Denver International Airport officials on Wednesday announced record passenger and cargo traffic, maintaining a trajectory driven by growth in global connections that’s made it one of the world’s busiest airports.
DIA handled 82.4 million passengers in 2024, a 5.8% increase over 2023, the latest airport data shows.
DIA opened in 1995, built to handle a maximum 50 million travelers. Airport officials had projected a record 82 million in 2024 and they anticipate passenger traffic will hit 100 million passengers within a few years. They’re in the process of completing a $2.1 billion overhaul to be able to handle as many as 120 million travelers by 2045.
The air cargo volume in 2024 exceeded 732 million tons, up 7.4% over 2023, aiport data shows.
“As we see this kind of year-over-year growth, it’s essential that we continue to maintain and grow our infrastructure, ensure operational efficiency and safety, and provide a quality customer experience for our passengers,” DIA chief executive Phil Washington said in a statement.
DIA recorded its busiest three months in June, July and August, the data shows.
International passenger traffic set records every month. The number of international travelers at DIA reached 4.6 million in 2024, up by 15% from 2023. That’s 46% more than in 2019. Domestic passenger traffic (77.7 million in 2024), increased by 5.3% over 2023.
The latest Airports Council International statistics (through October 2024) show that DIA ranks third-busiest in the United States and sixth-busiest airport in the world.
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