Baltimore-Washington to Raleigh-Durham International
256 miles great-circle distance, typically flown in 55m with 6 airlines operating direct service from Baltimore-Washington (BWI) to Raleigh-Durham International (RDU). Cheapest fares are usually in January (around $79 return), with peak prices in August (around $237). Departures on a Tuesday tend to undercut weekend prices on this corridor.
Flying from Baltimore-Washington
Baltimore-Washington Thurgood Marshall is Southwest Airlines' largest East Coast hub and one of the cheapest US airports for domestic travel. The MARC Penn Line and Amtrak both serve BWI Rail Station — a 12-minute light rail shuttle ride from the terminal — with onward service to Washington Union Station in 30 minutes ($8 MARC, $20+ Amtrak). Limited international long-haul (BA to London, Condor to Frankfurt seasonally); the focus is heavy short-haul Southwest and ULCC capacity.
Arriving in Raleigh-Durham
Raleigh-Durham International serves the Research Triangle (Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill) and is 12 miles from each. There is no rail; GoRaleigh bus 100 reaches downtown Raleigh in 45 minutes for $1.25, GoTriangle bus 805 reaches downtown Durham. Fares to RDU peak around Duke and UNC graduations (May) and major basketball games (February–March); January and August are the cheapest.
Who flies BWI to RDU?
| Airline | IATA | Flight time | Cabin |
| Southwest Airlines | WN | 55m | Economy |
| Spirit Airlines | NK | 55m | Economy |
| Frontier Airlines | F9 | 55m | Economy |
| American Airlines | AA | 55m | Economy |
| Delta Air Lines | DL | 55m | Economy |
| United Airlines | UA | 55m | Economy |
6 carriers fly direct on this corridor. Frequencies vary by season — summer and winter holiday peaks see additional flights.
Best time to fly BWI→RDU
Synthesised from 12-month price aggregates. Cheapest months in green, peak in red.
Estimated baseline. Prices update on a 30-day cadence as Travelpayouts data refreshes. Cheapest day-of-week typically Tuesday.
Baltimore to Raleigh-Durham FAQs
Direct flights from Baltimore-Washington (BWI) to Raleigh-Durham International (RDU) take approximately 55m for the 256-mile journey, plus 30–60 minutes of taxi, climb and descent. Total airport-to-airport time depends on cruise winds and air-traffic queueing on approach.
January is typically the cheapest month on this route, with one-way fares from $79. August is the peak — expect prices 2–3× higher. Book 4–8 weeks ahead for best fares; last-minute prices on this corridor rise sharply inside two weeks of departure.
6 carriers operate direct service from Baltimore-Washington (BWI) to Raleigh-Durham International (RDU): Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines, Frontier Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and 1 more. Frequencies vary by season and carrier — Southwest Airlines typically operates the highest weekly count on this corridor.
No — United States is domestic travel for US citizens. A US passport is not required for the 50 states, DC or US territories (Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands), though Real ID-compliant ID is required at TSA from May 2025.
Raleigh-Durham International (RDU) is the primary international airport for Raleigh-Durham. Allow 30–60 minutes for the ground transfer by train, express bus, taxi or rideshare depending on traffic and time of day. See the airport's official website for current train and shuttle timetables.