 minutes around 6 a.m., according to WRAL. RDU officials said the Terminal 2 TSA checkpoint also temporarily lost its touchless screening option, and the airport was working with TSA to determine when the problem would be fixed.
The airport’s own travel guidance says most passengers typically clear security in under 30 minutes, though waits can increase during peak travel periods. Raleigh-Durham International Airport recommends arriving two hours before domestic flights and three hours before international departures, with extra time for parking, airline check-in and checkpoint lines, according to its travel tips.
What RDU Travelers Should Know
RDU had not announced an estimated restoration time for the unavailable lanes as of the initial Thursday morning report. Travelers departing from Terminal 2 should check directly with their airlines for updates and leave more time than usual to reach the checkpoint and their gates.
The disruption affects the airport’s larger Terminal 2, which serves most airlines operating at RDU. Even if flights continue departing on schedule, a prolonged checkpoint slowdown could leave passengers with little margin for baggage drop-off, boarding and last-minute gate changes.
