Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) is one of the fastest-growing airports in the United States, and it shows no signs of slowing down. The airport has grown its network dramatically over the last year, with 18 new destinations either recently launched or due between February 2024 and October 2025. This growth is not only due to the local economics but also stronger demand for flights in this strong performing area.
Airlines including Breeze and Avelo are helping pave the way, adding more domestic and international markets from Raleigh-Durham. But perhaps more exciting is that almost half of these routes are international routes, giving locals and travelers a plethora of new options around the world.
From pre-existing favorites to brand-new venues, Raleigh-Durham is welcoming cool new spots that fit every traveler’s wishlist. Here are the 18 new routes:
Domestic Destinations
Akron/Canton (Breeze) – Service begins February 2024
Westchester (Breeze) – March 2024
San Diego (Breeze) – April 2024
Albany (Avelo, Breeze will join June 2025) – May 2024
Burlington (Breeze) – May 2024
Daytona Beach (Breeze) – February 2025
Pensacola (Breeze) – May 2025
Grand Rapids (Avelo) – May 2025
Ogdensburg (Breeze) – September 2025
Key West (Breeze) – October 2025
International Destinations
Frankfurt (Lufthansa) – June 2024
Panama City (Copa) – June 2024
Mexico City (Aeromexico Connect) – July 2024
Montego Bay (Avelo) – Feb 2025
Punta Cana (Avelo, American Dec. 2025) — Mrz 2025
Bermuda (BermudAir) – April 2025
Calgary (WestJet) – June 2025
Vancouver (by Air Canada) – June 2025
The best part about this expansion? Ten of these have never been served nonstop from Raleigh-Durham. These are Akron/Canton, Calgary, Frankfurt, Key West, Grand Rapids, Mexico City, Ogdensburg, Panama City, and Vancouver. It’s obvious that RDU is diversifying the transportation routes and we are offering our businesses and leisure travelers more options than ever.
RDU’s expansion is indicative of the increasing appetite for transatlantic travel with a number of the new and expanded services being to destinations outside of the U.S. Destinations such as Frankfurt, Mexico City and Panama City are now linked directly with RDU, making travel to more international destinations easier and more convenient for people in and around the local area.
These are particularly important routes as they will help expand access to some of the world’s key gateway cities with new trade and tourism links being established. With no fanfare, we are now linked directly to Europe’s fourth busiest airport, something that all too often goes unrealized by those who obsess over access to the Acela corridor!
Many of the new flights are particularly meaningful since these cities have never had service to Raleigh-Durham directly:
Frankfurt: The European gateway and now direct, from RDU.
Mexico City: Opening the doors of the Spanish-speaking world’s largest city to travelers.
Vancouver: Easier to get to, via a direct flight to the Pacific Northwest.
These routes aren’t just about adding more stopovers — they’re more about enhancing access to the world and branding Raleigh-Durham as a player on the mission to connect globally.
The increasing Breeze and Avelo at Raleigh-Durham is also interesting. These low-cost airlines have allowed budget travelers to see more places on a shoestring budget. The growth isn’t limited to international routes; domestic options like Key West and Pensacola provide the perfect weekend escape, and destinations like Calgary and Grand Rapids offer plenty of potential for both leisure and business travel.
This growth represents a fundamental change in Raleigh-Durham’s role as a major junction in the Southern U.S. As new international services start to come online, the airport is now becoming more important for global and regional connectivity. This growth, in turn, is a boon not only to the residents of the Triangle area, but to the broader Raleigh-Durham economy as it creates more efficient means for businesses to penetrate new markets.
Image Raleigh-Durham is no longer merely a regional airport — it’s moving quickly to join the big leagues with connections to an increasing number of foreign cities.
Key West is expected to be the final destination to be added to Raleigh-Durham’s network in 2025. Breeze will launch service to this popular Florida spot on Oct. 3, with twice-a-week flights. This is the 11th Florida route at the airport, emphasizing the demand for nonstops to Florida from Raleigh-Durham.
Ironically, Destin–Fort Walton Beach is still one of Raleigh-Durham’s largest unserved Florida markets. There’s no telling whether Breeze will offer its service in this region, but it’s a development to watch as Raleigh-Durham grows.
With these new and exciting routes, Raleigh-Durham is FLYING to be a more massive player in the world of aviation. The current rolling program of domestic and international expansion is set to just keep getting bigger however, with even more convenience and choice for travellers.
