Oprah Winfrey hops from Wilmington to Raleigh-Durham amid North Carolina ties

Oprah Winfrey flew from Wilmington International Airport to Raleigh-Durham International Airport on May 10, 2026, aboard her Gulfstream G700 N540W. The quick 26-minute journey, departing at 8:12 p.m. EDT, spanned roughly 100 miles at altitudes below 17,000 feet—a modest hop for the billionaire's jet.

The visit lands Oprah Winfrey in the Triangle area the same week her enduring connections to North Carolina play out through philanthropy and cultural affinity. She has long supported educational causes here, including a surprise $1 million donation to the United Negro College Fund at a Charlotte fundraiser in 2019, as covered by WCNC, and hosted a tribute to mentor Maya Angelou in Winston-Salem back in 2013.

This flight fits Oprah Winfrey's recent pattern of East Coast activity, following her April 23 trip from Santa Barbara to the Raleigh vicinity and a May 9 arrival in Wilmington from California. Such shuttles underscore her blend of media duties and giving, even if the private jet's carbon footprint draws wry scrutiny from trackers.