Airline passengers describe frustrations during travel nightmare at Denver International Airport

Travelers were doing their best to keep smiles on their faces on Monday at Denver International Airport as the joys of the holidays were erased early in the morning.

"Got in the car, looked at the app, and it said you're flight has been canceled," said Barbara Porter.

The message was shared by the hundred of travelers who were waiting in line for hours to rebook their flights.

"I was on the phone for 2 1/2 hours before I gave up. It's just ridiculous," said James Baker, who said he had been waiting for a flight out of Denver since Dec. 23.

In the Southwest Airlines area of the airport, passengers were placed in two different lines. The first line was to check in your bags to leave on a flight. The other line was if your flight was canceled and travelers didn't know exactly when they would be able to leave.

"The thing that bothers me is I looked online it shows that Southwest declared a state of emergency on Dec. 21. And they still had us fly to Denver for that flight to cancel. And I'm like 'Why did you send us out here?'" Baker said. "'Why did you send us here to this place that had an emergency?' I mean, it's just a little wild."

Baker had to spend Christmas Day in a hotel in Aurora. Airreana Chavez, on the other hand, is trying to fly out to Orlando for a special occasion.

"It's actually our anniversary," Chavez said.

She hopes to rebook a flight to the Sunshine State to celebrate their second anniversary.

"I have a whole trip planned and (I'm) a little frustrated, a little annoyed. Lines are long, I'm tired," she said.

"We're going to spend our anniversary in the airport."