Denver International Airport posted its busiest January ever as passenger traffic rose 5.6 percent over the same period last year.

DIA said this morning it handled 3.7 million passengers in January vs. 3.5 million in the year-ago period.

The growth pace is slower than the 9.1 percent increase DIA recorded for all of 2006, although January's numbers are still strong.

"It’s nice to start another year off with strong passenger growth," said Turner West, manager of aviation. "It goes to show we have great airline partners, good competition, and a strong market in the Rocky Mountain region."

DIA has benefited from increased service by its largest carriers, as departures and arrivals increased by 5.2 percent in January.

Cargo volume continued a long decline, dipping 10.5 percent.