East Garage Partial Closure
Rows A-D in the East Garage will be closed September 9-15. Any remaining vehicles in the area will be relocated to the surface lot adjacent to the southwest corner of East Garage.
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News and Press
DENVER – Dec. 31, 2019 – 2019 has flown by, and Denver International Airport (DEN) is looking back on a year marked by accomplishments, milestones and opportunities. Record-breaking passenger traffic growth continued in 2019 as many of DEN’s airline partners added new destinations, continuing to invest in Denver. To accommodate this growth and plan for the airport’s future, DEN continued work on its $3.5 billion capital improvement plan and added passenger amenities in 2019.
The following are DEN’s top successes, milestones and memories from the past year.
More Places to Travel
There are more places to travel to from Denver in 2019 than ever before. DEN’s airlines now offer nonstop service to more than 200 nonstop destinations, including 28 international destinations. This year, DEN welcomed a new airline, Cayman Airways, with the inauguration of new service to Grand Cayman and United added nonstop service to Frankfurt. Next year, DEN is looking forward to inaugural service to Nassau, Bahamas on United and to Rome, Italy on Norwegian. Domestically, DEN inaugurated nonstop service during the year to 15 brand-new destinations, becoming the third most nonstop-connected airport to the rest of the U.S. Furthermore, DEN’s airline partners added 20 additional nonstop routes to existing domestic destinations, providing DEN passengers with more carrier options.
Many of DEN’s airlines celebrated major milestones this year:
Crushed Passenger-Traffic Records
DEN experienced month after month of record-breaking passenger traffic. Through the first three quarters of 2019, DEN passenger traffic grew by 7.4 percent over the same time period in 2018. October 2019 marked the 25th consecutive month of record-breaking traffic in Denver, reaching over two years of continuous year-overyear passenger increases. Nearly every airline saw year-to-date passenger increases through October 2019, along with sustained international passenger growth of seven percent. Final passenger traffic numbers in 2019 are expected to reach nearly 70 million.
As passenger traffic numbers increase, so does pressure on our facilities, fleet and operations teams, which worked through the year to ensure safe and efficient travel. Passengers can report maintenance and safety concerns at the airport using the See Say Airport app.
Ranked as a Top Airport by The Wall Street Journal and Skytrax
For the second year in a row, DEN was voted by passengers as the “Best Regional Airport in North America” and was the top-ranked airport in the U.S. according to Skytrax. Several other honors included No. 2 Best Airport in North America (highest rated U.S. airport), No. 7 World’s Best Regional Airport and No. 3 Best Airport Staff in North America. The Skytrax World Airport Awards are a global benchmark of airport excellence.
The Wall Street Journal ranked the 20 largest U.S. airports, and DEN came in second place. While Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) overtook DEN for the number one spot this year, DEN had the highest scores in “Value” which included average domestic fares, airline market share, on-site parking and other ground transportation. DEN also had the highest score in “Convenience” which included Wi-Fi speeds, Yelp restaurant ratings, nonstop destinations and reader satisfaction.
Continued to Improve Passenger Experience
In 2019, DEN continued to focus on the experience of our passengers. This year, DEN rolled out the Great Hall Passenger Assistance Program to help travelers better navigate the terminal. Members of the Passenger Assistance Program answer questions, guide passengers, and help alleviate the stress that may come with traveling. These 170 employees, clad in purple “Here to Help” shirts, supplement DEN’s outstanding volunteer Ambassador program.
Another passenger favorite, the DEN Canine Airport Therapy Squad program, continued to grow in 2019. Thirty news dogs were added to the volunteer program, which now boasts over 150 dogs and one feline member. This year nearly 20 CATS members retired, and we are very grateful for their faithful service to DEN.
Gate Expansion on Track
DEN marked a major milestone on the Gate Expansion Project as the final beam of the construction on Concourse B-West was put into place. This “topping out” signifies the completion of the frame of the building for the addition to the west side of Concourse B. The rest of the construction is progressing well, and the project is on schedule with all 39 new gates expected to be operational by the spring of 2021 and within budget. The new gates are one of several major projects in the airport’s $3.5 billion five-year capital improvement program that will prepare DEN for the future.
Great Hall Construction Opportunities
In 2018, DEN kicked off construction of the Great Hall, the 1.5 million square-foot area under the tents in Jeppesen Terminal. After thoughtful consideration, DEN made the decision to terminate the contract with Great Hall Partners in August 2019.
DEN moved quickly to mobilize five new contractors, with existing DEN contracts, to move the project forward. Major construction is anticipated to begin again by the end of Q1 2020. The design and construction cost of the project will remain at the original budgeted amount of $770 million including contingency. By regaining control of the project, DEN can ensure that safety remains a top priority and the impacts to passengers and our business partners are minimized.
Real Estate Growth
DEN issued an RFO (Request for Offer) for the first section of airport land to be transformed into a space for commercial use. DEN Real Estate, the division overseeing all real estate development, is working in collaboration with stakeholders to be thoughtful stewards of the 16,000 acres of airport land that will soon become a series of linked districts.
Each district has been designed with a unique character and relationship to its surroundings, featuring urban amenities, a connection to nature and a commitment to renewable energy and sustainability. Workers, travelers and visitors will enjoy shopping, dining, recreation, trails, an art walk, bison viewing, plane spotting and expansive views of the Rocky Mountains.
Sustainability Efforts Expand
This year, DEN partnered with local nonprofit ‘We Don’t Waste’ to expand its food donation program. DEN concessionaires can donate food items such as prepared entrees, side dishes, prepackaged salads and sandwiches, sealed beverages, condiment packets and canned goods. DEN launched its food donation program in 2015 and has since collected and donated over 445,000 pounds of unsold food to hungry Colorado families and individuals.
To increase recycling rates, DEN has implemented liquid collection sites at all three TSA checkpoints. The new stations encourage passengers to empty liquids they cannot take through the checkpoint and then either recycle the bottle or take the empty bottle with them, to be filled post-security.
Accessible Remote Bag Drop Location
To better assist passengers, DEN opened a new, free bag drop service on 75th Ave. To use the service, passengers exit Peña Blvd. onto 75th Ave. and follow signs to the bag-check queue, where a greeter will remove the luggage from the car, check-in the passenger(s) and even print boarding passes. Then, passengers can procced to park in any of DEN’s parking lots or be dropped off at the terminal by a friend or a loved one, taxi or ride share provider, luggage free. Once in the terminal, passengers can go straight to security.
Local Restaurants Make a New Home at DEN
Whether DEN is a destination or a layover, passengers can taste the Denver food scene without leaving the airport. This year, we were excited to welcome eight new concessions to DEN. The locally owned Brother’s BBQ began serving along Snarf’s Sandwiches in the newly opened gates on the east side of Concourse A. The iconic, local Little Man Ice Cream opened for business on Concourse C. Qdoba, a national favorite founded in Denver, is now open on the Mezzanine of Concourse B. Health-focused Freshens is now open on Concourse A.
Colorado is known for our dynamic craft beer scene, and DEN is proud to have added three local breweries/restaurants to the concession line up: Breckenridge Brewery on Concourse A, New Belgium Brewing on Concourse B and Great Divide Brewing on Concourse C.
In 2020, DEN will celebrate our 25th birthday, and we are looking forward to celebrating our “silver” year with our passengers and community. Happy New Year from everyone at Denver International Airport!
Denver International Airport is one of the busiest airports in the world. DEN is the primary economic engine for the state of Colorado, generating more than $36 billion for the region annually. For more information visit www.FlyDenver.com, check us out on YouTube and Instagram, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Sign up for DEN’s monthly newsletter Nonstop News.
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