Terminal 1 at Raleigh-Durham International Airport was evacuated for nearly two hours after an anonymous threat was received just after 4 a.m. today.
Travelers arriving at Raleigh-Durham International Airport for early this morning flights were met with an unexpected scene. Terminal 1 had been emptied, hundreds of passengers were standing outside in the pre-dawn hours, and law enforcement officers were moving through the building.
The evacuation started around 4:20 a.m. after the airport received an anonymous threat. Airport officials, local law enforcement and Transportation Security Administration officers responded to the terminal and conducted a sweep of the facility. The terminal remained closed and under investigation for just under two hours before being cleared and reopened around 6 a.m.
What the RDU evacuation looked like on the ground
The roughly two-hour closure pushed hundreds of passengers outside while investigators worked inside. When the terminal reopened, lines backed up quickly as travelers tried to move back through TSA checkpoints. American Airlines, Southwest and Frontier all reported delayed departures or cancellations tied to the disruption during that window.
Airport officials asked passengers to be patient as operations returned to normal. Law enforcement remained on site after the terminal reopened, and officials said they were continuing to monitor the situation. No additional details about the nature of the anonymous threat have been released.
RDU’s Terminal 1 was evacuated after the airport received an anonymous threat around 4:20 a.m. Law enforcement and TSA officers are onsite thoroughly checking the facility. Safety is our top priority and we ask that passengers be patient as we work to return to normal operations.
— RDU Airport (@RDUAirport) March 30, 2026
A pattern airports across the country are navigating
The incident at RDU comes as airports nationwide have already been dealing with operational strain. TSA staffing challenges tied to federal funding shortfalls have caused delays at terminals across the country in recent weeks, and today’s security response added another layer of disruption to an already compressed morning window at a major regional hub.
RDU did not close entirely. The rest of the airport continued operating during the Terminal 1 investigation, and no flight disruptions were reported beyond the delays and cancellations tied directly to the evacuation period. Passengers with flights on affected carriers were advised to check airline apps and websites for updated status information, as rebooking and refund policies during operational disruptions vary by airline.
Officials have not announced any arrests or identified the source of the threat as of this morning.