A little more than 53 million people passed through Denver International Airport in 2014 setting an all-time record for the airport. This makes DIA the fifth busiest airport in the United States in 2014. DIA has been in operation since 1995.

DIA served an all-time high of 191 destinations around the world during 2014, surpassing the 187 destinations served during 2013. New air service in 2014 included nonstop service to Panama City, Panama, as well as Guadalajara and Chihuahua, Mexico.

Images courtesy Denver International Airport

“Ending the year with record-breaking passenger traffic demonstrates the continued strength of the Denver market for air travel,” said Denver International Airport CEO Kim Day. “DIA has the third-largest domestic network for flights, and has seen sustained growth in international passenger traffic that has been bolstered by new service to destinations around the globe such as Tokyo and Panama City. We will continue to build on this momentum as we work to add new destinations, better customer amenities and services that ensures Denver International Airport’s place on the world map.”

The airport sits 25 miles northeast of downtown Denver and a commuter rail line is currently under construction and is slated to begin operation in 2016. Rail trips are expected to whisk passengers from DIA to downtown Denver in 35 minutes with trains running every 15 minutes during peak hours.

The nexus of the commuter rail project at the airport is a transit center and a 519-room Westin hotel with a 26,000 square foot conference center are currently under construction. The transit center will provide connecting bus service and a 82,000 square foot public plaza that will be used for entertainment and events.

DIA was constructed with expansion in mind. The airport encompasses 53 square miles of land and the master plan indicates room for an additional six runways, space for new gates and another passenger terminal.