RDU parking reservations are selling out quick ahead busy holiday travel times :: WRAL.com

Many people are preparing for a busy holiday travel season. Reservations for airport parking at Raleigh-Durham International Airport are already selling out quickly for dates during the days of Christmas. 

The booking page for Park RDU lists that the Economy 4, Economy 3 and Express options are sold out online for booking dates during popular travel times, which are usually the weekend before Christmas Day and the day after Christmas.

For example, if you plan to book a slot starting Friday, Dec. 19 and ending Wednesday, Dec. 24, parking options are still available.

But for most days past actual Christmas Day, those slots for those three options are sold out, as people are returning from their travels. 

RDU’s parking availability website lists that the lots, as of Thursday, are less than halfway full. But when trying to book dates during these next few days during the holiday stretch—especially during popular times when people leave and return—the options are not available to reserve online. 

Depending on your travel dates, it’s best to double check on the website to make sure there are other days and times that could work for you if the option you want is sold out. 

Friday, December 26 is also expected to be busy as travelers make moves post-Christmas Day.

The only two available options left for all dates are Central and Premier.

These sold-out reservations come ahead of a predicted record-breaking number of people will travel for the holidays. AAA projects that nearly 122.4 million Americans will travel at least 50 miles over the 13-day year-end holiday period, starting Dec. 20. 

AAA expects about 8 million travelers to travel by air, a 2.3% increase compared to last year. This will reportedly be the first time on record that the number of domestic air travelers over the year-end holiday period exceeds 8 million.

Air travelers coming in and out of North Carolina will be more than 200,000, which is a 2% increase from last year.

If you’re still thinking about wanting to leave your car at the airport as you head out of state, it doesn’t hurt to look into the Central and Premier options. Both are allegedly less than a five-minute walk to the terminals and the parking decks are covered. 

If you don’t want to splurge on the parking, it’s best to look into ride-share options or ask a trusted friend to take you to the airport.

But remember to plan for some extra time to get to your gate, as TSA lines can get long—especially on popular travel days—or something can get messed up with your flight or flight details. 

AAA recommends the following tips for air travelers:

• Check flight status before leaving home and sign up for airline alerts.
• Arrive early: Allow at least two hours for domestic flights and three for international.
• Pack smart: Keep medications, chargers, and a change of clothes in your carry-on.
• Know your rights: Understand airline policies on rebooking and compensation.