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Travelers Surprised By Short Security Lines At DIA On Memorial Day

DENVER (CBS4) - Tens of thousands of people are preparing to fly home after the long holiday weekend, and many travelers were surprised the security lines were shorter than expected considering the recent troubles with the Transportation Security Administration.

It was a steady stream of people coming in to Denver International Airport all day Monday. Travelers returning home from weekend trips prepared for delays, and instead found extra time on their hands.

"I had absolutely no trouble with holiday travel," said Denver resident Robert Harvey, who was returning from Memphis, Tennessee.

Denver International Airport DIA security line
(credit: CBS)

Harvey travels most Memorial Day Weekends.

"I was anticipating huge lines in security, nothing -- I got on in Memphis today, I think I was the only person in the airport," he said.

Returning from Dallas, Sandra Dyer Wade's family gave themselves an extra two hours.

"We expected it was going to be a lot busier than it was, lines would be longer than we encountered," said Wade, who is from Monument. "We also left very early in the morning, so that might have helped."

AAA says 13,000 more Coloradans were expected to travel this holiday over last, some taking advantage of a drop in domestic airfare, but many more -- nearly 600,000 -- hit the road instead. AAA says low gas prices helped push Memorial Day driving to its highest level since 2005.

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