RDU is bracing for its busiest Memorial Day weekend ever

If you're traveling by air this Memorial Day weekend, prepare for long lines.

By the numbers: Raleigh-Durham International Airport is predicting about 300,000 travelers between Thursday, May 23, and Tuesday, May 28 —an 8% increase in passenger traffic compared to last year.

• It's expected to be RDU's busiest Memorial Day weekend ever.

Zoom out: This year will be the most crowded Memorial Day weekend at airports since 2005, when the travel industry rebounded after 9/11, Axios' Sareen Habeshian reports , citing AAA data.

• An estimated 3.51 million people will travel nationally this weekend.

Make for a stress-free day by arriving at the airport early, checking the status of your flight before you arrive and reserving a parking spot 24 hours in advance or checking parking capacity at rdu.com .

• Pro-tip: If you're dropping folks off or picking up, both levels of Terminal 2 can be used to reduce congestion, per RDU.

Go deeper: RDU's direct flights