Message from CEO Phillip A. Washington: Phase 1 of Great Hall Project Complete

DEN Celebrates Completion of Phase 1 of the Great Hall Project While Setting Sights on the Future

Today, Denver International Airport (DEN) celebrated the completion of Phase 1 of the Great Hall Project, less than 20 months after the new contractor, Hensel Phelps took over the project. Since that time, we have met all the schedule milestones, completing the work on time and under budget.

This first phase of construction renovated the center of the Jeppesen Terminal to create new ticketing/check-in areas for United on the west side and Southwest, and eventually Frontier, on the east side. Additionally, the project added 31,000 square feet of space in the terminal to increase capacity and improve passenger flow. The space also includes four new restrooms.

By mid-November, United and Southwest passengers will enjoy an enhanced check-in process with 43 new self-bag checks on each side of the terminal. Travelers will now have an easier time navigating the terminal as the walls in the center of Levels 5 and 6 will be removed with both airlines fully operational in their new space by Nov. 10. This will eliminate the difficult detours and allow passengers to traverse the terminal from north to south. These improvements come just in time for the busy holiday season and will give travelers a sneak peek into how the journey through DEN will only get better as more work is completed.

This first phase is just one piece of a larger puzzle that will help DEN prepare for the future and reach 100 million passengers. Currently, DEN is the fastest recovering large airport hub in the U.S., based on operations and passenger traffic and is the 3rd busiest airport in the world. Our passenger traffic levels are projected to reach pre-pandemic levels next year and will reach 100 million passengers in approximately 10 years. That is why the Great Hall Project is so vital to DEN’s success.

In fact, the Great Hall Project is a key part of Vision 100, which is a comprehensive plan that will help ensure the airport is ready and able to effectively serve 100 million annual passengers in the next 10 years.

With this inevitable growth, it is essential that we continue the momentum on this project. We are doing so with the continued work on Phase 2 which started in July and will enhance security by replacing the South Security Checkpoint with a brand-new checkpoint on Level 6 in the northwest corner of the Jeppesen Terminal. The new security checkpoint will have improved technology and a new queuing concept that will provide more effective and efficient security. All Phase 2 work will be done in mid-2024. However, the new checkpoint is scheduled to open by early 2024.

In addition to completing phase 2, we know a third phase is needed to build the second security checkpoint in the northeast corner of Level 6 and other improvements. We are currently exploring our options to complete this work. All of these improvements together will help DEN prepare for 100 million passengers by enhancing security, increasing capacity, improving operational efficiency and elevating the passenger experience.
In the meantime, we are committed to developing solutions to the challenges we are experiencing today to make your journey through DEN more efficient and enjoyable.

But, today, I want to focus on completing the first phase of the Great Hall Project and we are excited to share the improvements with our passengers. We also want to thank our airlines, business partners, community and travelers for their patience as we build an airport for the future.

Sincerely,

Phillip A. Washington
DEN CEO