DENVER – An increase in airport traffic could soon lead to new renovations at Denver International Airport.

According to DIA, there have been record-breaking passenger numbers each month so far this year, and the airport is expected to see about 80 million total passengers in 2024, up from 78.3 million last year.

Forecasts suggest that the number of passengers at the airport could rise to 100 million annually in just a few years.

Denver7 spoke with Jim Starling, chief construction and infrastructure officer at Denver International Airport.

He said the airport was originally designed to accommodate 50 million passengers, but renovations such as the Great Hall project have helped it keep pace with growth.

The new West Security Checkpoint opened in February and Starling said the East Security Checkpoint, which is a mirror image of that checkpoint, will open next August.

The Great Hall project is expected to be completed about six to nine months ahead of schedule in 2027. He also said it is under budget and will save several million dollars.

“The current design will be approximately $134 million under our original budget and we intend to use this money to accelerate construction on the north end of the terminal,” Starling said.

He said the area handles international travelers, adding that it has not been renovated since the airport opened. “Many airlines want to introduce new international flights, but we are limited by the size of this area,” Starling added.

The North Terminal Expansion Project would help renovate and expand that area, adding more security checkpoints and flight desks, for example, according to Starling.

Planning for this project is expected to begin next year.

While the Great Hall project prepares the airport to handle 100 million travelers over the next few years, Starling expects growth to over 120 million passengers by 2045.