Travelers on their way to holiday gatherings were pleasantly surprised by their short wait times at Denver International Airport on Wednesday.
“This is actually about the emptiest I’ve ever seen the airport,” said Jerry Biberstine as he arrived mid-morning to pick up a friend.
“I expected it to be a lot more crowded.”
A wintry storm that dropped up to 9 inches of snow in the mountains created few problems at the airport. Only about an inch of snow lay on the airport’s grassy areas.
Beth Kobeszko arrived on a flight from New Orleans and walked through the terminal with a wrapped Christmas present.
“I had no problems getting through security,” she said happily. “They just X-rayed the package.”
She was visiting a daughter, Kasia, 26, who lives in Boulder.
She said she’s not worried about the weather in Colorado.
“I love it. I just checked with Kasia, and she said there are 2 or 3 inches of snow in Boulder. I really miss the snow,” said Kobeszko, a native of Poland.
Airport officials expected 142,000 passengers to take off, land or connect through DIA on Wednesday.
“The lines are moving, and there are no long waits,” airport spokesman Chuck Cannon said. “We like it like that.”
The Transportation Security Administration added 15 security screeners at DIA for the holiday, and the move seemed to make a difference early, when it took about 20 minutes to get through.
New signs alert passengers to which lines are the shortest.
Signs also tell drivers on Peña Boulevard about available parking.
By Wednesday afternoon, the east and west economy lots and the Pikes Peak lot were full; drivers were directed to the Mount Elbert lot or the east and west garages.
On Sunday, 152,000 travelers are expected to pass through DIA.
“This will be the busiest travel day of the week,” Cannon said. “It looks like it will be good weather.”
The weekend will stay cold, with only a small chance of precipitation.
Byron Louis with the National Weather Service predicted a cold Thanksgiving that will be partly sunny, with a 10 percent chance of snow and highs in the high 20s to low 30s. Expect light winds in the morning, between 10 and 15 mph.
A slight chance of snow will continue on and off through today and Friday, but the weekend will be drier.
Temperatures will remain below normal until Sunday.
