$10 per day usually makes ParkRDU Economy 3 the budget play
ParkRDU Economy 3 sits on Airport Boulevard, a few minutes’ shuttle ride from both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 at Raleigh-Durham International Airport. It’s an uncovered surface lot with marked rows and standard self-park, so you keep your keys and pick your own space. The lot is signed as “Economy 3” from I-40 and Aviation Parkway, which cuts down on wrong turns when traffic stacks up on airport roads.
Shuttles run between Economy 3 and Terminals 1 and 2 around the clock, with typical waits in the 10–15 minute range. The ride itself usually takes about 5–7 minutes to Terminal 2 and slightly less to Terminal 1, depending on traffic at the terminal curb. Buses stop at clearly marked shelters in the lot, and each shuttle is labeled for ParkRDU so it’s hard to miss even in the dark at 05:00.
Daily rates at Economy 3 are set lower than the ParkRDU Central and Premier garages, often around half the cost of the closer options when booking ahead online. You pull a ticket or scan a reservation QR code at entry, then pay by credit card at the exit gate. If you skip a reservation and just drive up, expect to pay the posted drive-up rate for that calendar day, which can shift based on demand and events.
Economy 3 works best if you build in at least 30 extra minutes before check-in or TSA, on top of your normal airport routine. That buffer covers parking, walking to a shuttle stop, the 10–15 minute shuttle wait, and the 5–7 minute ride to either terminal. On return, remember where you boarded: the same ParkRDU shuttle line from Terminal 1 or 2 will take you back directly to Economy 3 without extra stops at other ParkRDU lots.