Travel boom fuels record Global Entry wait times at Denver International Airport

Travelers at Denver's airport hoping to get in on the Global Entry program — designed to speed your re-entry from international trips — are in for a rude awakening.

State of play: The next available appointment at Denver International Airport is on Dec. 29, based on an Axios analysis as of Aug. 1.

• The waiting period is 61% longer than the average time to enroll in 2022.
• The time lag comes amid DIA ranking as the world's third-busiest airport, surpassing 69 million passengers last year.

Yes, but: It could be worse. A half-dozen cities, including Portland, Salt Lake City and San Diego, have wait times stretching into 2024.

The big picture: Surging international travel demand is fueling record applications and long waits for Global Entry, Axios' Kelly Tyko writes.

• Call it the summer of "revenge travel" part two, with COVID-19 restrictions largely a thing of the past and travelers wanting to make up for delayed trips.