Beginning in May, the Atlanta-based carrier will serve MCI each day with a Delta Connection regional jet from Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) in North Carolina.
On its own, the new service — which will transport just over 70 passengers between the cities — might hardly sound newsworthy. But in a lot of ways, this point-to-point route is a sign of Delta’s growing point-to-point network out of RDU, as first reported by Ishrion Aviation.
Delta's new RDU-MCI route
Starting May 7, Delta’s RDU-MCI service — operated by wholly owned regional subsidiary Endeavor Air — will run daily with a morning westbound flight and an evening return to the East Coast.
Here’s how the itinerary shakes out:
- RDU-MCI: Departs 7:55 a.m. Eastern time; arrives 9:41 a.m. Central time
- MCI-RDU: Departs 6:55 p.m. Central time; arrives 10:19 p.m. Eastern time
Growing its North Carolina footprint
This new route is the latest evidence of Delta’s growth aspirations at the central North Carolina airport.
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While not a hub for any of the “Big Three” network U.S. carriers — American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines — RDU was once a “focus city” for Delta, though the carrier doesn’t use that term anymore.
During the first half of this year, the carrier’s seats from RDU will be up nearly 5% over last year and will come close to the presence Delta had at the airport before the coronavirus pandemic in 2019.
Point-to-point growth
A notable part of Delta's current footprint at the airport is a growing list of flights to destinations other than Delta hubs.
At RDU, Delta competes with United on flights to that carrier's Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) hub. It does the same with American Airlines to Miami International Airport (MIA).
And, the carrier has RDU service to a slew of airports that aren’t its own hubs, including Nashville International Airport (BNA), Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG), Tampa International Airport (TPA) and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) near Washington, D.C. — not to mention Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS), an airport where the carrier has similarly expanded its footprint over the past year.
The significance of this is that if you’re flying Delta out of RDU, there’s a good chance you might not have to connect in Atlanta or elsewhere, as shown on the below map from aviation analytics firm Cirium.
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That growth is poised to continue in 2025 with this route and, perhaps, more to come.
Regional subsidiary to launch RDU crew base
Endeavor Air this month said it would launch a crew and maintenance base at the airport during the second quarter of 2025, owing to its bevy of Delta Connection flights to nonhub cities.
“Endeavor’s current network includes considerable RDU-to-outstation activity,” Brian Darsow, Endeavor Air's chief operating officer, noted in a statement announcing the news.
Could that foreshadow more future service?
Time will tell.
We should note: American Airlines last year remained RDU’s top carrier in terms of seats — owed, in part, to its nonstop flight to London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR) on a Boeing 777-200ER that’s a lot larger than any jet Delta flies out of the North Carolina airport.
Meanwhile, both RDU and MCI will surely celebrate this new route in conjunction with significant growth overall.
MCI marked its busiest year ever in 2024, with more than 12 million passengers served.
RDU saw a record-breaking 15.5 million travelers last year, helped, in part, by a fast-growing list of international destinations.
"We appreciate Delta’s long-standing commitment to RDU and the addition of Kansas City to our route map," a spokesperson for RDU told TPG Monday, noting the additional connectivity the airport now offers through Delta's partners, such as fellow SkyTeam partners Air France and Aeromexico, which launched international service from the airport in recent years.
Is there a Delta Sky Club at RDU?
If you're taking one of Delta's nonstop flights out of RDU, you may want to get to the airport a little early. RDU is home to one of its Sky Club airport lounges. Just remember, if you get access via an American Express credit card, there's now an annual limit on how many times you can visit in a calendar year.
American and United each operate lounges at the airport as well.
Related reading:
- Delta SkyMiles: Your complete guide to earning, redeeming and elite status
- Best Delta credit cards
- Delta Medallion status: What it is and how to earn it
- Maximize your airfare: The best credit cards for booking flights
- The best credit cards to reach elite status
- Delta basic economy: What you need to know about bags, seats, boarding and more
