Amid authorities shutdown, DIA prepares for fall break journey rush: What to know

DENVER (KDVR) — The time round fall break is often a busy journey season for Denver International Airport, and officers are getting ready for an inflow in passengers within the upcoming weeks.

While the autumn rush is typical for this time of 12 months, airport officers stated, the timing additionally aligns with a federal authorities shutdown that has already triggered delays at DIA and throughout the nation.

Employees on the Transportation Security Administration and the Federal Aviation Administration are furloughed together with most different federal staff, and a scarcity of air site visitors controllers has been in charge for some airports’ delay points, in line with U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.

Here’s what DIA officers need vacationers to know in regards to the upcoming journey rush, and what officers say about doable results on air journey throughout the shutdown.

DIA expects year-over-year improve of vacationers

From Thursday, October 9 by means of Monday, October 20, airport officers stated practically 1 million passengers, 938,000, are anticipated to journey by means of DIA’s safety checkpoints, a 5.5% improve in comparison with the identical time in 2024.

The interval traces up with fall break for college districts alongside Colorado’s Front Range, and DIA officers stated the busiest days are anticipated to be Friday, Oct. 10, and Sunday, October 12.

Will shutdown have an effect on busy fall journey at DIA?

The authorities shutdown has already triggered delays at DIA and throughout the nation, because the FAA on Monday issued a floor delay resulting from “staffing.”

Duffy beforehand stated that there was a small uptick in sick calls from controllers, and the FAA must scale back the variety of flights taking off and touchdown at airports if the scenario will get worse

FOX31 requested DIA officers in the event that they count on the shutdown to have an effect on the upcoming fall journey surge. Here is what they stated:

TSA and FAA Air Traffic Control workers are required to proceed working unpaid throughout a federal shutdown. That being stated, we can not assure that TSA and FAA staffing wouldn’t be affected. We suggest attending to the airport at the least two hours previous to boarding time and checking along with your airline instantly for any updates in your flight. Real-time TSA safety wait occasions could be discovered at Flydenver.com/safety and delays/cancellations could be discovered at FlightAware.com.”

What to learn about touring by means of DIA

DIA officers suggested vacationers of some modifications at DIA throughout this journey time, together with new safety and airline counter configurations.

All safety checkpoints are on the north finish of Jeppesen Terminal Level 6, the alternative aspect of the Westin Hotel and transit middle the place the now-nonoperational South Security checkpoint was situated.

The East and West safety checkpoints are open from 3 a.m. – 1 a.m. each day.

Additionally, most airline counters are in a brief configuration within the middle of Level 5 by means of mid-2027. the airport’s largest airline carriers, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines and Frontier Airlines are nonetheless situated on Level 6.

The bridge from Jeppesen to Concourse A can be now open once more to arriving and departing passengers who’ve been by means of safety.