Ruth Haines
Denver International Airport (DEN) is the largest airport in the US and North America, spanning 135.69km² (52.4 square miles). It is also the second largest in the world. The airport has six runways, one of which is the longest in the US for public use at 16,000 feet. In comparison, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is one of the busiest airports in the US, with 40.9 million passengers, but it is not as big as DEN, which served 37.8 million passengers.
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What You'll Learn
Denver International Airport is the largest airport in the US and North America
Denver International Airport's sheer size is indicative of the tendency for US airports to be larger than those in other countries. This is partly due to the country's immense size and the preference for air travel due to the distances between key cities. US airports handle half of the world's air traffic, and a significant portion of the world's largest airports are in the US.
Denver International Airport's size is also attributed to its original design, which allowed for future expansion. The airport has space for two more concourses, and its runways are optimised for adverse weather conditions that previously caused issues at the Stapleton Airport. The airport's vast infrastructure includes more than 5,300 miles of fibre optic cables, a fuel system capable of pumping 1,000 gallons per minute, and a 139,000m² (34.34-acre) Jeppesen Terminal for landside facilities.
The airport's large area enables it to accommodate a variety of shops, restaurants, and other amenities. This has contributed to a high number of jobs and significant economic impact, with $24 billion in visitor spending and $5 billion in tax revenue. However, its size also presents challenges, such as difficult navigation, overcrowding, and adverse weather conditions, resulting in Denver International Airport being ranked as the sixth-worst airport in the US.
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LAX is one of the busiest airports in the US
Denver International Airport is the largest airport in the USA and the second largest in the world. It occupies a colossal amount of space and has six runways, one of which is the longest in the United States at 16,000 feet. However, LAX is one of the busiest airports in the US.
LAX, or Los Angeles International Airport, is a hub for four legacy airlines: Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines. It serves as a gateway to the Pacific, offering flights to popular destinations like Hawaii and Tokyo, as well as over 150 cities on six continents. In 2019, LAX served more than 88 million passengers and was ranked the third-busiest airport in the world. However, the COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted air travel, causing LAX's ranking to drop to 15th place.
LAX has since seen some recovery, with over 76.5 million passengers in 2024, a 2% increase from 2023. Despite this, the airport continues to face challenges, with its domestic count dropping and total passenger counts dipping below forecasts. In February 2025, the total passenger count at LAX for domestic and international travel was roughly 4.9 million, a 7% decrease from the previous year.
LAX is still considered one of the busiest airports in the world when ranked by takeoffs and landings, and it remains a significant hub for air travel, especially on the West Coast of the US. The airport is undergoing a $30 billion overhaul to improve the experience for travellers ahead of the 2028 Olympics and its centennial celebration.
While LAX is one of the busiest airports in the US, it faces competition from other airports like Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, which saw over 108 million passengers in 2024, and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, which served more than 87 million passengers that same year. These airports and others in the US contribute to the country's impressive air traffic numbers, with US airports handling an estimated half of the world's air traffic.
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Denver International Airport is the 3rd busiest airport in the US
Denver International Airport is the largest airport in the United States and North America by area, covering 135.69 square kilometres (52.4 square miles). It is also the second-largest airport in the world. The airport has six runways, including the longest runway in the US available for public use at 16,000 feet. There is enough land around the airport to accommodate another six runways.
Despite its size, Denver International Airport handled 37.8 million passengers in 2023, making it the third busiest airport in the US and the sixth busiest in the world. In comparison, Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, the busiest airport in the world, served 50.9 million passengers, while Dubai International Airport, the busiest international airport, served 5.0 million passengers.
Denver International Airport's vast size can be attributed to its original design, which allowed for future expansion. The airport has space for two more concourses, and its runways are optimised for adverse weather conditions, a common issue at the previous airport, Stapleton Airport. The airport also has a fuel system capable of pumping 1,000 gallons of fuel per minute, stored in six tanks, each holding 2.73 million gallons.
Denver International Airport's ranking as the third busiest airport in the US is impressive, considering the challenges it faces, including difficult navigation, overcrowding, and adverse weather conditions, which can lead to significant delays. However, its size also provides opportunities for growth, with room for operational improvements and future expansions.
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Orlando International Airport is bigger than LAX
Orlando International Airport (MCO) is a primary international airport located 6 miles southeast of downtown Orlando, Florida. Orlando is a major tourist destination, being home to Walt Disney World and the world's second-largest convention center. The airport serves as an operating base for Breeze Airways, Frontier Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and Spirit Airlines, with Southwest being the largest carrier by passenger numbers. In 2024, the airport had 57,211,628 passengers, making it the busiest airport in Florida and the ninth-busiest airport in the United States.
Orlando International Airport is the third-largest airport in the US and North America, covering 12,264 acres of land. This makes it bigger than Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), and Miami International Airport (MIA) combined. In fact, MCO has a larger catchment area than any other airport in Florida, with 65% of Florida's population (13 million people) living within a 2-hour drive.
In comparison, LAX is the fourth-busiest airport in the US by passenger numbers, with 40.9 million passengers. While LAX may be busier than MCO in terms of passenger numbers, MCO surpasses LAX in terms of sheer size.
Orlando International Airport has a unique history, having originally opened as McCoy US Air Force Base in 1942. The airport's code, MCO, is derived from its former name. In 1975, the final Air Force contingent departed, and the airport became a joint civil-military facility. Orlando International Airport gained its current name and official international airport status in 1976.
Orlando International Airport's size is indicative of the preference for air travel in the US. US airports often appear among the world's largest, and the country is estimated to handle half of the world's air traffic. The immense size of the US and the distance between economic centers make air travel the quickest way to get around.
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Denver International Airport has six runways
Denver International Airport (DEN) is the largest airport in the United States and the second largest in the world. It covers a total area of 52.38 square miles (135.66 square kilometres) or 33,531 acres (52.4 sq mi; 135.7 km2) to be precise. To put that into perspective, it is bigger than Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), JFK and Miami International Airport combined.
DEN has six non-intersecting runways, with one of them being the longest public-use runway in North America at 16,000 feet (3.03 miles; 4.88 kilometres). This length is exceeded by only six other runways globally and allows large aircraft like the Airbus A380s and Boeing 747-8s to take off, despite the airport's high elevation and hot conditions. The remaining runways are each 4,000 feet shorter than the longest runway.
The airport has capacity for six additional runways, for a total of twelve. This is due to DEN being one of the few major US airports with enough space to expand its current facilities to accommodate future growth.
Despite being one of the biggest airports in the world, DEN is ranked sixth on a list of the worst airports in the USA. This is due to challenges such as difficult navigation, overcrowding, and adverse weather conditions, which can lead to significant delays. For instance, a blizzard in March 2003 tore a hole in the terminal's roof, and over 2 feet of snow closed the airport and its main access road for almost two days, stranding several thousand people.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Denver International Airport is the largest airport in the US and North America, spanning 135.69km² (52.4 square miles). LAX, or Los Angeles International Airport, is smaller than Orlando International Airport, which is itself smaller than 12,264-acre Denver Airport.
Denver Airport handled 37.8 million passengers in 2023, making it the 3rd busiest airport in the US and the 6th busiest in the world.
Denver Airport has six runways, with the longest runway in the US for public use at 16,000 feet.
Denver Airport has more than 5,300 miles of fibre optic cables and a fuel system capable of pumping 1,000 gallons of fuel per minute.
Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is the busiest airport in the world, with 5.2 million seats. Dubai International Airport is second with 5.0 million seats, and Tokyo International Airport is third with 4.6 million seats.
