For Families Traveling Through Denver International Airport, a Smoother Journey Starts with Spaces and Services that Make Travel Easier
This focus on enhancing the customer experience is central to DEN’s Vision 100 plan, which prepares the airport to serve 100 million passengers annually in the years ahead.
After security, families will find more than gates and boarding times. DEN offers amenities designed to make waiting easier and more enjoyable, including children’s play areas, expanded nursing rooms, outdoor patios, Rest & Recharge spaces and comfortable seating. Together, these features give parents more breathing room and children space to play, explore and burn off energy before takeoff.
Play Time Before Boarding
DEN’s children’s play areas are on Concourse A near Gate A25 and Concourse C near Gate C54. Each space includes climbing structures and gives kids a dedicated place to move safely, away from busy concourse traffic and airport carts. A new play area is also planned for Concourse B, bringing children’s play spaces to every concourse.
“It’s always fun to see kids use their imaginations as they explore the alien-themed play area on Concourse C or pretend to be pilots in the aviation-themed play area on Concourse A,” says Marco Toscano, Director of Customer Experience at DEN.
If you’re at DEN during your child’s nap time, or if you are seeking a quieter space in the airport to reset, DEN also offers a Rest & Recharge space on the mezzanine level of Concourse A, giving travelers a quiet, comfortable place to pause and step away from the airport’s busy pace.
DEN’s three outdoor patios are located at the end of each concourse: Concourse A-West near Gate A15, Concourse B-West near Gate B7 and Concourse C-East near Gate C67. These open-air decks offer mountain or prairie views, plane spotting, people watching, firepits and pet relief areas.
This fall, Toscano says DEN will introduce new interactive digital directories that allow passengers to search for amenities, get walking directions to their gate, identify key stops along the way—such as restrooms and nursing rooms—and see estimated walking times.
Need to Nurse or Change Your Little One?
DEN provides comfortable, private spaces for nursing or pumping.
Nursing rooms are conveniently located post-security on each concourse, with one additional room in the center of the terminal on Level 5 near arrivals. Each room offers a calm environment for nursing or pumping while traveling. For a full list of nursing rooms, click here.
Does Your Family Need Assistance?
DEN offers several accessibility services to support families with a variety of needs. These include Aira, a digital wayfinding app that connects travelers who are blind or have low vision with a live, trained professional; Video Relay Service; interpreter language lines at each information booth; and TTY public telephones for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Families may also request a Sunflower Lanyard from a DEN Ambassador or Customer Service Agent. The green sunflower lanyard discreetly indicates that the wearer, or someone in their group, has a hidden disability and may need additional support.
DEN Supports Families Every Step of the Way by taking some of the stress out of family travel, helping parents spend less time managing logistics and more time making the most of the journey—from check-in to takeoff.
Final Tips Before Takeoff
Toscano recommends families arrive about two hours before a domestic flight to reduce travel-day stress. With extra time, families can visit a play area, explore an art exhibit, choose from family-friendly dining options, get fresh air or find a comfortable place to relax before boarding.