Parking deck at RDU. Photo courtesy of Freelon.com.
Raleigh-Durham International Airport has launched its new parking program, “ParkRDU,” which includes three different programs for purchase designed to provide travelers with a smoother parking experience. The three programs are Premier, Central, and Economy. Once you purchase a program, you will enjoy guaranteed parking in the corresponding lot, plus you won’t have to worry about the hassle of keeping up with a ticket once the online parking reservation option is available.
ParkRDU Premier
As its name suggests, ParkRDU Premier, offering 1,000 spaces, is the most expensive of the three options, but the upside is you will be parking in the most coveted spot: the first level of the garage between the terminals. The cost is $3/hour for the first four hours, with a daily maximum rate of $18. ParkRDU Premier is well-suited for travelers looking for the ultimate in convenience with an easy in and out experience. There have been some issues with this option being filled to capacity; ParkRDU has responded by adding additional spaces.
ParkRDU Central
ParkRDU Central is the most busy of the parking options, featuring more than 10,000 spaces within walking distance of the terminals, cover levels 1 through 7 of RDU’s parking deck. Park RDU Central replaces what was known as hourly and daily parking. Central is located in the main garage between the terminals, with the exception of the Premier area, and costs $2/hour for the first four hours, with a daily maximum rate of $14.
ParkRDU Economy
ParkRDU Economy 3 and Economy 4 replace the former Park and Ride 3, Purple and Park and Ride 4, Orange. Economy 3 is $1/hour for the first four hours with a daily maximum rate of $7, while Economy 4 is $1/hour for the first four hours with a daily maximum rate of $6. If you choose Economy, you will have to take a short, free shuttle ride to get to your terminal.
As mentioned above, ParkRDU plans to roll out an online parking reservation system as soon as possible. ParkRDU’s blog states, “The launch of the ParkRDU online booking system is on hold due to some issues we continue to experience in testing. The issues we’re experiencing in testing are related to communication between the system that controls our entry and exit gates and the online booking system. The technology solution that we are preparing to implement is cutting-edge technology and, to our knowledge, has not yet been implemented in any U.S. airport.”
According to ParkRDU, the new program has proven to be a success with passengers. And there are survey results to prove it: Phoenix International Marketing ranked RDU International Airport as the #4 best medium-hub airport for getting to the terminal.
To keep up with what’s happening with ParkRDU, you can visit www.parkrdu.com, and follow them on Twitter @RDUAirport for the latest news and real-time parking updates.