Lois Larson
Denver International Airport is the largest airport in the US and North America, spanning 135 square kilometres (52.4 square miles). It is also the second-largest airport in the world. The airport has six runways, one of which is the longest in the US for public use, and there is enough land around the airport to accommodate another six runways. In comparison, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, which opened in 1974 as the largest airport in the world, is the second-largest airport in the US, covering 69.63 square kilometres (26.9 square miles). Despite being much smaller than Denver Airport, Dallas Airport handles about 70 million passengers annually, making it the 12th busiest airport in the world.
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What You'll Learn
Denver Airport is the largest airport in the US
Denver International Airport is the largest airport in the United States by area, covering 135 square kilometres or 52.4 square miles. It is also the second-largest airport in the world, with about 53 square miles of land, or 34,000 acres. The airport's expansive property is so large that it could fit the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta, Chicago O'Hare, Los Angeles, and Dallas Fort Worth airports combined.
Denver Airport is bigger than some nearby cities, multiple big cities, and even some countries. It takes up more than a third of Denver's 153 square miles and is larger than the cities of Boulder, Greeley, and Grand Junction. The airport is twice the size of Manhattan and is bigger than Boston, Miami, San Francisco, and Long Beach, California. It is nearly as big as Washington, D.C., which covers 61 square miles.
Denver Airport is also bigger than five small countries, including the Caribbean island nation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, which has a land area of 104 square miles. The airport is so large that it has its own unique postal code, 80249, and its own police and fire departments.
Denver Airport is a hub for international travel and is the third-busiest airport in the United States. The airport has six runways, including the longest public-use runway in the United States at 16,000 feet. There is enough land around the airport to accommodate another six runways if needed. The airport has 163 gates across three areas and is served by 23 airlines, flying to about 215 destinations.
Denver Airport is one of the biggest employers in Colorado, with over 35,000 employees. The airport handled 58.8 million passengers in 2021 and is designed to serve 50 million people each year. However, in 2022, the airport saw over 69 million passengers and expects to serve 100 million annually by 2027.
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DFW was once the biggest airport in the world
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) was once the biggest airport in the world when it first opened in 1974. Now, it is the second-largest airport in the US, covering 69.63km² (26.9 square miles) between the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth in Texas. DFW has five terminal buildings with 174 gates in total. It is so large that it has its own zip code and city designation.
DFW is one of the busiest airports in the world, serving about 70 million passengers annually, making it the 12th busiest airport in the world. The airport has multiple checkpoints positioned across each terminal to disperse crowds, meaning the wait period to go through security is minimal.
Despite being much smaller than the Denver Airport, DFW boasts 5 terminals and 191 gates, serving a total of 260 international destinations. The airport has a strong focus on aviation as the mode of choice for inter-city travel due to the country's size and the distance between key cities.
DFW was the first carbon-neutral airport in North America and generated $38 billion in payroll, along with 634,000 jobs. The airport also raised $5 billion in tax revenue from $24 billion in visitor spending.
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Denver Airport is the second-largest airport in the world
Denver Airport, also known as Denver International Airport (DEN), is the second-largest airport in the world. It covers a surface area of 135 square kilometres or 34,000 acres, making it the largest airport in the US and North America. The airport is so large that it's bigger than some nearby cities, multiple big cities, and even some countries. For instance, it's larger than the cities of Boston, Miami, and San Francisco, and it's nearly the size of Washington, D.C.
The airport is a hub for international travel and has six runways, including the longest public-use runway in the US at 16,000 feet. There's also enough space for another six runways if needed. The main terminal, the Jeppesen Terminal, covers 2.6 million square feet, with a tent roof spanning 240,000 square feet. The airport has 163 gates across three areas and 23 airlines operating flights to about 215 destinations.
Denver Airport is one of the biggest employers in Colorado, with over 35,000 staff members. In 2021, the airport handled 58.8 million passengers, and in 2022, that number grew to 69 million. The airport is designed to serve 50 million people annually, but it expects to accommodate 100 million passengers per year by 2027. To manage this growth, Denver Airport plans to add a new terminal and 100 more gates.
The airport has an extensive infrastructure, including more than 5,300 miles of fibre optic cables and a fuel system capable of pumping 1,000 gallons of fuel per minute. The fuel is stored in six tanks, each holding 2.73 million gallons. Additionally, there are over 19 miles of conveyor belts, baggage handling vehicles, and roadways in the underground tunnel system.
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DFW is the second-largest airport in the US
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) is the second-largest airport in the United States. Covering 69.63km² (26.9 square miles) between the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth in Texas, DFW is slightly smaller than the largest US airport, Denver International Airport (DEN), which covers 135km² (52.4 square miles).
Despite its smaller size, DFW boasts more terminals and gates than DEN. DFW has five terminal buildings and 168-191 gates, while DEN has three areas with 163 gates. DEN, however, has six runways, including the longest in the US for public use at 16,000 feet, and there is space for six more runways.
DFW is as big as a city and, in many ways, operates like one. It has medical departments, six police stations, dedicated emergency operations, and six fire departments. On any given day, there are more than 60,000 people working at DFW, and the airport was the first carbon-neutral airport in North America.
DFW was the largest airport in the world when it opened in 1974, and it remains one of the busiest airports globally, serving about 70 million passengers annually, making it the 12th busiest airport in the world. DEN, meanwhile, served 58.8 million passengers in 2021 and 69 million in 2022, ranking as the third busiest airport in the US and sixth busiest in the world.
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DFW has more than 60,000 daily workers
The Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) is the second-largest airport in the US, covering 69.63km² (26.9 square miles) between the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth in Texas. Despite being much smaller than the largest US airport, Denver International Airport, DFW handles about 70 million passengers annually, making it the 12th busiest airport in the world.
DFW has five terminal buildings with 174 gates in total, serving 260 international destinations. The airport is so big that it has its own medical departments, six police stations, dedicated emergency operations, and six fire departments. It is also the first carbon-neutral airport in North America.
DFW is a bustling hub of activity, with over 60,000 workers busy around the clock to ensure smooth operations. The airport handles more than 200,000 travellers and 1,800 flights daily. To cater to this volume, more than 11,000 meals are prepared each day at American's catering kitchen, located a seven-minute drive from the airport.
The catering facility, spanning 214,000 square feet (the size of three football fields), employs over 800 LSG staff to prepare food, cook, operate machinery, and build carts for the next flights. DFW's technical operations crews work on 60 to 70 aircraft every night, performing maintenance and last-minute cleaning for the following day's flights.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Denver Airport is bigger than DFW. Covering 135 square kilometres, Denver Airport is the largest airport in the US and North America. It is also the second largest airport in the world. DFW, on the other hand, covers 69.63 square kilometres, making it the second largest airport in the US.
Denver Airport has six runways, with enough land to accommodate another six runways.
DFW handles about 70 million passengers annually, making it the 12th busiest airport in the world.
