Nov 12, 2026 - News
Denver airport holiday flight delays: What to know
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Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios
My wife and I booked Thanksgiving flights for our two kids, and only had to sell a couple body parts.
- 💵 Didjaknow? Holiday airfare could be the priciest in a decade.
And what do we get for all that money?
- An $18 airport sandwich?
- An intrusive neighbor?
Delays?
- 🛎️ 🛎️ 🛎️
⏳ More fun facts: There's a decent chance you'll be late getting out of DIA.
- Surprised?
By the numbers: Federal data from last November and December tells us it's true.
- Nearly a quarter of our departing flights were delayed.
- Roughly 1 in 5 arriving flights landed late.
Pro tip 1: Before booking holiday travel, use the handy — and searchable — tool (above) to spot routes and airports where delays could derail your plans.
👵🏼 Pro tip 2: If you're shipping in your mother-in-law, might I suggest routing her through Orlando?