Denver International Airport

Denver International Airport is an international airport in the Western United States, primarily serving metropolitan Denver, Colorado, as well as the greater Front Range Urban Corridor.

Runway 16R/34L, with a length of 16000 ft (4877 m), is the longest public use runway in North America and the fifth longest in the world. The airport is driving distance northeast of Downtown Denver, farther than the former Stapleton International Airport which DEN replaced; the airport is actually closer to the city of Aurora than central Denver, and many airport-related services, such as hotels, are located in Aurora. The airport has been the largest operating hub for Frontier Airlines and Southwest Airlines for several years and, as of 2024, DEN has eclipsed Chicago's O'Hare International Airport as the largest operating hub for United Airlines as well. The Colorado Department of Transportation's 2025 Economic Impact Study estimated that the airport contributes $47.2 billion annually to Colorado's economy and, with over 40,000 employees, the airport is the largest employer in the state of Colorado. The airport is located on the western edge of the Great Plains and within sight of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains.

In 2021 and 2022, DEN was the third busiest airport in the world as well as the third busiest airport in the United States by passenger traffic. In 2023, it was the sixth busiest airport in the world and remained the third busiest in the United States, having served around 77.8 million passengers, more than a 12% increase from the prior year. DEN has been among the top 20 busiest airports in the world and top 10 busiest airports in the United States every year since 2000.

In 2025, DEN set an all-time passenger record with 82,427,962 passengers served, up 0.1% over the previous record set in 2024.

History

thumb|View of Denver Airport (back) and Westin Hotel (front) in April 2016.

thumb|Aerial view in 2002 when runway 16R/34L was under construction

thumb|Aerial view of Jeppesen Terminal in 2025

Denver has traditionally been home to one of the busier airports in the United States because its midcontinent location was ideal for an airline hub. Several airlines, notably United Airlines and Continental Airlines, had hubs at the former Stapleton International Airport, helping make it the sixth-busiest airport in the country by the 1960s. However, Stapleton had little room to add more flights and its runways were too close together, which led to long delays and nationwide travel disruptions in bad weather.

From 1980 to 1983, the Denver Regional Council of Governments investigated areas for a new area airport north and east of Denver. Meanwhile, in 1983, Federico Peña was elected mayor of Denver, campaigning on a plan to expand Stapleton onto Rocky Mountain Arsenal lands. The plan had broad support, but leaders in nearby Adams County threatened to sue over noise concerns. At the time United was refusing to move to the new airport over the high proposed fees. The airline finally relented under the condition that the airport include an automated baggage system.

In April 1994, the city invited reporters to observe the first test of the new automated baggage system. Reporters were treated to scenes of clothing and other personal effects scattered beneath the system's tracks and carts that would often toss the luggage right off the system. After the embarrassing preview, the mayor cancelled the planned May opening. The baggage system continued to be a maintenance hassle and was finally terminated in September 2005, with traditional baggage handlers manually handling cargo and passenger luggage.

DEN finally replaced Stapleton on February 28, 1995, 16 months behind schedule and at a cost of $4.8 billion (equivalent to $ billion ), nearly $2 billion over budget ($ billion ). The construction employed 11,000 workers. United Airlines Flight 1062 to Kansas City International Airport was the first to depart DEN and United Flight 1474 from Colorado Springs Airport was the first to arrive at the new airport.

In September 2003, runway 16R/34L was added, the airport's sixth and at , it is longer than the other runways. Its length, exceeded by only six other runways in the world, allows fully laden Airbus A380s and Boeing 747-8s to take off in the hot and high conditions at the airport, which is roughly above sea level.

During a blizzard on March 17–19, 2003, the weight of heavy snow tore a hole in the terminal's white fabric roof, and over of snow on paved areas closed the airport and its main access road (Peña Boulevard) for almost two days, stranding several thousand people. Another blizzard on December 20–21, 2006, dumped over of snow in about 24 hours. The airport was closed for more than 45 hours, stranding thousands. Following this, the airport invested heavily in new snow-removal equipment that has led to a dramatic reduction in runway occupancy times to clear snow, down from an average of 45 minutes in 2006 to just 15 minutes. In 2020, the airport was awarded the Balchen/Post award, which is presented by the Northeast Chapter of the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) for the outstanding snow and ice removal operation during difficult winter conditions.

After shunning DEN for over a decade for its high fees, Southwest Airlines entered the airport in January 2006 with 13 daily flights. Southwest has since rapidly expanded and is now the airport's second-largest carrier after United.

On November 19, 2015, a Westin hotel was added to the airport and on April 22, 2016, DEN received commuter rail service to Denver Union Station with the opening of RTD's A Line.

On September 9, 2015, a political campaign was launched by Mayor Michael Hancock to radically expand commercial development at DEN, previously prohibited by intergovernmental agreement between Denver and Adams County. The changes to the agreement were approved by both Denver and Adams County voters in November 2015.

In 2018, work began on a major interior renovation and reconfiguration to the entire Jeppesen Terminal including the beginning phases of construction to relocate all TSA security checkpoints from the A-Bridge and Great Hall on Level 5 (North and South) to Level 6 (East & West) while simultaneously updating and consolidating airline ticket counters/check-in for all airlines. Eventually, both pre- and post-security gathering and leisure areas will be incorporated into the spaces where both expansive TSA security areas on Level 5 were previously located. The renovation and reconfiguration will bring back the original intent and use of the Great Hall as a large commons area for airport patrons and visitors to enjoy. In early February 2024, the first of two new security screening areas (West Security on Level 6) opened to the public and North Security closed permanently. In early August 2025, the new East Security, directly across the Great Hall from West, opened ahead of schedule and South Security closed permanently, officially moving all security to Level 6. Simultaneously, the A-Bridge, previously the location of a small security checkpoint, reopened, now serving as a post-security alternative to the train for passengers departing from A gates. , the phased terminal project was expected to be completed by 2028; however, a 2025 press release shared that the project has been moving ahead of schedule and is now projected to be complete in 2027.

Additionally in 2018, work commenced on a major gate expansion to all three concourses with 12 new gates being added to A (including several single and double-jetway gates with direct access to U.S. Customs and Border Protection), 11 to B, and 16 to C, for a total of 39 new gates. Following the completion of the project in 2020, United Airlines made plans to lease 24 additional gates on both A and B (which would bring its total gate count at DEN to around 90), as well as build a new United Club in Concourse A and expand their existing clubs in B. Southwest Airlines leased 16 of the new gates in C bringing its total gate count at DEN to 40, which is SWA's largest gate count at any single airport. By November 2022, all new gates in A-West, B-West, B-East and C-East were in use. New retail and restaurant tenants continued to open through 2024, as well as new art that will be commissioned and installed through 2025. Additionally, all existing way-finding signs, flight information display systems and gate signs were replaced after 2017 matching what is found at the new gates and within the renovated portions of the terminal. When both the ongoing terminal and concourse projects are completed, the airport will be able to handle upwards of 100 million passengers per year.

On August 20, 2021, the airport experienced a mechanical failure of its train system that caused significant delays. In response, a request for information from the private sector was issued to analyze options to possibly supplement the train system in the future. By 2023, several companies proposed their ideas to transport passengers.

In 2022, a committee was formed to support efforts to establish flights between Denver and Africa. A public survey was conducted but results were not released and, to date, no direct flights to Africa have been established.

In August 2022, DEN broke ground on an additional gate expansion project that would bring a total of 14 ground-loaded/tarmac gates to the east end of Concourse A to be used solely for Frontier Airlines operations. Originally constructed in 2018 as temporary regional gates for United Airlines, this A-East wing was vacated by United earlier in 2022, making way for the renovation and expansion of the Frontier gates. It is intended to be removed once a more permanent A-East expansion (similar to what recently opened in A-West) occurs at an unknown future date. The renovated and expanded Concourse A-East wing officially opened summer 2024 and resulted in a gain of four gates for Frontier Airlines.

In December 2023 DEN started construction on a new 'Center of Equity and Excellence in Aviation' which will help under-served communities and prepare current and future employees for a career in aviation. The CEEA will be located directly below the Westin Hotel and DEN Plaza. Construction reached substantial completion in 2025, with the broader Great Hall Program expected to be completed by the end of 2027.

In late 2023, the airport laid out preliminary plans to add four new concourses with 100 more gates east and west of the terminal by 2045. The project is being referred to as 'Operation 2045' and will help support the airport's goal of serving over 125 million passengers annually by that time.

On April 30, 2025, DEN welcomed the Airbus A380 for the first time for regular commercial service operated by Lufthansa. The aircraft arrived from Munich International Airport (MUC) at 1:45 pm local time and departed back to Munich at 4:15 pm. Lufthansa ran daily A380 flights from DEN to Munich until September 30.

In May of 2026, DEN announced preliminary plans to build pedestrian tunnels to transport passengers between the terminal and concourses to provide an alternative to taking the trains. This is because the trains are at capacity and when outages occur, it severely affects passengers, leaving many stranded at a station, missing their flight. No official plans have been released, but the price is expected to be around $300 million to $700 million. Construction is expected to start in 2027 and last through 2028 or 2029.

Facilities

alt=The Air Traffic Control Tower at Denver International Airport with a United Airlines Boeing 737-800 below.|thumb|The [[Air traffic control|Air Traffic Control Tower and Concourse C at Denver International Airport with a United Airlines Boeing 737-800 taxiing below in March 2018.]]

The airport is from Downtown Denver, which is farther away than Stapleton International Airport, the airport DEN replaced. of land owned by DEN is the largest amount of commercial airport land area in North America, by a great extent. DEN is so large that in terms of airports, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, Chicago O'Hare International Airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and Los Angeles International Airport can fit into the airport's expansive property. The land, transferred from Adams County to Denver after a 1989 vote, increased the city's size by 50 percent and bifurcated the western portion of the neighboring county. All freeway traffic accessing the airport from central Denver leaves the city and passes through Aurora for nearly , making the airport a practical exclave. Similarly, the A Line rail service connecting the airport with downtown Denver has two intervening stations in Aurora.

Terminal

DEN has one terminal, named the Jeppesen Terminal after aviation safety pioneer Elrey Borge Jeppesen, and three midfield concourses, spaced far apart. The three midfield concourses have a total of 169 gates in operation as of early 2025. Concourse A is accessible via a pedestrian bridge directly from the terminal building, as well as via the underground train system that services all three concourses. For access to Concourses B and C, passengers must utilize the train. All international arrivals without border pre-clearance are processed in Concourse A; this concourse also has four 3-jetway international gates that can support ADG Group VI aircraft such as an Airbus A380 and a Boeing 747-8, the two largest commercial aircraft in the world.

Concourse A is used by Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines, JetBlue, United Airlines (including all international arrivals), and all international carriers. It has 60 gates, including several ground-level boarding and double jetway gates.
Concourse B is solely used for United Airlines flights. It has 72 gates, including four double jetways and several regional gates.

Art and aesthetics

thumb|The Teflon-coated fiberglass roof of Denver International Airport alludes to the [[Rocky Mountains.]]

The Jeppesen Terminal's internationally recognized peaked roof, designed by Fentress Bradburn Architects, resembles snow-capped mountains and evokes the early history of Colorado when Native American teepees were located across the Great Plains. The catenary steel cable system, similar to the Brooklyn Bridge design, supports the fabric roof. DEN is also known for a pedestrian bridge connecting the terminal to Concourse A that allows travelers to walk from the main Terminal to Concourse A, while viewing planes taxiing beneath them. It offers views of the Rocky Mountains to the west and the high plains to the east.

Denver's public art program (which is financed by a mandatory 1% capital improvement budget) has resulted in a significant number of artworks being installed at the airport. The artwork includes sculptures, murals, photos, sound art and paintings.

The airport features a bronze statue of Denver native Jack Swigert by Loveland, Colorado, artist George Lundeen in Concourse B. Swigert flew on Apollo 13 as Command Module Pilot, and was elected to the House of Representatives in 1982, but died of cancer before he was sworn in. The statue is dressed in an A7L pressure suit, and is posed holding a gold-plated helmet. It is a duplicate of a statue placed at the United States Capitol in 1997. George Lundeen is also the sculptor of The Aviator, a monumental bronze sculpture of Elrey Borge Jeppesen, for whom the terminal is named.

Denver International Airport has four murals by the Chicano artist Leo Tanguma. Children of the World Dream of Peace is in two-parts. The first depicts the horrors of war, with a man in a gasmask brandishing a saber. The second, larger part shows this man toppled, and smiling children from many nations making swords into plowshares; Tanguma explains this is a reference to the Book of Isaiah 2:4:<blockquote>...and they shall beat their swords into plowshares—nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more. </blockquote>Per Denver Public Art:<blockquote>"Children of the World Dream of Peace" is a powerful mural expressing the artist's desire to abolish violence in society. One section of the piece speaks to the tragedy and devastation of war and its impact on humanity. The mural then moves on to images of smiling children, dressed in traditional folk costumes from around the world, celebrating peace prevailing over war.</blockquote>In Peace and Harmony With Nature is also in two parts; Denver Public Art explains that:<blockquote>The first half of the mural shows children displaying great sadness over the destruction and extinction of life, as the second half of the artwork depicts humanity coming together to rehabilitate and celebrate nature.</blockquote>Tanguma confirms this was his intent.

In March 2019, the airport unveiled an animated, talking gargoyle in the middle of one of the concourses. The gargoyle interacted with passengers and joked about the supposed conspiracies connected to the airport.

Blue Mustang, by El Paso-born artist Luis Jiménez, was one of the earliest public art commissions for Denver International Airport in 1993. The sculpture is a bright blue cast-fiberglass sculpture of a horse with glowing red eyes located between the inbound and outbound lanes of Peña Boulevard. Jiménez was killed in 2006 at age 65 while creating the sculpture when a part of it fell on him and severed an artery in his leg. At the time of his death, Jiménez had completed painting the head of the mustang. Blue Mustang was completed by others, and unveiled at the airport on February 11, 2008. The statue has been the subject of considerable controversy, and has acquired the nickname Blucifer for its demonic appearance.

Ground transportation

The Regional Transportation District (RTD) operates the A Line rail service between DEN and Denver Union Station in downtown Denver, making the 37 minute trip about every 15 minutes. RTD also operates an airport express bus service called skyRide between Arapahoe County or Boulder and DEN. There is also hourly service to Thornton on RTD route 104L, a limited stop bus. The airport is also served by two commuter routes with just a few runs per day: RTD route 145X to Brighton and 169L to Aurora.

Scheduled bus service is also available to points such as Fort Collins, and van services stretch into Nebraska, Wyoming, and Colorado summer and ski resort areas. Amtrak offers a Fly-Rail plan for ticketing with United Airlines for trips into scenic areas in the Western U.S. via a Denver stopover.

The airport is connected to I-70 and Denver via the Peña Boulevard freeway. A number of car rental companies are located at the airport, providing courtesy shuttle services from Jeppesen Terminal Level 5, Island 4, to their parking areas.

The airport claims that it is completely accessible to bicycling travelers. The city of Denver's designated bike route consists of the non-separated shoulders of the 65-mph Peña Boulevard freeway, a route which Denver's former bicycle planner James Mackay has called "a facade, an appearance, a deceit, a contrivance." The airport suggests that cyclists who prefer a less-traveled route may use 56th Avenue to Valleyhead Road, In 2019, an animatronic gargoyle named Gregoriden, or Greg for short, that randomly makes statements such as "welcome to Illuminati headquarters"

| Aeroméxico | Mexico City–Benito Juárez Monterrey

| Air Canada | Montréal–Trudeau, Toronto-Pearson

| Air Canada Express | Vancouver

| Air France |Seasonal: Paris–Charles de Gaulle

| Alaska Airlines | Portland (OR), San Diego, Seattle/Tacoma Seasonal: Anchorage

| Allegiant Air | Allentown, Appleton, Asheville, Destin/Fort Walton Beach Seasonal: Cincinnati, Knoxville, Peoria

| American Airlines | Charlotte, Chicago–O'Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth, Miami, Philadelphia, Phoenix–Sky Harbor Seasonal: Dallas/Fort Worth

| British Airways | London–Heathrow

| Cayman Airways | Seasonal: Grand Cayman

| Contour Airlines | Carlsbad (NM), Moab, Ruidoso (begins June 25, 2026), Vernal

| Copa Airlines | Panama City–Tocumen

| Delta Air Lines | Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Los Angeles, Minneapolis/St. Paul, New York–JFK, New York–LaGuardia, Salt Lake City, Seattle/Tacoma

| Delta Connection | Austin

| | Alamosa, Alliance, Chadron, Clovis (NM), Cortez, McCook, Pueblo, Telluride (CO)

| Frontier Airlines | Atlanta, Austin, Boise, Burbank, Cancún, Cedar Rapids/Iowa City, Charlotte, Chicago–Midway, Chicago–O'Hare, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Corpus Christi, Dallas/Fort Worth, Des Moines, Detroit, El Paso, Fargo, Fayetteville/Bentonville, Houston–Hobby, Houston–Intercontinental, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Knoxville, Las Vegas, Little Rock, Madison, Memphis, Miami, Milwaukee, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Missoula, Nashville, New Orleans, New York–LaGuardia, Oklahoma City, Omaha, Ontario, Orange County, Orlando, Pensacola, Philadelphia, Phoenix–Sky Harbor, Portland (OR), Raleigh/Durham, Reno/Tahoe, Richmond, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle/Tacoma, Sioux Falls, Spokane, St. Louis, Tampa, Tucson, Tulsa, Seasonal: Baltimore, Buffalo, Columbus–Glenn, Fort Myers, Jacksonville (FL), Puerto Vallarta, San José del Cabo

| Icelandair | Reykjavík–Keflavík

| JetBlue | Boston, New York–JFK

| Lufthansa | Frankfurt, Munich

| Southwest Airlines | Albuquerque, Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Birmingham (AL), Boise, Boston, Bozeman, Burbank, Cancún, Chicago–Midway, Chicago–O'Hare (ends June 4, 2026), Cincinnati, Cleveland, Colorado Springs, Columbus–Glenn, Dallas–Love, Des Moines, Detroit, El Paso, Fort Lauderdale, Fresno, Grand Rapids, Hayden/Steamboat Springs, Houston–Hobby, Indianapolis, Jacksonville (FL), Kansas City, Las Vegas, Little Rock, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Louisville, Lubbock, Memphis, Miami, Midland/Odessa, Milwaukee, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Montrose, Nashville, New Orleans, New York–LaGuardia, Oakland, Oklahoma City, Ontario, Orange County (CA), Orlando, Palm Springs, Philadelphia, Phoenix–Sky Harbor, Portland (OR), Puerto Vallarta, Raleigh/Durham, Reno/Tahoe, Richmond, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose (CA), San José del Cabo, Santa Barbara, Santa Rosa, Seattle/Tacoma, Spokane, St. Louis, Tampa, Tucson, Tulsa, Washington–Dulles (ends June 4, 2026), Wichita Seasonal: Albany, Belize City, Fort Myers, Greenville/Spartanburg, Hartford, Liberia (CR), Myrtle Beach, Norfolk, Panama City (FL), Pensacola, Providence, San José (CR), Sarasota, Savannah

| Sun Country Airlines | Minneapolis/St. Paul

| Turkish Airlines | Istanbul

| United Airlines | Albany, Albuquerque, Appleton, Anchorage, Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Billings, Boise, Calgary, Cancún, Charleston (SC), Chicago–O'Hare, Cleveland, Colorado Springs, Dallas/Fort Worth, Durango (CO), Edmonton, El Paso, Fayetteville/Bentonville, Fresno, Glacier Park/Kalispell, Grand Junction, Greenville/Spartanburg, Hartford, Hayden/Steamboat Springs, Honolulu, Houston–Intercontinental, Indianapolis, Jackson Hole, Kahului, Kailua-Kona, Las Vegas, Little Rock, London–Heathrow, Louisville, Madison, Medford, Miami, Milwaukee, Missoula, Montego Bay, Montrose, Munich, Nashville, New Orleans, New York–LaGuardia, Newark, Norfolk, Omaha, Orange County, Orlando, Pensacola, Phoenix–Sky Harbor, Portland (OR), Puerto Vallarta, Raleigh/Durham, Rapid City, Redmond/Bend, Reno/Tahoe, Richmond, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose (CA), San José del Cabo, San Juan, Savannah, Sioux Falls, Spokane, St. Louis, Syracuse, Tokyo–Narita, Tucson, Vancouver, Washington–Dulles, Washington–National, Wichita Seasonal: Belize City, Burlington (VT), Cozumel, Great Falls, Liberia (CR), Myrtle Beach, Nassau, Oklahoma City, Rome–Fiumicino, San José (CR), Traverse City, West Palm Beach

| United Express | Abilene, Albuquerque, Appleton, Asheville, Aspen, Bakersfield, Billings, Bismarck, Bozeman, Butte, Casper, Cheyenne, Cody, Colorado Springs, Dayton, Devils Lake, Dickinson, Durango (CO), Eagle/Vail, Eureka, Fargo, Fayetteville/Bentonville, Fresno, Glacier Park/Kalispell, Grand Junction, Great Falls, Greenville/Spartanburg, Hayden/Steamboat Springs, Helena, Hobbs, Huntsville, Idaho Falls, Jackson Hole, Jamestown (ND), Joplin, Kansas City, Kearney, Knoxville, Lexington, Lincoln, Little Rock, Lubbock, Minot, Monterey, Montrose, North Platte, Oklahoma City, Palm Springs, Panama City (FL), Prescott, Rapid City, Rock Springs, Salina, Salt Lake City, San Luis Obispo, Scottsbluff, Sheridan (WY), Sioux City, Sioux Falls, St. George (UT), Sun Valley, Tri-Cities (WA), Tulsa, Wichita, Seasonal: Bishop, Chattanooga, Eugene, Harlingen, Medford, Milwaukee, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Omaha, Santa Barbara, West Yellowstone, Wilmington (NC)

| Volaris | Chihuahua, Mexico City–Benito Juárez, Querétaro, (begins June 3, 2026)

| WestJet | Seasonal: Calgary

! Rank

! City

! Passengers

! Carriers

| 1

| Phoenix–Sky Harbor, Arizona

| 1,196,470

| American, Frontier, Southwest, United

| 2

| Chicago–O'Hare, Illinois

| 1,026,520

| American, Frontier, Southwest, United

| 3

| Las Vegas, Nevada

| 999,960

| Frontier, Southwest, United

| 4

| Los Angeles, California

| 991,460

| American, Delta, Frontier, Southwest, United

| 5

| Seattle/Tacoma, Washington

| 915,820

| Alaska, Delta, Frontier, Southwest, United

| 6

| San Francisco, California

| 910,200

| Frontier, Southwest, United

| 7

| Salt Lake City, Utah

| 908,650

| Delta, Frontier, Southwest, United

| 8

| Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas

| 872,360

| American, Frontier, United

| 9

| Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota

| 865,760

| Delta, Frontier, Southwest, Sun Country, United

| 10

| Atlanta, Georgia

| 845,410

| Delta, Frontier, Southwest, United

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 95%"

|+ Busiest international routes from DEN (July 2024 – June 2025)

! Rank

! Airport

! Passengers

! Carriers

| 1

| Cancún, Mexico

| 545,633

| Frontier, Southwest, United

| 2

| Vancouver, Canada

| 423,759

| Air Canada, United

| 3

| London–Heathrow, United Kingdom

| 413,180

| British Airways, United

| 4

| Frankfurt, Germany

| 327,804

| Lufthansa, United

| 5

| Munich, Germany

| 300,924

| Lufthansa, United

| 6

| Toronto–Pearson, Canada

| 296,817

| Air Canada, United

| 7

| Calgary, Canada

| 290,530

| United, WestJet

| 8

| San José del Cabo, Mexico

| 265,508

| Frontier, Southwest, United

| 9

| Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

| 226,952

| Frontier, Southwest, United

| 10

| Mexico City, Mexico

| 220,015

| Aeroméxico, Volaris

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size: 95%"

|+ Largest Airlines at DEN (October 2024 – September 2025)'

!Rank

!Airline

!Passengers

!Share

| 1

| United Airlines

| 41,020,383

| 49.9%

| 2

| Southwest Airlines

| 24,099,583

| 29.3%

| 3

| Frontier Airlines

| 7,693,194

| 9.4%

| 4

| Delta Air Lines

| 3,370,906

| 4.1%

| 5

| American Airlines

| 2,824,681

| 3.4%

|–

| Other Airlines

| 3,233,016

| 3.9%

Annual traffic

{| class="wikitable"

|+ Annual passenger traffic at DEN, 1995–present

! Year

! Passengers

! Year

! Passengers

! Year

! Passengers

! Year

! Passengers

|1995

|31,067,498

|2005

|43,387,369

|2015

|54,014,502

|2025

|82,427,962

| 1996||32,296,174||2006||47,326,506||2016||58,266,515||2026||

| 1997||34,969,837||2007||49,863,352||2017||61,379,396||2027||

| 1998||36,831,400||2008||51,245,334||2018||64,494,613||2028||

| 1999||38,034,017||2009||50,167,485||2019||69,015,703||2029||

| 2000||38,751,687||2010||51,985,038||2020||33,741,129||2030||

| 2001||36,092,806||2011||52,849,132||2021||58,828,552||2031||

| 2002||35,652,084||2012||53,156,278||2022||69,286,461||2032||

| 2003||37,505,267||2013||52,556,359||2023||77,837,917||2033||

| 2004||42,275,913||2014||53,472,514||2024||82,358,744||2034

Accidents and incidents

On December 20, 2008, Continental Airlines Flight 1404, a Boeing 737-500 bound for George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, departed the left side of runway 34R during the takeoff roll during high (30 knots) crosswinds. A post-crash fire ensued. There were 6 serious injuries and 41 minor injuries, and 68 passengers were uninjured. There were no fatalities. The aircraft was destroyed and written off. The captain's cessation of right rudder input during takeoff was the major cause of the accident.
On May 8, 2026, Frontier Airlines Flight 4345, an Airbus A321neo bound for Los Angeles International Airport was taking off on runway 17L when it struck and killed a trespasser who had jumped over the perimeter fence. The aircraft stopped on the runway. The collision caused an engine fire, prompting passengers to evacuate via the escape slides.

References

External links

Denver International Airport aviation weather
A Local's Guide to Denver International Airport Conspiracy Theories, Denver Public Library

History

Facilities

Terminal

Art and aesthetics

Ground transportation

Airline market share

Annual traffic

Accidents and incidents

See also

References

External links