Roberta Aguirre
Denver International Airport is the largest airport in the US by land area, covering 33,531 acres, and is the second-largest in the world. It currently has six runways but plans to expand to 12. The airport has one terminal, named the Jeppesen Terminal, and three midfield concourses with a total of 169 gates in operation as of early 2025. Denver Airport serves 27 airlines, providing nonstop service to 230 destinations worldwide.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of aircraft Denver Airport can hold | Unknown, but it has 12 runways and 169 gates |
| Number of runways | 12 |
| Number of gates | 169 |
| Longest runway | 16R/34L, 16,000 feet (3.03 mi; 4.88 km) |
| Terminal size | 2.6 million square feet |
| Airport size | 33,531 acres (52.4 sq mi; 135.7 km2 or 136 km2) |
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What You'll Learn
Denver International Airport's size
Denver International Airport (DEN) is the largest airport in the United States by land area and the second-largest airport in the world, covering a staggering 33,531 acres (135.7 square km or 52.4 square miles). To put that into perspective, it is larger than the island of Manhattan and the city of Boston. DEN is two times larger than its closest US counterpart. The airport is located 23 to 25 miles from Downtown Denver, which is 15 to 19 miles farther away than Stapleton International Airport, the airport DEN replaced. The land occupied by DEN is the largest amount of commercial airport land area in North America, and its size increased the city of Denver by 50%.
The airport's large size is mainly due to future-proofing, with expansion being a key consideration. The airport currently has six runways but plans to expand to 12. When building runways and taxiways, airports must abide by various laws and regulations. For example, the taxiways must be a certain width to accommodate aircraft, and there must be enough space between taxiways to accommodate the long wingspans of aircraft. Additionally, ICAO laws dictate that two runways used for independent parallel approaches must be at least 1035 meters apart, leaving more than one kilometer of space between them.
Denver International Airport has one terminal, the Jeppesen Terminal, which features 2.6 million square feet of space. The terminal houses ticketing, baggage claim, security checkpoints, dining establishments, and departure gates. There are three midfield concourses with a total of 169 gates in operation as of early 2025. Concourse A handles all international flights and many domestic flights by major US airlines, with 62 gates. Concourse B is used exclusively by United Airlines and has 72 gates. Concourse C serves mostly regional flights and is primarily used by Southwest, with 47 gates.
Denver International Airport is well-connected to the city and the region through public transport provided by the Regional Transportation District (RTD) and the Colorado Department of Transportation's Bustang service. The airport also offers free wireless internet access throughout the premises, providing a fast and unlimited connection for travellers.
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The number of runways
Denver International Airport (DEN) is the largest airport in the United States by land area and the second-largest in the world. It covers a staggering 33,531 acres (135.7 square km or 52.4 square miles). To put that into perspective, it is larger than the island of Manhattan and the city of Boston.
The airport currently has six runways but has plans to expand to 12. The four existing parallel runways at DEN are named 16L/34R, 16R/34L, 17L/35R, and 17R/35L. Runway 16R/34L, with a length of 16,000 feet (3.03 miles or 4.88 km), is the longest public-use runway in North America and the seventh-longest in the world.
The large size of the airport and the length of its runways are necessary for several reasons. Firstly, the airport is located a mile high in the United States, which means aircraft require a longer runway to get up to speed and become airborne. The long runway is a necessary precaution to ensure that airliners can take off safely, even in challenging weather conditions. Secondly, the airport's large size is mainly due to future-proofing and expansion purposes. It can be challenging for older airports to acquire additional land for expansion as a city grows. Therefore, DEN was built on a large scale to accommodate future growth.
The airport is located 24-25 miles (36-40 km) from central Denver due to noise concerns and fears of limited expansion in the future. The distance from the city also contributes to the airport's vast land area.
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Number of gates
Denver International Airport (DEN) is the largest airport in the US by land area and the second-largest in the world. It covers 52.4 square miles (136 km2; 33,500 acres) of land, which is 50% larger than the city of Denver. The airport has one terminal, the Jeppesen Terminal, which features 2.6 million square feet of space. The terminal is named after aviation safety pioneer Elrey Borge Jeppesen and is known for its Teflon roof that mimics the Rocky Mountains.
The terminal has three midfield concourses with a total of 169 gates in operation as of early 2025. Concourse A can be accessed directly from the terminal building via a pedestrian bridge or via the underground train system that services all three concourses. Concourses B and C can only be accessed via the train system.
Concourse A handles all international flights, including all international carriers, as well as many domestic flights by major US airlines. It has 62 gates, including four 3-jetway international gates that can support the two largest commercial aircraft in the world, the Airbus A380 and the Boeing 747-8. Concourse B is used exclusively by United Airlines and is the biggest concourse with 72 gates. Concourse C serves mostly regional flights and is primarily used by Southwest Airlines. It has 47 gates.
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Longest runway in North America
Denver International Airport (DEN) covers 52.4 square miles (136 km2; 33,500 acres) of land, making it the largest commercial airport by land area in North America. The airport has one terminal, the Jeppesen Terminal, and three midfield concourses with a total of 169 gates in operation as of early 2025.
Denver International Airport's Runway 16R/34L is the longest public-use runway in North America. With a length of 16,000 feet (3.03 miles or 4.88 km), it is also the seventh-longest runway on Earth. The runway is capable of accommodating the two largest commercial aircraft in the world, the Airbus A380 and the Boeing 747-8.
The second-longest runway in North America is located at Eielson Air Force Base. This runway has a length of 14,507 feet and operates year-round, even in subarctic conditions.
Denver International Airport is located 23 miles (37 km) from downtown Denver and serves as a hub for several major airlines, including Frontier Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and United Airlines. The airport provides nonstop service to numerous destinations across the Americas, Europe, and Asia.
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The airport's location
Denver International Airport is located on the western edge of the Great Plains, with a view of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. The airport is situated 23 to 25 miles (37 to 40 kilometres) northeast of Downtown Denver, which is a considerable distance from the city centre. In fact, the airport is closer to the City of Aurora, and many airport-related services, such as hotels, are conveniently located there.
The airport is 19 miles (31 kilometres) farther away from the city centre than the former Stapleton International Airport, which it replaced. The land for the airport was transferred from Adams County to Denver following a vote in 1989, resulting in a 50% increase in the city's size. This decision was met with some scepticism due to the airport's location, which is relatively distant from the heart of Denver.
The address of the airport is 8500 Pena Blvd, Denver, CO 80249, US. The airport occupies an expansive 52.4 square miles (136 square kilometres; 33,500 acres) of land, making it the largest commercial airport in North America in terms of land area. It is also the second-largest airport in the world by land area, only surpassed by King Fahd International Airport.
Denver's location in the middle of the continent makes it an ideal hub for airlines, contributing to its reputation as one of the busiest airports in the world. The airport has consistently ranked among the top 20 busiest airports globally and the top 10 busiest in the United States since 2000. In 2021 and 2022, it was the third busiest airport in the world and the third busiest in the US by passenger traffic.
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Frequently asked questions
Denver Airport currently has six runways but plans to expand to 12. The airport has a total of 129 gates in operation across three midfield concourses.
Denver Airport has 169 gates in operation as of early 2025.
Concourse A has 62 gates and can support the two largest commercial aircraft in the world, the Airbus A380 and the Boeing 747-8.
