Downtown Raleigh skyline from Western Boulevard. Flights from Denver to Raleigh

Route guide

Cheap Flights from Denver to Raleigh

Search partner results from Denver International (DEN) to Raleigh-Durham (RDU), with Southwest's nonstop pattern, DEN check-in sides and security hours, and getting away from RDU.

DEN to RDU · 1,433 mi · 3h 39m est.

DEN to RDU
1,433 miles
3h 39m nonstop (estimated)

Photo: Mark Turner, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Denver to Raleigh flight insights

Average flight time

~3h 39m (estimated)

DEN → RDU

Cheapest cached price

$272

Checking live fares…

Prices shown may not be current. Last checked: Aug 29, 2026.

Planning a trip from Denver to Raleigh? The average flight time on this route is ~3h 39m (estimated). The lowest fare we recorded on this route recently was $272 (last checked Aug 29, 2026); today's live fare for your dates can differ.

Denver (DEN) and Raleigh (RDU) are about 1,433 miles apart in a straight line. Flight times vary by airline, direction and routing, so check the scheduled time shown with each result.

Denver to Raleigh at a glance

DEN to RDU is about 1,433 miles in a straight line. The curved line is an illustration; the route your airline flies may differ.

Route Quick Facts

Quick facts for flights from Denver to Raleigh on Eazair
Origin	Denver (DEN)
Destination	Raleigh (RDU)
Average Flight Time	~3h 39m (estimated)
Current Lowest Fare	$272
Fares Last Checked	Aug 29, 2026
Distance	1,433 miles (DEN to RDU)
Time in Raleigh	2 hours ahead of Denver

Local time in Raleigh is 2 hours ahead of Denver. Denver is on Mountain Time, Raleigh on Eastern Time.

Flight deals from Denver to Raleigh

Southwest's route pages, checked 26 Oct 2026, answer yes to nonstop service from Denver to Raleigh/Durham and back, 2 times per day Monday through Friday and once per day on Saturdays and Sundays. For the trip back, RDU's nonstop list shows Frontier and United to Denver. Schedules change, so look at the stops on every result. This page searches Denver International (DEN) to Raleigh-Durham International (RDU), where RDU puts Southwest in Terminal 1 and Frontier and United in Terminal 2.

Pick your drop-off side before you reach DEN. Its airlines page puts United's ticket counters on Terminal Level 6 West and Southwest's and Frontier's on Level 6 East, and inside Jeppesen Terminal even-numbered doors are on the west side and odd ones on the east. DEN says southern Level 6 curbside drop-off is closed for construction. On 7 Oct 2026, DEN listed West Security as open from 3:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. and East Security from 3 a.m. to 8 p.m., both with TSA PreCheck and CLEAR.

Southwest's airport page lists its RDU gates as A6 to A8 in Terminal 1, while RDU puts Frontier and United in Terminal 2, where RDU says crews are expanding the building behind a temporary wall. Prearranged pickups wait outside baggage claim in Zone 1 at Terminal 1 or Zone 8 at Terminal 2, and walk-up taxis use the taxi zones at both. GoTriangle's airport page says Route 100 links downtown Raleigh with both terminals in the evening Monday to Saturday and all day Sunday; its pages differ on exact times, so check the timetable.

When this page was checked on 26 Oct 2026, EazAir had not stored any fare checks for Denver to Raleigh, so it has no record of how prices have moved. Southwest says Basic fares change only by upgrading to a Choice fare or higher, and United says Basic Economy changes may not be allowed. Search your own dates, and check the final price, bags and fare rules on the partner site before you pay.

Airports for Denver to Raleigh flights

Departure · Denver

Denver International (DEN)

Mountain Time

Arrival · Raleigh

Raleigh-Durham International (RDU)

Eastern Time

About Raleigh

Areas to know in Raleigh

Downtown / Fayetteville Street
Glenwood South
Five Points

Weather in Raleigh

A humid subtropical climate with hot, humid summers and mild winters.

Denver to Raleigh: airport and fare guide

Airport details were checked on 17 Oct 2026 (time-sensitive items rechecked 26 Oct 2026) and route details on 26 Oct 2026, against the airport, airline and transit pages listed under Sources. Airports and airlines change these details, so confirm them with your airline before you fly.

Raleigh-Durham International's nonstop list (no date shown) shows nonstop flights from Raleigh to Denver (DEN) on Frontier, Southwest and United. Schedules change, so check the stops shown with each result.

About this route

Southwest's route pages, checked 26 Oct 2026, say it flies nonstop from Denver to Raleigh/Durham and from Raleigh/Durham to Denver, and RDU's nonstop list shows Frontier, Southwest and United to Denver.

Southwest says it flies nonstop from Denver to Raleigh/Durham 2 times per day Monday through Friday and once per day on Saturdays and Sundays.
Southwest's Raleigh/Durham to Denver page gives the same nonstop pattern: 2 times per day Monday through Friday and once per day on Saturdays and Sundays.
Southwest's airport information page lists its RDU gates as A6 to A8 in Terminal 1 and its Denver gates as C23 to C37, C40 to C47, C49 and C51.
Southwest says all bags at Denver must be checked 45 minutes before scheduled departure, and its Denver ticket counter opens 120 minutes before the first departing flight.
Southwest lists a TSA PreCheck Touchless ID bag drop on Level 6 of DEN's Jeppesen Terminal, near Doors 605 and 607. RDU is not on Southwest's list of Touchless ID airports.
DEN's airlines page lists United's ticket counters at Terminal Level 6 West and Southwest's and Frontier's at Terminal Level 6 East, and DEN says to use the drop-off side that matches your airline.
Colorado's State Capitol says Denver's official elevation is measured on its west steps, where the fifteenth step is marked One Mile Above Sea Level, at 5,280 feet.
NIST says daylight saving time in 2026 ends on 1 Nov at 2 a.m. local time. Its list of places that do not observe it does not include Colorado or North Carolina.

Leaving from Denver International (DEN)

Airline	DEN concourse
Frontier	Concourse A
United	Concourses A and B
Southwest	Concourse C
Other airlines	Check your boarding pass or airline app.

Ride the RTD A Line from Union Station to Denver Airport Station. RTD says an Airport Fare applies.
RTD also lists airport bus routes, including AB1 and AB2 from Boulder, AT and ATA from Arapahoe County and 145X from Brighton. RTD says SkyRide bus trips to or from DEN need an Airport Fare.
DEN's East and West security checkpoints are both on Level 6 and give access to all airline gates.
DEN said on 7 Oct 2026 that West Security is open from 3:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. and East Security from 3 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. Both take TSA PreCheck and CLEAR.
DEN recommends arriving at least two hours before your flight to allow time for security, and its security page points travelers to real-time wait times.
The final phase of the Great Hall Program includes renovating airline check-in on the south end of Level 6, and DEN says the whole program will be done by the end of 2027.
DEN says all airline ticket counters except United, Southwest and Frontier have moved temporarily to Level 5, and southern Level 6 curbside drop-off is closed for construction.

Arriving at Raleigh-Durham International (RDU)

Airline	RDU terminal
Frontier	Terminal 2
United	Terminal 2
Southwest	Terminal 1
Other airlines	Check your boarding pass or airline app.

RDU says to confirm which terminal your airline uses before you leave home.

RDU has two terminals, Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, each with its own TSA checkpoint.
Buses and prearranged pickups use numbered zones outside each terminal: GoTriangle stops between Zones 2 and 3 at Terminal 1 and between Zones 6 and 7 at Terminal 2.
RDU says crews are expanding Terminal 2 behind a temporary wall at its north end, up since January 2026 for about two years, with all ticket counters and checkpoint lanes open.

Getting from RDU	How it works	Where it goes
GoTriangle RDU Shuttle	Daytime, Monday to Saturday. Stops between Zones 2 and 3 at Terminal 1 and between Zones 6 and 7 at Terminal 2.	The Regional Transit Center, for Route 100 to Raleigh, Route 700 to Durham and Routes 800 and 805 to Chapel Hill.
GoTriangle Route 100	GoTriangle's airport page says it serves both terminals in the evening Monday to Saturday and all day Sunday. GoTriangle's pages differ on the exact times, so check its timetable.	Downtown Raleigh (GoRaleigh Station) and the Regional Transit Center.
Prearranged pickups	Outside baggage claim: Zone 1 at Terminal 1 and Zone 8 at Terminal 2.	Wherever you booked.
Taxis	Walk-up taxis wait in the taxi zones at both terminals.	Raleigh, Durham and the wider area.

What the lowest fares include

Fare	Carry-on	Checked bag	Seat	Changes
United Basic Economy	Not included on domestic flights. One personal item only, unless you are a MileagePlus Premier member, travel with one, or hold a qualifying MileagePlus card.	Not included; check United's bag fee calculator.	Assigned by United before boarding.	Changes may not be allowed. Refund if cancelled within 24 hours of booking, under United's 24-hour policy; after that, partial travel credit.
Southwest Basic	Southwest's policy allows one carry-on and one personal item.	Checked bag fees apply to Basic fares.	A free Standard seat is assigned at check-in. Preferred and Extra Legroom seats cost extra.	Only by upgrading to a Choice fare or higher. Cancelling at least 10 minutes before departure gives a flight credit, which for Basic expires 6 months from booking.
Frontier, without a bundle	Not included. One personal item only.	Not included. Prices vary by travel date and when you buy.	Costs extra, or a seat is assigned after check-in.	Not covered here. Check Frontier's rules before you book.

Based on the airlines' own pages, checked on 17 Oct 2026. Fees are left out because they change often. Check the final price, bags and fare rules on the partner site before you pay.

How EazAir measured fares on this route

When this guide was checked on 26 Oct 2026, EazAir had not stored any fare checks from Denver to Raleigh, so it cannot describe how prices have moved. The cheapest cached price near the top of this page comes from a separate partner fare lookup and shows its own last-checked date. Search your own dates for current prices.

Sources

RDU: Nonstop destinations (no date shown, accessed 26 Oct 2026)
Southwest: Flights from Denver to Raleigh/Durham (no date shown, accessed 26 Oct 2026)
Southwest: Flights from Raleigh/Durham to Denver (no date shown, accessed 26 Oct 2026)
Southwest: Airport information (no date shown, accessed 26 Oct 2026)
Southwest: TSA PreCheck Touchless ID (no date shown, accessed 26 Oct 2026)
DEN: News release on terminal travel, 1 Sep 2026 (Sept. 1, 2026, accessed 26 Oct 2026)
Colorado State Capitol: History of the Capitol (no date shown, accessed 26 Oct 2026)
NIST: Daylight Saving Time Rules (Updated February 9, 2026, accessed 26 Oct 2026)
Frontier: Flights from Raleigh, NC to Denver, CO (no date shown, accessed 26 Oct 2026)
DEN: Airlines (no date shown, accessed 26 Oct 2026)
DEN: Finding your way around construction (no date shown, accessed 26 Oct 2026)
DEN: Security (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
DEN: Great Hall Program (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
DEN: East security checkpoint opens (4 Aug 2025, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
RTD: Airport (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
DEN: Passenger surge during Fall Break travel rush (Oct. 7, 2026, accessed 26 Oct 2026)
RDU: Airlines (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
RDU: Nonstop destinations (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
RDU: Bus and rail service (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
RDU: Taxis and prearranged pickups (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
RDU: Security FAQ (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
RDU: Travel tips (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
RDU: Construction to begin in Terminal 2 in January 2026 (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
RDU: Ground transportation (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
GoTriangle: Your ride to the airport (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
GoTriangle: Route 100 timetable (March 2026, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
RDU: What's happening behind the big wall in Terminal 2? (no date shown, accessed 26 Oct 2026)
United: Basic Economy FAQ (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Southwest: Fare information (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Southwest: Assigned seating (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Southwest: Carry-on baggage policy (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Southwest: Fare types and benefits (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Frontier: What is included in my fare (last modified 25 Mar 2026, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Frontier: Bag options (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Frontier: Bundles (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
EazAir fare checks for DEN to RDU: none stored as of 26 Oct 2026

Frequently asked questions

Who flies nonstop between Denver and Raleigh-Durham, and how many times a day?

Southwest says it flies Denver to Raleigh/Durham nonstop 2 times per day Monday through Friday and once per day on Saturdays and Sundays, with the same pattern on its Raleigh/Durham to Denver page. RDU's nonstop list also shows Frontier and United to Denver. Schedules change, so check the stops on each result.

Which RDU terminal will I arrive at, and which do I need for the flight back?

RDU puts Southwest in Terminal 1, where Southwest's airport page lists gates A6 to A8, and Frontier and United in Terminal 2. Each terminal has its own TSA checkpoint, and RDU says to confirm which terminal your airline uses before you leave home.

Which side of the Denver terminal should I check in on, and is construction in the way?

DEN lists United's ticket counters at Terminal Level 6 West and Southwest's and Frontier's at Level 6 East, and says to use the drop-off side that matches your airline. DEN also says all airline ticket counters except United, Southwest and Frontier have moved temporarily to Level 5, and southern Level 6 curbside drop-off is closed for construction.

When must bags be checked for a Southwest flight from Denver, and is there a quicker bag drop?

Southwest says all bags at Denver must be checked 45 minutes before scheduled departure. It lists a TSA PreCheck Touchless ID bag drop on Level 6 of Jeppesen Terminal near Doors 605 and 607. RDU is not on Southwest's list of Touchless ID airports.

Do clocks change around a late October or early November trip to Raleigh?

Yes, at both ends. NIST says daylight saving time in 2026 ends on 1 Nov at 2 a.m. local time, and neither Colorado nor North Carolina is on its list of places that skip it. If you fly on or around 1 Nov, recheck the local times on your booking.

Do the basic fares on Southwest, Frontier and United include a carry-on?

Only on Southwest, whose policy allows one carry-on and one personal item on Basic. Frontier without a bundle includes one personal item only, and United Basic Economy on domestic flights does too, unless you are a MileagePlus Premier member, travel with one, or hold a qualifying MileagePlus card.

Airline bag fees

Baggage allowances differ significantly between fare classes (Basic/Light vs. Standard/Flex) and can change over time. Always verify the exact allowance for your specific fare with the airline before you fly.

Checked bag fees from each airline's own website
Airline	Carry-on, basic economy	1st checked bag	2nd checked bag	Source
American Airlines	Included	$45	$55	aa.com, Sep 24, 2026
United Airlines	Not included	$40	$50	united.com, Sep 24, 2026
Delta Air Lines	Included	$45	$55	delta.com, Sep 24, 2026
JetBlue	Included	$45	$59	jetblue.com, Sep 24, 2026
Alaska Airlines	Included	$45	$55	alaskaair.com, Sep 24, 2026
Frontier Airlines	Not included	Varies	Varies	flyfrontier.com, Sep 24, 2026
Sun Country Airlines	Not included	Varies	Varies	suncountry.com, Sep 24, 2026

Domestic US fees per bag, each way, when paid online in advance. "Varies" means the airline prices bags by route and date.

Travel tips

Arrive early for domestic flights

TSA generally recommends arriving at least 2 hours before a domestic departure, more at larger hub airports during peak travel periods.

Pack a mixed carry-on

Keep a change of clothes, chargers, and any essentials in your carry-on rather than only your checked bag, in case of a delay or a bag that doesn't arrive with you.

Ease jet lag on longer routes

On longer cross-country flights, adjusting your sleep schedule a day or two before departure and staying hydrated in flight can reduce jet lag on arrival.

Screenshot your confirmation

Save a screenshot or PDF of your booking confirmation and boarding pass before you travel, in case you lose signal or battery at the airport.

Check in online when it opens

Most airlines open online check-in 24 hours before departure. Checking in early can help with seat selection and, on some airlines, boarding group assignment.