RDU-Spot1
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May 28, 2019Raleigh Durham Intl. Airport – Spotting Guide
- last modified on December 5, 2023
Raleigh–Durham Intl. Airport (RDU/KRDU) is located about halfway between the two cities of Raleigh and Durham in North Carolina and welcomed 12.8 Mio passengers in 2018. Until 1995, RDU was a hub for American Airlines, which still has quite a presence, but today it is also a focus city for Delta (incl. Delta Connection) and Frontier Airlines. Currently, there is no foreign carrier serving the airport, but a couple of intercontinental flights are being operated by American (772) and Delta (763) to London-Heathrow and Paris CDG respectively. UPS and FedEx are the only cargo operators coming to RDU.
All in all the airport offers a nice mix of traffic, which is dominated by Delta, American and Frontier and is complemented by the common carriers United, jetBlue, Allegiant, Spirit and Southwest.
Written by Dirk Weinrich. Last change: April 2023 (Spot 3 updated)
| Rating | |
| Movements |  |
| Airline Variety | |
| Photo Locations |  |
| Weather | |
| Airport Information | |
| Runways | |
| 05L/23R | 3.048 m (10.000 ft) |
| 05R/23L | 2.286 m (7.500 ft) |
| 14/32 | 1.088 m (3.570 ft) |
| Terminals | |
| Terminal 1 | Southwest Airlines Domestic flights |
| Terminal 2 | All other carriers and all international flights. |
| Airport Chart |  |
| Spotting Information | |
| Ladder | Not needed at any of the locations mentionend below. |
| Car/Public Transport | Not really as all locations expect #5 can easily be reached from the terminals by foot from where a bus is running to the city. |
| Restrooms | Nearest facilities are inside the terminals or offical spotting location #3. |
| Drinks/Food | Nearest facilities are inside the terminals for most spotting locations except #5. There is a walmart north of spot 5 and many many other fast food chains and restaurants. |
| Hotels | There are plenty of hotels around I40 and the airport access road. |
| Season | Heat haze ist an issue in the summer months so be aware of that. More seasonal flights during the summer months. |
| Security | Before you go planespotting at RDU, you have to contact the airport operations at least 48h in advance of your planned visit. To get a permission you have to fill out this online formular on the airports website. Usually they are very fast in answering your request so a short term request might be possible. The official observation deck is the only place where you DO NOT need this permission! |
| Runway Usage | |
| 05L/23R | Used in both directions. This is the longest runway and the intercontinental flights departure from here. |
| 05R/23L | Used in both directions. Prefered one for Southwest as its close to their terminal. |
| 14/32 | Not known to be in use. |
 |
Spot #1 – Central Parking North |
|---|---|
| WHERE | This location is on the seventh floor of the central parking garage between terminal 1 and 2. If arriving by car just follow the signs to central parking lane 2 which will lead you up to the uppermost floor. Once arrived use the exit at the northernmost corner and get on the open stairway where this spot is located. |
| WHAT | Ramp of the gates (C- 8,10,12,14,16,18,20,22,24) and taxiway B and F movements as well as the cross taxiways C and D can be photographed. Latter is limited due to high trees. The runway is just too far so it´s better to go to spot #3 for this kind of movements. |
| TIME | Ramp from sunrise till late noon. Cross taxiways from noon till sunset. Heat haze is a big issue here so try to avoid midday. |
| MISC. | Everything you need within the terminals. Parking rate is $2/hour or $15/day. More infos for parking can be found here. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | DL 767 on ramp = 120mm; 737 on cross taxiway = 300mm |
 |
Spot #2 – Central Parking South |
|---|---|
| WHERE | Same direction as for the spot above but now head to the opposite corner. |
| WHAT | All movements on 05L/23R as you are almost in the middle of the runway. Taxiway A and cross taxiway C and D. |
| TIME | In the summer only from later afternoon till sunset. |
| MISC. | Everything you need within the terminals. Parking rate is $2/hour or $15/day. More infos for parking can be found here. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | A320 on runway = 230mm; 73W on taxiway = 200mm |
 |
Spot #3 – Observation Deck |
|---|---|
| WHERE | This is an official observation deck, located next to the control tower. By car pass terminal 1 and take the next right into W International Dr. Continue on the one way road, pass the GAT terminal and then turn left at the sign to the observation deck. There are some free parking lots. It´s nice and small park with a platform where you can get up to photograph over the airport fence. |
| WHAT | It is useful for 5L/23R, Taxiway B and F, and the new parking ramp. For 5L ops, you will not see the first 1,500 feet of runway and terminal ramp due to a tree blocking the view. The NCDOT building blocks some of the midpoint of the runway but you can see north of it all the way to the end of 23R. The new ramp adjacent to taxiway F is now complete (4.15.23) and it is expect it will be for regional jet parking facing the road due to its narrow size. These jets may block views of the taxiways and maybe get in some of the runway shots but this is tbd what they really use it for and how much. As of April 2023, there is a concrete mixer structure that is in the way of some pictures of the far end of 23R that is only temporary. |
| TIME | From sunrise till late noon. |
| MISC. | Some benches and shadow are provided. Restrooms and vending machines for drinks are available too. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | AA 320 on runway = 200mm; E170 runway exit = 340mm |
 |
Spot #4 – Crash Gate |
|---|---|
| WHERE | From the previous spot and the GAT terminal continue on the road and turn righ shortly before the cross taxiway bridge. Drive all the way until you reach a crash gate. Park you car before the gate as marked on the map next to the executive hangars. |
| WHAT | Arrivals and line up on RWY 23L. Latter can be photographed through the fence behind some junction boxes. |
| TIME | In the summer only from later afternoon till sunset for the arrivals. Morning hours for the line up. |
| MISC. | Nothing nearby. There are surveillance camera so just go there and take the picture before the police arrive. Don´t stay here for a long time! |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 739 = 170mm; A320 = 200mm |
 |
Spot #5 – Bicycle Store |
|---|---|
| WHERE | This location is outside of the airports boundaries on a parking lot that belongs to a bicycle store which is located on highway 70. It opens at 10am so it’s better to go there before they open the store. |
| WHAT | Arrivals on runway 23L only. |
| TIME | From sunrise till late noon. |
| MISC. | Nothing nearby. This is private property just go there during the non business hours or ask at least if you can stay there if they are open. |
| FOCAL LENGTH | 738 = 280mm; E170 = 350mm |
Could I possibly help by adding a spot? If you go to RDU on google maps and search up ths Cambria hotel, it is amazing for short final shots of 5L, but not departures or arrivals from any runway. It is best used from 12pm to sunset all year round, focal length would work with 55-200mm range (75-300mm works for everything but widebody aircraft). Email me for more details if more details are needed.
Please update the observation deck information. It is useful for 5L/23R, Taxiway B and F, and the new parking ramp. There are vending machines for drinks. For 5L ops, you will not see the first 1,500 feet of runway and terminal ramp due to a tree blocking the view. The NCDOT building blocks some of the midpoint of the runway but you can see north of it all the way to the end of 23R. There is a concrete mixer structure that is in the way of some pictures of the far end of 23R that I expect is only temporary. The new ramp adjacent to taxiway F is now complete (4.15.23) and I expect it will be for regional jet parking facing the road due to its narrow size. I expect these jets may block views of the taxiways and maybe get in some of the runway shots but this is tbd what they really use it for and how much.
Description has been updated. Thanks for the Update Chris!
-Julian
On the RDU website, there is a page for Aircraft Spotting, and a form to file online for spotting from the top of the parking deck. I chanced it one day and was approached by a very nice security officer. I admitted to not having a letter/email, and he asked me to leave but said that I should use the form to get permission. I will from now on.
Thanks for this important info David. I have left a note in the guide. It seems you need the permission, no matter where you are going.
-Julian
Julian,
The only place you don’t need to fill the form out for is the observation deck. However due to the pandemic the deck has been closed and has not reopened. But otherwise anything on airport property you should complete the form. They’ve also been very flexible about filling out the form in less than a 48-hour timeline for me. So even if you are heading out to catch something special on short notice like a diversion I always fill out the form and have not been bothered since that program was instituted.
Also one other note to respond to Alex’s comment from 2019; TAC Air bought the old GA Terminal so that is no longer an option for spotters. Others have tried and been turned away. It is now a lobby solely for TAC Air customers/passengers.
Thank you guys for all the infos. Guide has been updated. More spotting locations are always welcome 🙂
-Julian
Observation deck now open from 9am to dusk.
Hi. Yeah, for RDU I usually go to the top of the parking deck mainly for Terminal 2. I’ve had no issues with security or whatnot. I went there once to watch Air Force 2 land, and it was a great view. If you want to see every part of what you need, I suggest to go here.
In spot 4, can’t you just get the Email from authority saying you can spot there? Then you show the police and they leave you alone after they see the letter
You can give it a try but I bet they refer to the official viewing deck that you go there.
-Julian
Just a heads up for any spotters looking spot here, the security has been getting rather strict on staying on the parking deck and taking pictures of airplanes. The security will issue a warning and tell you to go to the observation park, if they do approach you for this reason I would recommend either going to the park or just leaving and avoiding further trouble
A couple notes:
-Don’t forget the GA terminal has a second floor balcony from which you can spot arrivals on 5R/23L as well as GA ramp traffic up close. The staff there are very friendly and the terminal was recently renovated. Parking is free for 4 hours in the GA terminal lots. They used to have a door to an outdoor balcony overlooking the GA ramp but it has been locked ever since the renovation earlier this year. I’m not sure if there are any plans to allow public access to that balcony again. Keep in mind, you will have to shoot through the windows here, which may be hit or miss on cleanliness.
-An additional spotting location for 5L/23R arrivals right under the approach path can be found at these coordinates: 35.897839, -78.772880 . There is an access road off of Lumley which you can turn onto and park. I do not recommend this location during rush hour, as there is a lot of traffic passing by that may be suspicious of your intentions. I have captured neat photos of planes directly overhead on their way in to 23R.
-Another location close by is this vacant building and parking lot, located here: 35.897770, -78.770226 . It allows you to get offset from the approach path for more conventional spotting pictures but is close by, so longer lenses aren’t necessary.
-For 5L arrivals, 35.865421, -78.815774 is a good spot under the final path. Public lot at the hotel which hasn’t bothered me when I post up there.
-Set up at the old outlet mall for arrivals and departures on both runways. You will need a longer lens here (200-600mm range). 35.860343, -78.819340
-A correction to your description of 14/32- it is very much an active runway. Propeller GA aircraft land on it in the 32 direction and take off in the 14 direction.
-Spots 1, 3 overlooking 5L/23R are backlit in the afternoon/evening hours, which may be a dealbreaker for some spotters.
-At the other end of the parking lot at spot 4, you can get a good view of 5L/23R as well as t/w Juliet, which has been rather active lately due to ongoing t/w work on the north side of the field.
Hi Alex, thanks for you big comment. Is it possible to send us some photos that you took at these spots so we can add it to the guide to info@spotterguide.net
Usually we don’t add overhead locations only if you can make some nice front photos. But no belly shots.
-Julian
General Aviation location not available anymore.