Denver International Airport's (DIA) West security checkpoint, which has been under construction, will have a soft opening in late January, followed by a full opening on Feb. 6, 2024.
The checkpoint's opening comes as the airport expects to break traffic records yet again, with an expected 78 million passengers in 2023. That's about five million more passengers than originally expected this year.
The checkpoint will have the latest Transit Security Administration technology that would be able to process 250 people per lane each hour, according to DIA CEO Phil Washington. That's up from 150 people per lane at other DIA checkpoints with older technology.
The project has stretched on since 2017, after a costly split with the original Great Hall contractor in 2019. Now, Washington said the second iteration of the project with the new contractor is on track.
"We are on a very very good timeline to finish that, again, ahead of schedule," he said at a press conference Thursday. "So I think what we'll see is some relief that's coming, and so we ask the public and travelers to bear with us on that."
But the new checkpoint may not dramatically change TSA wait times in the short-term.
The airport still has work to do on the Great Hall. That means that once DIA has the West checkpoint up and running smoothly, the airport will close the North checkpoint for construction on a different portion of the Great Hall, while the South checkpoint will remain open.
Washington said that operating the West and South checkpoints together, with the North checkpoint closed, will increase capacity because of the new technology at the West checkpoint. But the airport will continue to operate just two of its three checkpoints as construction continues through 2028.
Washington recognized that long lines remain a problem. That's in part because of decreased TSA staff.
"We're on this accelerated timeline to keep up with the growth," he said. "I fully realize that that is causing some long lines for security. Our security wait times are not what I want them to be."
According to Washington, part of the problem comes from the number of roles TSA has allocated to Denver, not necessarily the airport's inability to fill them (though staffing has been an issue in the past). He said that in 2019, TSA allocated 1,012 roles to the Denver airport. In 2023, that number dropped to 941, even as traffic has risen by around 9 million based on 2023 projections.
Washington is still trying to figure out why.
"Because of the growth that we see, last year and this year, I don't quite understand why it would be less than 2019," he said. "My question is, 'What's going into the model for Denver International Airport?' That's what I want to know."
TSA spokesperson Lorie Dankers said it has to do with changing efficiency.
"TSA staffing numbers fluctuate from year to year, also we have new equipment that increases new efficiencies," she said. "We have enough staff to keep the lanes open during peak times, and we need all of the lanes. That's our commitment, that's what we do. Obviously it's very busy at Denver during certain times of the day, certain days of the week. We staff for that accordingly and we're able to do so."
Washington said he plans to convene with TSA leaders to look at the staffing model for Denver.
Washington also announced that the airport is in talks with Ethiopian Airlines.
The partnership would be the latest international expansion, after the recent announcements that DIA will add direct, budget flights to Monterrey, Mexico and Dublin, Ireland starting in 2024.
"We will continue to be aggressive," Washington said. "We are pursuing direct flights to the continent of Africa. We have had discussions with Ethiopian Airlines, and we see that happening as well very, very soon."
All the expansions come as airport passenger traffic grows faster than many officials expected.
DIA officials knew the airport would reach 100 million passengers in the next few years, but initial projections put that date at 2032. Now, the airport is on track to hit that figure in 2027. DIA was the third busiest airport in the world in 2022, and has already hit traffic records again this year.
That means that in addition to planning for the short term, DIA is figuring out how to accommodate 120 million passengers by 2045. Washington said that will mean four new concourses and 100 new gates in the next few decades.
"I think it has surprised everybody," he said about the growth. "I think it has surprised the entire country."
Editor's note: This article was updated to include comment from TSA spokesperson Lorie Dankers.
