Denver Airport Layout: A Sprawling Transportation Hub

Denver International Airport (DEN) is the largest airport in North America by surface area and the second-largest globally. The airport covers 33,531 acres (52.4 square miles or 135.7 square kilometres) of land. DEN has one terminal, the Jeppesen Terminal, and three midfield concourses. The airport has six runways, with plans to expand to 12, and is one of the busiest airports in the world.

The airport's size

Denver International Airport (DEN) is a major airport in the Western United States, serving metropolitan Denver, Colorado, and the greater Front Range Urban Corridor. It is located 23 to 25 miles northeast of Downtown Denver and is the primary hub for United Airlines, as well as the largest operating base for Frontier Airlines and Southwest Airlines.

The airport is enormous, covering 33,531 acres (approximately 52.4 square miles or 135.7 square kilometres), making it the largest airport in North America by surface area and the second-largest in the world. To put this into perspective, Denver Airport is nearly twice the size of Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, its closest US counterpart in size. It is also larger than the island of Manhattan and the city of Boston.

The airport has an efficient runway layout with six non-intersecting runways, with room for six more, for a total of twelve. Runway 16R/34L is the longest public-use runway in North America, measuring 16,000 feet (3.03 miles or 4.88 kilometres) in length, and is the seventh-longest runway in the world. It can accommodate the largest planes, such as the Airbus A380. The vast size of the airport and its runways are partly due to safety considerations, as the airport's high elevation and hot and high conditions require longer runways for aircraft to take off safely.

Denver Airport's single terminal, the Jeppesen Terminal, is a massive structure with 2.6 million square feet of space and a 240,000-square-foot tent roof. The terminal has multiple levels, with baggage claims on Level 4 and the South Security Checkpoint, baggage carousels, and transportation options on Level 5. The airport has three concourses (Gates A, B, and C) beyond security screening, providing access to the airline gates.

Runway 16R/34L

The $166 million runway was completed in 2003, six weeks ahead of schedule, despite the short construction seasons in Denver. It was designed to provide a balanced airfield operation, with room for up to 12 runways in total. The runway is typically used for departures only, ensuring that even the largest aircraft can depart fully loaded. However, there are rare instances where it is used for arrivals, usually in VMC conditions when the airport is in a south configuration.

Denver International Airport is located 23-25 miles northeast of Downtown Denver and is the largest airport in the Western Hemisphere by land area, covering 33,500-34,000 acres or 52.38-52.4 square miles (135.66-136 square kilometres). The airport is a major hub for United Airlines and is the largest operating base for Frontier Airlines and Southwest Airlines. It is also the largest employer in Colorado, with over 40,000 employees.

Jeppesen Terminal

The Jeppesen Terminal is the only terminal at Denver International Airport. It is a huge structure with 2.6 million square feet of space, covered by a 240,000 square foot tent roof. The terminal is named after aviation safety pioneer Elrey Borge Jeppesen. The roof's design, by Fentress Bradburn Architects, is internationally recognised and resembles snow-capped mountains. The structure is supported by a catenary steel cable system, similar to the Brooklyn Bridge design.

The Jeppesen Terminal features three concourses, Gates A, B, and C, which are accessible via a train system. The terminal includes areas for passenger drop-off and pick-up, check-in, baggage claim, security screening and gate access. The terminal is divided into West and East sides, with even-numbered doors on the west and odd-numbered doors on the east.

Passengers arriving by car will do so via Peña Boulevard, which divides into three levels for arrivals, departures and passenger pick-ups. Level 4 is for arrivals and departures, Level 5 is for departures and Level 6 is for arrivals. The South Security Checkpoint is on Level 5, and the West Security Checkpoint is on Level 6. After passing through security, passengers take the train to the gates, with the farthest gates in Concourse C less than a ten-minute train ride away.

The Jeppesen Terminal has been undergoing renovation and expansion since 2018, with plans to expand the number of check-in and TSA counters by 2045.

Location and surroundings

Denver International Airport (DEN) is located 23 to 25 miles northeast of downtown Denver, Colorado, in the Western United States. The airport is 19 to 24 miles farther from the city centre than the former Stapleton International Airport, which DEN replaced. The airport is closer to the City of Aurora than central Denver, and many airport-related services, such as hotels, are located in Aurora.

The airport is situated on the western edge of the Great Plains, within sight of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. It is located 24 miles from central Denver due to noise concerns and fears of limited expansion in the future. The airport occupies 33,531 acres of land, making it the largest airport in the Western Hemisphere and the second-largest in the world by land area. It is larger than the island of Manhattan and the city of Boston.

DEN has one terminal, the Jeppesen Terminal, named after aviation safety pioneer Elrey Borge Jeppesen. The terminal is a massive structure with 2.6 million square feet of space, covered by a 240,000-square-foot tent roof. It has six levels, with Level 4 accessible by elevators, escalators, or stairs, and even-numbered doors on the west side and odd-numbered doors on the east side. Level 5 is where passengers will find the South Security Checkpoint, baggage carousels, taxi cabs, ride-share services, and rental car and hotel shuttles.

The airport has three midfield concourses (Gates A, B, and C) beyond the security screening, providing access to the airline gates. Concourse A contains gates A26 through A87, as well as restaurants and shops, and is where all international flights arrive. Concourse B also features various restaurants and concessions. The train trip from the terminal to Concourse C takes less than ten minutes.

Denver Airport's future

Covering 33,531 acres (52.4 sq mi; 135.7 km2), the Denver International Airport (DIA) is the largest airport in the Western Hemisphere by land area. It is also the second-largest airport in the world, only behind King Fahd International Airport. With six runways, four north-south and two east-west, and room for six more, DIA has one of the most efficient runway layouts in the United States.

DIA is a major hub for United Airlines and the largest operating base for Frontier and Southwest Airlines. With over 40,000 employees, it is the largest employer in Colorado. In 2023, the airport set a record for passenger traffic, serving over 78 million passengers.

DIA has ambitious growth plans, encapsulated in the Vision 100 initiative, which aims to accommodate 100 million annual passengers by 2027. This will be followed by Operation 2045, preparing the airport for 120 million passengers by 2045, the airport's 50th anniversary. The airport is undertaking a study looking at a highway expansion and other potential options for Peña Boulevard to alleviate traffic congestion.

DIA's Jeppesen Terminal, the airport's only terminal, is currently undergoing a major transformation. The airport has the potential for an additional terminal and two more concourses. The airport is also planning to upgrade existing concourses with new carpets and bathrooms, build a new consolidated rental car facility, and add cars to the train that runs through the airport.

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