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Denver International Airport
Rating Details »
174 reviews for Denver International Airport
How can you hate an airport that comes complete with a circus tent?
Denver Intl. is probably my most visited airport outside of the cities I've lived in. It's massive, it's clean, it's got easy access to rental cars and it has tons of food and shopping options while you're killing time waiting for a plane.
Thankfully (knock on wood) I've never been delayed here. Yay!
Bonus points for your ears not popping on the way down, since you're still a mile up when you land.
Denver International Airport is the newish "all-weather" airport that you end up visiting either through connections or to actually visit the city itself. It's a little bit sprawling and some of the gates are remote from each other. I've only personally been delayed once on a connection here, which seems to be above-average for my typical ill-fated trips. Nothing really strikes me in terms of memorable experiences in the airport (e.g. in Philly there are a number of Philly Cheesesteak vendors, etc.), although no particularly awful ones either.
So it's a little hard to figure out how to rate it, but several rigorously-tested scientific studies have shown that there are five questions that have been statistically proven to determine the worthiness of an airport. And coincidentally, each question is worth a star for my review.
Question #1: Is the airport in the upper half of arrivals and departures?
Answer #1: No. Out of the 31 major airports ranked by the BTS, for 2009 Denver ranks 18th for on-time arrivals (79.96%) and 21st for on-time departures (78.41%).
Question #2: Appropriate number of strip clubs surrounding the airport?
Answer #2: No. In fact, there's nothing around the airport. But this does let you get some scenic views of the Rockies as you're leaving.
Question #3: Easy access to car rentals?
Answer #3: Yes. Although the major companies are off-site, there is a fairly quick shuttle system that can take you there.
Question #4: Do they have a Panda Express in the food court?
Answer #4: YES!
Question #5: Potential for re-routing departures when balloons possibly carrying children approach the airport.
Answer #5: Yes. Never underestimate the importance of an entertaining boondoggle.
So three stars.
Denver "International" leads the nation's airports in two things:
1. Bird strikes. As in birds being struck, not birds refusing to continue to fly near the airport unless conditions improve (although, inadvertently, I guess they're one and the same...)
2. Greatest amount of air around the airport without touching another thing. Obviously bird debris doesn't count. I'm talking about a gas station, a convenience store or a restaurant.
Free Wi-Fi and that blue horse thing do not make up for the fact that this airport is more remote than the possibility that "Passion of the Christ" will be remade as a musical starring Bill Maher.
A part of me loves this airport. I've only been here twice (maybe three times, actually); but it feels clean, well organized, and bustling.
I've spent 90 percent of my time here in the Frontier Airlines concourse, which is a strange experience. DEN--or DIA, as the locals call it--is Frontier's hub, so if you're flying from one coast to another, you must stop here; Frontier doesn't have direct cross-country, nonstop flights. And because Denver's basically in the middle of the country, all the Frontier flights that land here do so around the same time so that people can make their connections.
So imagine an entire section of an airport dedicated to one airline, and most of that airline's flights are leaving around the same time. Seems, confusing, right? Well, actually it's pretty efficient, and the workers do a good job of waiting for each other to finish before making announcements so that people actually know what's going on.
Another part of me wants to dock this place stars because of the failure of the original baggage-handling equipment, and I distinctly remember some psychic on Extra! or A Current Affair--remember that show?--saying that this place had horrible feng shui. (For some reason, they were giving this psychic a tour of the airport before it officially opened.) The tent things are kind of cool, but they also scare me.
Landing here from the east is also scary because there's literally nothing before the runway starts. I realize that it's a good idea to have an airport on the edge of a city, but a service road or two might make me feel better, like we're actually making a scheduled landing rather than a Rocky Mountain crash landing.
This airport is easy to get around in. Located in BFE, it does take a while to get there. Flying Frontier out of Terminal A is an experience. Security checks means the lines for this terminal are often very long. The airport is very clean and very busy. A good selection of restaurants and shops dot the main terminal and the terminals a, b and c.
Thank you for your free wifi. Your sniffers in security intimidate me. I don't like your little puff of air - it reminds me of the optometrist. And what if you detect BO or something?
I apprecaite your pinwheels in the train tunnel. It makes a boring ride just a little less boring.
You lose points for being so freakin' far away from the main part of Denver. It can really be a pain in my butt. And you lose points for having such a crappy selection of shops and restaurants - at least in the C concourse. There's only so many times I can wander through the same few shops while stuck there on a layover.
Oh and I hear you look like a shepards pie from the outside. I guess I can see it, but not really.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/15/2008
This airport is pretty ehhhh......or at least in my opinion.
My issues with the place are this:
1)… Read more »
Literally in the middle of no-where, but that's not a bad thing. Have never hit traffic getting to it.
Lots of places to eat, but every time I eat something I am left thinking, "meh, that was a waste."
Looks cool, nice and shiny and new'ish. Security rolls pretty quick even when there is a huge line.
I guess for an airport it is a-okay.
I've terminated one trip here and one trip connecting through the mega-hub that is Denver International. Compared to the dozens of other airports I've been through, including a few other mega-hubs (LAX, CLT, ORD, DFW, IAH, etc), Denver is wide open and airy. It has a friendly atmosphere and I felt welcome here.
On the plus side:
- there are a ton of slidewalks along the main B concourse
- there's a decent shuttle between terminals (I'm talking to you, IAD!)
- you don't risk life and limb nearly getting run down by the electric cart drivers (Hello, Houston!)
- there are many, many options for food, though not during the off hours
- good signage to help those who aren't familiar with where things are located
- speedy luggage (yeah, CLT, you could learn a lesson here)
On the minus side:
- could you possibly be any further from the city of Denver?
- you need more security scanners and TSA personnel
- the high numbered B gates need a slidewalk too!
Thanks for a few good trips, DEN. I'll look forward to seeing you again some day.
If you have not read the wacked out conspiracy theories about this place, do yourself a favor and Google it. I guess they repainted all of the crazy NWO murals. I still am pretty blown away by this place. I always had a good time there, usually am pretty drunk by the time the plane lands. Cleveland's airport is still by far the best airport ever constructed.
An easy and well organized airport is a wish come true for any weary traveler but take that and add friendly, knowledgeable staff and this is quickly flying up the ranks of best airport.
Oddly, this felt as if it were a small airport but I think appearances were deceiving on this one. As it has tons of flights coming and going.
I arrived very early in the morning and there were already so many people there but thanks to the design and organization this place is easy to navigate. Most people will find they'll quickly arrive at their gate with time to spare.
My favorite aspect though were the information guides. Especially, the ones wearing those cowboy/western inspired uniforms. This is Denver and a sense of humor and laid back attitude are the norm.
I guess I have to get over it...Stapleton really is gone...and...THIS thing has taken its place. A long long way from town...a long long hike from the curb to the train...over slippery floors...long delays at security..thats the downside...so from a users perspective its hideous. The food and the shops are the same as everyother airport.
From an engineers perspective its a marvellous machine for processing people and directing a flow of bodies to a metal tube. Its not completely grimy yet. And the tent structure is interesting, as are the windsculptures in the tunnels.
Its OK for transit...as long as you stay with the same airline...and if you dont check your bags.
But. Its a terrible terrible airport for people originating or arriving Denver...and...worse...its the only choice. One Star
Y'all know me, I hate flying and all that comes along with it. However, this airport was great. Getting here is easy, all of the rental car locations have shuttles right to your gate and the Frontier desk is so efficient that our check in took about five minutes. YES! Security is a breeze to get through and no one looked at me like I was a terrorist (unlike Logan Airport!!). The shuttle to and from the terminals plays really awesome guitar riffs to let you know how awesome Terminal A really is! I like that.
Tons of restaurants, shopping opportunities, etc. The ticketing terminal is chock full of stuff to do in case you're super early and bored: food, beer, souvenirs... you name it, it's here in the airport. Oh, and art instillations - yep, art. In case you want to look at some stuff while you're hanging out, you have all sorts of art to see.
Oh, and the best part of all: FREE WIFI!!!!! Absolutely, totally, 100% free. No Boingo bull shit - totally free Wifi. The only problem: it doesn't work all the time. But you know what, it's the thought that counts. Sometimes you have to move closer to the "hotspot" for it to work, but that's fine with me. It's free! There's also very convenient "charging stations" for you to sit and plug in your electronics in case they are in need of a boost! I love it!
One of the best airports I've ever been in, hands down. And it's designed to look like the Rocky Mountains - how much better could it get? Awesome.
When in most international airports, you can tell you are in a city. The terminal seems like a mini version of the outside world and though it may not be pleasant during a layover, you know there is something else out there. When you look out the window's at most airports, you can see some glimmer of city or skyline or world around.
Not so with Denver. You see stark brown as far as the horizon, and the interior is much the same.
I had a layover in Denver on my way to London and had to wait 4.5 hours in terminal B. I waited with a lack of good food, a lack of colorful background an a lack of entertainment. Drab gray walls, unkempt bathrooms and unhappy people surrounded me on all sides. Most everyone was crammed inside their tiny smoking lounge, sequestered yet bonding over their stigmatized lifestyle.
4.5 hours later, I got to leave, but I really hate Denver. It was depressing, and though I realize I have no right to complain unlike others who have lived there during blizzards, I hate Denver.
Where to start. If you haven't been here, make sure you are wearing your tennis shoes for this walk is going to be fun. My plane was let off at B84 and my next flight in 30 minutes was B33. No tram YAY!
I race to my gate to have them tell me the flight has been delayed an hour due to thunder. I find my way to the bar upstairs in the food court and found the service a little stiff at first. They were busy and eventually lightened up a bit.
Tons of smoke in there and for a smoking lounge you would think that it would be better ventilated.
I don't really get what's up peoples' butts about this airport. I think it is great.
*It is bright and airy.
*It is easy to navigate.
*Security is always a breeze.
*Plenty of bathrooms.
*Plenty of food.
Yes, it is out in the middle of nowhere, but I would find it annoying if I had to go into the thick of Denver to fly somewhere. This airport isn't just serving the city of Denver, it is serving a vast part of Colorado. You can hop on a bus to get to Denver or Boulder. Easy.
In the middle of nowhere
Security is painstakingly slow
Bathrooms very clean
United has an entire terminal and a few Red Carpet Clubs, nice!
They charge for WiFi!
Very difficult to get in and out of this airport, due to the distance from anything at all.
The only hope is in the next 100 years the city builds itself around the airport, fat chance!
When flying to the East coast on United, you have two options--going through Denver or O'Hare (Chicago). O'Hare is delay central so I avoid it if I can.
I've connected through Denver many times, and I've experienced no significant delays. The airport itself is very spacious and easy to get around. Even during peak periods, you don't have that overcrowded feel that you have at other airports.
There are a few negatives. While there are a lot of food choices at Denver International Airport, the food is not that good. On my most recent trip, I stopped at one of their sports bars to get some food, and it was pretty bad. There are a few smoking lounges available. Walking by them can be interesting. When the door opens, and someone walks out, it is like getting slapped in the face.
If you are not a big fan of smaller planes, you may want to check with your airline on plane type because a lot of smaller planes fly in and out of Denver International Airport.
Overall, Denver isn't the greatest airport. But what is most important is getting in and out on time, and Denver seems to excel at that (weather permitting).
For starters, I'm not sure why anyone would bother reviewing this airport. It is what it is, and it's not like there's any choice. Stapleton's gone - get over it. All of the negativity I read here forces me to weigh in.
I hate airports, and the flying experience in general. So much so, now that I'm retired and my time is my own, I'd rather spend two and half days in a car to visit family on the east coast, than one day flying there. I'm old enough to remember when flying was a fun adventure. Now it's more like taking an airborne Greyhound bus. Way too many people who just don't know how to travel.
I spent many years traveling for business. There's not a hub airport in the country I haven't visited many, many times. As airports go, this one is in the top 25 or 30 percentile. The shops and restaurants are nothing to write home about, but as good as any. Getting around is simple and efficient for anyone who will just wake up and pay attention. It can be a challenge for a traveler with tight connections on different airlines, but that's a scheduling and airline problem, not an airport problem.
DIA may technically be an international airport, but it's really a domestic hub, and shouldn't be compared to true international hubs.
I feel for the people who got stuck out there for three days during the blizzard a couple of years ago. But I doubt it would have been handled any better at any other airport.
Rant over. Thanks for reading.
P.S. Contrary to what some people think, it's not really in Kansas. The Kansas line is more than 180 miles to the east.
Free wifi !!! ... ey, medium-slow, but free and easy to connect with no bullshit. Not enough seating at the gates (especially since airlines have cut back on flights and we have fuller flights now). So you'll get online with nowhere to sit, or face horrors of sitting next to families.
Another yay: no Starbucks
Saturday night at 10:15pm, and my redeye departs at 11:59pm. I want a beer or two to help me sleep. I find that the Aviator Lounge has last call at 10pm and closes promptly at 10:30pm. Traveler's aid sends me over to the A concourse to Jimmy's which is supposedly the bar open the latest. They were closed too and told me to go to the Aviator lounge. Apparently Saturday night is the slowest night of the week for bars in the airport so they all close early -- lovely. When I asked the one bartender why they closed so early, he said, "If I f*ckin made the rules, I wouldn't be wearing this uniform". Nice.
The ultimate litmus test is when things go horrendous, and the responses/actions that follow. Especially at an international airport.
I was unfortunately stuck here for nearly three days during that god awful Blizzard of '06. I'm not stupid enough to rant off about my airline's response to the situation, since I think it's rather irrelevant to the situation.
But alas, let me state for the record. The airport's ability to sustain some level of care for those stuck here for multiple days were horrendous. I'm not talking about some frivolous need for free internet. I'm talking basic emergency response and care. Initially, many of us lurked around on our cell phones trying to either 1)grab a hotel in the area, 2) call our receiving parties and let em know what was going on. But eventually, it was settled that none of us were going anywhere.
So what to do for 72 hours at an international airport. Surely they have things we could do in order to relieve the stress.
A decent amount of bars remained open throughout, but eventually they had to close shop. Even if the owners didn't want to. Conflicted with airport policies. No matter what the circumstances.
Food and supplies so that we wouldn't end up sleeping on concrete slabs, or if it meant anything better, a carpeted area with underlying concrete? We received those lovely blankets that you could take rust off an ol' car with. Vending machines were the place to plunge for overpriced peanuts and candy snacks.
It wasn't until at least 48 hours when some form of comfort fell over the thousands of travelers. Red Cross. Huzzah! And it still wasn't pretty. There was disorganization, conflicting instructions from different levels of supervisors. It was ridiculous.
The only entertainment I garnered from this experience was the vast amount of people who were hunting down any open electric outlets for their many electronics. Don't get me wrong, I was one of them. And if I had to pee, I was going to hold it until I knew everyone near me was asleep. Then it would be safe... supposedly.
What was ultimately sad came to a common sight, where I would see young college girls huddled up in telephone booths, on their phone with their parents, crying their hearts out over what was going on. None of us could've been truly prepared for this.
But an international airport? Where flight delays, cancellations, and increment weather reports are just part of another day's work? Come on. Get your crap together.
Airports are generally not that fun of an experience, but DIA does more things right than it does wrong.
The Superb: The main terminal. Parking. Security. Love it or hate it, the big blue (anatomically correct) stallion. The shuttle works well. The waiting areas at the terminals are clean and comfortable. CLEAN bathrooms.
The Average: Restaurants (hit or miss).
The Horrid: Pitiful selection of shops. No free WiFi!?!? Way the hell away from Denver. The international customs/passport control experience (takes frickin' forever)!
If you have traveled around the U.S., then you know that DIA is a rather nice airport.
Being my home airport, I'm inclined to already like it. But there are reasons behind my madness.
Big, big points for having free wifi. Yes, it does come with lame ads that you can't get rid of, but it's FREE. So if you happen to be snowed in during a massive blizzard (which isn't often), you can post your woes on Facebook to your heart's content. Every other major airport I've been to has had pay wifi. 'Cept DIA. Yessss.
Security here moves pretty quick, much faster than, say, SEA at rush hour. And while waiting to check in, you can look at the bizarre murals that have had conspiracy theorists loving our airport. Lizard men? New World Order base? Not so much. It's easy to navigate, and while I've had practice, friends of mine from out of town tell me the same thing. Read the signs!
And it rarely, if ever, is shut down entirely due to snow. Last time was in '06. If you are snowed in, and the aforementioned free wifi had made your friends stop monitoring your boredom-induced Twitter storm, feel free to wander around. We have a very pretty airport, and it smells like I now expect all airports to smell. Every time I catch a whiff of that scent, I instantly want to travel somewhere. Pavlov was a genius.
It's always good to come back to DEN.
As the terminals gets slimmer, so do the facility options, which means that while bathrooms and food places appear to be plentiful in the center, the pickings are very slim to nearly non-existent in the outer reaches of the airport. If you're already pressed for time, starving, and notice that your connection is on the other side of the airport, do your business once you get off the plane, don't make the mistake of finding your gate first because you won't have time to go back.
However, what really gets this place a 2 is the fact that the Continental plane that crashed before take-off here not too long ago (the one where no one died - yay!) is still under investigation. I had forgotten what city it was in, but apparently it's Denver. Nothing wrong with thorough investigations mind you, but there is something wrong with leaving the plane in full view of those landing and taking off. I happen to like flying but getting views of a crashed plane that a news service would kill for isn't exactly confidence-boosting when you're leaving from that same airport.
But hey, I made it to Cleveland in one piece (as did the plane) so there's that. :P
Really nice airport, once you get there. Yes, it is far from Denver as they put it way out in the NE boonies. But, once you get there, some nice stuff.
Most of all the shops and restaurants. Very high quality in both areas. Love the restaurant choices as besides the fast food normal ones, you have many unique and good ones to choose from.
Getting through TSA was quick, and the trains whisk you to Terminals A, B, or C nicely. Very clean and modern.
As far as airports go, this one has moved up into the top tier.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/10/2006
New and hip airport on the way outskirts of Denver. Ok, I had to forget that the old airport… Read more »
I fly into Denver from San Francisco once a month, either via Frontier or Southwest (Terminal A or Terminal C, respectively). I used to fly United Airlines (all of Terminal B) until they started charging me through the roof for late depatures and lack of knee room.
Anyway, I'm sure everyone has heard the DIA horror stories - the baggage claim issues when the place first opened, the ridiculously long wait times for security, the weather risks of Pena Boulevard... Nice thing is that after 15 years, DIA has come a long, long way. Absolutely no issues in finding my bags (knock on wood); Predictable wait times at Security; and a large number of food and hotels just off of Pena Blvd so that it doesn't feel like you're in the middle of nowhere. It's a good airport. The decor is very "Coloradoan" and in the center of the main terminal there is a waterfall that tries to mimic the tiny Denver skyline. It's cute at best.
A few notes:
*Yes, the security line will look long. But regardless of whether you are in the main security line or walk to Terminal A's line, you aren't going to wait more than 30 minutes.
*Denver is Frontier's main hub. Plan accordingly for check in. I have missed my flight due to Frontier's inability to manage long lines at the check-in counter, and have literally waited for 45 minutes... You can compare it too the Southwest line in Oakland's Terminal 2 during the Winter holidays.
*If you are flying Frontier, don't bother taking the train to the terminal. Just walk - the entrance to the terminal is on the same side as the Frontier Check-in counters.
*RTD's SkyRide airport bus is fantastic. Reliable, cheap, and you get the "special" entrance that will have "special" checkin counters during busy flying times just for folks who take busses, taxis, and shuttles.
*See review for "Paradise Cafe", in Terminal C. Not worth it. Neither is "Dazbog", the 'eclectic' coffee shop in the same terminal. Quiznos in terminal A is great! Nicest restaurants are in Terminal B. You can take the train between all 3 once you've gone past security, without having to do it again.
*Expect delays from United, terminal B.
This Airport was a stop over both ways, which was nice because I didn't mind it at all. Simple lay out, easy to find gates and what not.
Now because parking and security really isn't a consideration for stop overs, one star will be a given for each, so the least any stop over will get is 2 stars.
*WARNING - YMMV (Your Milage May Vary) and one star is completely biased* Can you guess which?
1. Parking - 1 STAR - It was a stop over both ways so I never had to deal with parking.
2. Security - 1 STAR - It was a stop over both ways so I never had to deal with security.
3. Food - 1 STAR- for the size and selection of the food areas in adequate and easy to find.
4. WiFi - NO free WiFi? - NO STAR
5. Smoking - 1 STAR- There is smoking in this airport, and I was only able to find one bar that allowed it, but you had to be drinking something in order to be in there. I suggest getting your money's worth, because if you order just H2O, that's like 4 bucks...for water....Here's the other thing, it was located 'bout 1/2 a mile from my gate, so round trip I walked 1 mile in the mile high city for that smoke....and still made my flight, both times, and with only a one hour lay over each time.
Wow! I am doing you a super huge favor if you are flying solo and you can rationalize the amount of clothing you need for a trip.
Fit everything you need into a carry on. Never check bags. Think about having things shipped via UPS, US Mail, or DHL if you value time as much as I do.
Pre-print your boarding pass the night before your flight.
Park at USAirport parking. It is cheaper than at DIA and quicker (I will explain why it is quicker next)
The USAirport shuttle driver will ask what airline you are on. Say United Airlines no matter what airline you are on.
**This is because you will be the first to be dropped off on level 5 which is the same level security is on.
You don't need to go upstairs to level 6 because you already have your preprinted boarding pass. You don't care about being dropped off at United level 5 because you can see both the north and south security lines within a brief walk. (never walk to the north concourse A security line even if you are flying Frontier. It is quicker to go through main level 5 security and take the tram to concourse A.) Choose the shorter of the 2 security lines. Normally they are the same unless United has a lot of outgoing flights in the morning or planes are delayed.
When you are in the security line keep your eyes and EARS open. TSA agents are much more frustrated with us than we are of them. When you hear a TSA agent say "NEXT" always assume they are talikng to you.
Move around the idiotic travellers in front of you and thank the TSA agents who expedite you trip.
After security go down one level to the tram. Get yourself into the front car of the tram and understand that the door you entered will be the opposite of the door you will exit. If you do this, you will be the first out into your terminal and the first one onto the escalator which you must take up 2 levels to your terminal.
Now have a drink, read, or relax in your boarding gate because you have just saved yourself time and headaches by following these simple directions!
I wish the parking were less expensive and the TSA people a little more responsive. But it's not a bad airport compared to others.
I flew in/out of Denver International Airport for my business trip to Boulder.
What's the deal with the airport code being DEN, but everywhere else (website, road signs, etc.), it's called DIA? Other than the name confusion, this airport is pretty good. Nobody wants to be at an airport, but DIA (DEN?) is a place where you don't mind spending a couple hours.
The airport IS in the middle of nowhere, but that means they have the space to do things right. There are huge parking lots, rental car lots, plenty of shuttle buses, a cool "subway" for going to the terminals, plenty of food options, free WiFi, and plenty of room to sit.
My recent experience while going through security is the inspiration for this particular review. I mean, besides the qualms I have about airports being grossly inconsistent with their "safety" screenings and the fact that I find it slightly annoying to have to take my shoes off and avoid carrying on liquids in containers larger than 3 ounces...what really gets me is when people, ACTUAL HUMAN BEINGS can not be reasoned with.
It was totally my own bad for forgetting that my "travel" size hand lotion was in my purse. The Aveda hand lotion that was confiscated was probably 4.5 oz. They busted me for having this lotion in my purse that I was carrying on. When the dude called me out and told me I couldn't take it with me I asked if I could use it one last time. After all, my hands were cracking and I had just been thinking how I needed lotion. He told me that I would have to "go back out there" and pointed to the other side of the metal detector. I looked at him with furrowed brow and said, "Really?!" He replied flatly, "Yes." I thought maybe he didn't hear me correctly, maybe he thought I said, "Can I build a bomb out of it?" So I reconfirmed by saying, "I can't use the lotion, really quick, right here?" No dice.
Rules are rules. And I am really bad at following ones that I think are stupid, so it's no fault of DIA's that my lotion was taken away. But here is a short explanation of why I am rating them with three stars.
DIA is definitely better than many other US airports. I'd rather get stranded there than at Lambert Airport in STL (there are better food and store browsing options). I am a fan of the Pike's Peak Parking Lot ($5 a day) for when I can't find a ride to the airport. The shuttle between terminals is clean and more efficient than the transportation in ATL's airport. I like being able to walk to terminal A when I am flying Frontier. I am indifferent about the architecture, but feel it doesn't capture the mountain thing perfectly. Maybe a circus tent mountain feel? And I really dislike the huge blue bronco with devil eyes. What a bad energy that structure has.
I know a lot of people hate this place, but I've never really had any problems. Even when it's busy I've never had a hard time being picked up or having someone else do so, there's food, lots of space, and it's kept pretty clean. Also, it's not in a shitty area (see: Newark Airport) so there's no homeless people wandering around outside.
No free internet, though few if any airports provide it free of charge anymore. Still, security can be really slow without reason and their food options *ESPECIALLY* if you're stuck on a red eye flight are pretty weak considering the size of the place. Regardless, I'd still rather fly in or out of DIA than any other airport.
I would give DIA 5 stars if it weren't for its utter lack of amenities. Far smaller airports have much larger selections of restaurants and shops- which is a nice diversion on that 3 1/2 hour layover. But the layout and architecture of the airport is amazing. The trains between the concourses and the main terminal are efficient, though it would be nice if Denver would connect to the airport with their light rail. Here's a security line hint : the lines can be long but move pretty quickly, but on those rare days when it is really backed up, walk over the skyway to concourse A and go through security there, almost never a line. You can then ride the trains to concourse B and C if you need to
So many questions for you, DIA...
Why are you in the middle of nowhere? You should be called the North Platte, Nebraska International Airport instead... that'd be more accurate. I know Denver is 'in the mountains', but it's really not literally in the mountains and there's no shortage of flat plains on which to set up an airport. What was wrong with Stapleton? Huh?
Why, on busy holiday weekends, with hundreds of people winding around your security line, do you have 2 employees working security? And why, on a Tuesday morning at 5:30AM when these is nobody in your security line, do you have 7 people working security?
Why do you have about 80 United customer service counters and none of anything else? I understand that you are a United hub, but sometimes people do fly other airlines. Like me, for example. And I'll be damned if I can get to see an American representative before 48 hours have passed.
Why do some of your terminals have moving walkways and others don't? This makes no sense.
How come your terminals are set up so you have to take a train, a train that sings to you, to get anywhere? Whatever happened to getting off your plane, walking through the door, down the hall, and out of the airport?
Look, I'm from Chicago and I've been flying in and out of O'Hare, which carries 75 million passengers a year to your 43 million, for 24 years, and it manages to get me through security in less than half an hour, allow me to talk to helpful representatives, not make me walk 4 miles to my gate, and take a train to the city center in less than an hour. Learn from O'Hare, DIA!
But you get an extra star for your passenger-greeting waiting area, which has a cool fountain and an open-air feel from the sky-high pointed ceiling, and your train, which at least plays me goofy songs as it's transporting me to the ends of the earth, otherwise known as 'Terminal C'.
Love coming home to the DIA (did you guys check out that balls awesome death horse!!!11!!!1)
Seriously, many good design decisions. Having to fly a bunch, it's always a pleasure to see a place that can move people fast.
Two years ago around Xmas time, they had a security line that stretched around the whole baggage area. I resigned to walk the line and video it (I wish I could upload it here) pretty sure that I would not be flying out that day.
Nope, cleared it in about 30 minutes, don't even know how. Whenever things get especially screwy they have bands and cowboy dudes as entertainment (seriously good PR, kudos).
It's far from the city, so it might suck if you're stuck and really have no where to walk to. Everyone has shit to say about airlines, but the actual facilities are top notch. Flying through here the positives of designing a new airport, instead of adding terminals, becomes very clear.
Quick lines. Nice restaurant selection.
The arrival at the airport went off without a hitch. We got off the plane, took the tram to the baggage area and got our things in a timely manner.
Our departure is not so pretty...
first we couldn't check in because the kiosk wasn't open yet. We waited for the kiosk to open while some machine that was taken off the turnstiles made a loud whining noise. They called the police and still couldn't figure out why it was making the noise. Until I informed them that it was a respirator and the battery was low and it wouldn't stop until it was plugged in.
At about 9pm everything closed down. NONE of the news stands are open. My husband just had to run down to the tram and back to the other side of security to get to the new stand since our flight was delayed 2 hours. NOTHING is open past security. I'm feeling foul, but at least they have free wifi and I managed to sit myself near an outlet.
Now I can only hope my hubby will return with booty from the only open news stand.
I guess I have to knock it down a few stars for the confusion and bad service I got once time here.
First of all, I truly hate American Airlines. I would love to never fly them again and spit on all my miles and mail them postage due to the people who run this company. I've only landed here thru AA. Did I say I hate them.
I was catching a small, very small connecting flight to Fort Smith, Arkansas. Of course they didn't mention the gate number as we landed, so I had to find someone to help me get to the next terminal. The lady really didn't want to help me for some reason. She must have really hated her job if she wanted to rub it in my face the AA magazine has a diagram of this airport and I could have used that to see where to go.
I made my tiny flight out there in time. I really try to avoid coming here.
My experience with Denver airport is connecting here while flying on Frontier.
It's always way bumpy flying into and out of here. Last time I flew in, we had to abort the landing at the last minute. We were just about to land and then the pilot had to cancel and fire up the engines again because it was too windy.
And why is it out in the middle of nowhere on the prairie? However, I do like the mountain peak-esque white architecture. I think all big city airports could take a cue from Denver and try to make a statement about their city with their airports' designs.
Inside it's clean and modern. It kind of feels like a multi-level mall. However I think the Frontier gates need more seating. People are always sprawled everywhere each time I come in.
You really, really get on my nerves sometimes.
