Denver International Airport is bracing for a busy Labor Day weekend.
More than 368,000 passengers are expected to travel through the airport’s security checkpoints from Thursday to Monday — approximately the same number of travelers during this time last year, according to a news release from Denver International Airport.
The airport predicted the busiest travel days would be Friday and Monday where more than 87,000 passengers were predicted to pass through security.
The airport recommended passengers check TSA security wait times at and arrive at the airport at least two hours prior to their boarding time. The security lines are typically the longest between 3 to 4:30 a.m., 8 to 10 a.m. and 3 to 5 p.m., according to the news release.
The Level 6 south bridge connecting the east and west terminal is temporarily closed because of ongoing construction, so passengers should arrive on the side of the terminal where their airline is located, the news release said. United Airlines is on the west side of level 6. Southwest and Frontier are on the east side. All other airlines are in the center of Level 5 through mid-2027.
The National Weather Service in Boulder forecasts scattered showers and storms each day this weekend in the afternoon and evening, so travelers should be prepared for possible flight delays.
According to AAA, Denver is the fourth most popular domestic destination for air travelers this Labor Day weekend.
Average domestic airfare increased 2% from last year, averaging $750 for a roundtrip ticket, AAA said in a news release this week. However, travelers headed to the most popular Labor Day destinations — such as Denver — can expect nearly 20% higher airfare than the previous year, averaging $790, AAA said.
Most of the folks headed to the Mile High City will be renting a car and heading to the high country, said Skyler McKinley, regional director of public affairs at AAA.
“Expect traffic out there,” McKinley said. “Just remember: You can’t be mad at traffic. You are traffic!”
Drivers can expect heavy traffic along the Front Range and on mountain highways — especially Interstate 70 west of Denver, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation. Peak westbound I-70 traffic is expected from mid-morning to early evening on Friday and early morning to mid-afternoon Saturday, according to CDOT.
Eastbound I-70 will be most congested on Labor Day from mid-morning to late afternoon, particularly between Eagle and Summit counties and Denver, CDOT said.
CDOT expects more than 46,900 vehicles per day will make their way through the Eisenhower-Johnson Memorial Tunnels this weekend. Last year, more than 180,000 vehicles passed through the Eisenhower Tunnels over the Labor Day weekend, according to CDOT.
The westbound I-70 Mountain Express Lanes will be open from Thursday through Monday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The eastbound Express Lane will run Saturday through Monday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
