DENVER — When Denver International Airport CEO Phil Washington announced the Vision 100 plan in 2021, he expected the airport to reach 100 million annual passengers by 2032.
Now, with a significant spike in Denver-based travel — with 36.5 million passengers in the first half of 2023, a 13.6% increase from the first half of 2022, to be exact — that 100-million milestone looks to become the annual norm by 2027.
The retooling and expansion needed to keep up with that demand is being pushed along the track.
"We're on this accelerated timeline to keep up with the growth," Washington said in a quarterly media briefing Wednesday. This timeline includes the Great Hall Project, a rebuilding of facilities like restrooms, new check-in areas and a new security checkpoint.
Washington harkened it to renovating a house while you are still living in it.
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