A Lot LESS People Traveled Through DIA Over Thanksgiving

By Melissa Moore on November 27, 2023

RALEIGH, NC – NOVEMBER 29: A scenic view of aircraft flying overhead photographed on November 29, 2010 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

It was all over the news- I was talking about it and so was everyone else.  DIA was supposed to be a zoo of people over the Thanksgiving holiday, but that didn’t happen.

First, DIA is the third busiest airport IN THE WORLD.  Let that sink in!  Next, they expected air travel at DIA to be 13% higher than last year.  

DIA just shared the actual number of people going through security, vs. the number they thought they’d see.

Wednesday, Nov. 22

Projected Travelers: 270,000

Actual: 76,359

Thursday, Nov. 23

Projected Travelers: 162,000

Actual: 36,645

Friday, Nov. 24

Projected Travelers: 253,000

Actual: 52,328

Saturday, Nov. 25

Projected Travelers: 222,000

Actual: 70,924

Sunday, Nov. 26

Projected Travelers:   276,000

Actual: hasn’t been released??

With the amount of people traveling this year alone, these numbers surprise me.  What about you?  Did you fly anywhere?  Are you planning on Friday over Christmas break?

-Melissa