is bracing for a spring break surge with more than 1.3 million air travelers moving through security checkpoints amid concerns that the partial government shutdown, leaving security officers unpaid, will lead to long lines.
This week, at DIA remained mostly under eight minutes.
The shutdown that began on Feb. 14 — due to a fight over restrictions on immigration operations — means officers will miss their first full paychecks this weekend. They’ve been ordered to work without pay, as they were during a 43-day shutdown last year.
TSA disruptions hit hard at airports in Atlanta, Houston, and New Orleans, forcing thousands of travelers to wait for up to three hours.
TSA officials did not respond to questions about staffing levels and the impact of the shutdown at DIA.
The agency forecasts 1.3 million passengers will move through DIA’s security checkpoints between Wednesday and March 29, 2026. The busiest travel days will likely be Fridays and Sundays, DIA officials said.
Denver officials to check TSA security wait times online (FlyDenver.com/security) and to arrive inside the airport at least two hours before boarding. “Security wait times can change quickly, and there is the potential for longer lines, especially during peak times (3 to 4:30 a.m., 8 to 10 a.m., and 3 to 5 p.m.),” officials said Tuesday in a statement.
DIA relies on state-of-the-art east and west side security checkpoints, installed as part of a $2.1 billion overhaul that is scheduled for completion next year.
U.S. Rep. Brittany Pettersen on Tuesday called on Congress to pass to ensure TSA officers are paid during government shutdowns.
