Denver International Airport Travel Information (DEN)

In 2006, Denver International Airport (DEN) reclaimed it's title as the 5th busiest airport in the nation and 10th busiest in the world. For the week leading up to the Christmas holiday, 760,000 passengers are projected to pass through DEN. Late December, traditionally, is one of the busiest times of the year at airports, and DEN is no exception.
Below are some tips & info to make your travels to and from Colorado as worry-free and comfortable as possible:

Tips for Hassle-Free Travel

Security & Check-In


  • Check the status of your flight before you leave home by calling your airline or looking on its web site. You can also check flights on the DIA webpage.
  • The DEN TIPS line, (303) 342-8477, provides updated security-screening wait times.
  • You will need a government-issued photo ID (driver's license, passport, etc.) to check in at the ticket counter.
  • Ask your airline what its ID requirements are for minors.
  • Only ticketed passengers may go to the concourses. If you need to accompany a minor or an elderly or handicapped traveler to or from the gate, ask your airline for a demonstrated-need pass.
  • Security is tight, and all vehicles, travelers and bags are subject to a random search.
  • For travel tips from the Transportation Security Administration, visit its web site at www.TSATravelTips.us

DIA Parking


  • Parking at curbside is prohibited on the Arrival and Departure levels of the Main Terminal.
  • A 45-minute waiting area is located just beyond the E-470 overpass on inbound Peña Boulevard for people picking up arriving travelers. You can wait there until you make cell phone contact with your party and then drive to the Terminal to meet them at a pre-arranged door on the Arrivals or Departures level.
  • People picking up or dropping off travelers can park in the garage for $2 per hour.
  • Stopping on the side of airport roadways is dangerous and illegal, and can subject a driver to a $60 fine.
  • Overhead electronic signs and variable message boards on inbound Peña Boulevard will display real-time parking information. Parking messages also will be broadcast on DIA's radio channel, 540AM.
  • The $7-per-day Economy Lots next to the Terminal garages generally fill up first. Updated information on parking spaces is available at 303-342-PARK (303-342-7275).
  • DIA's least-expensive parking is in the $5-a-day Pikes Peak Shuttle Lot. Take the "75th Avenue" exit from inbound Peña Boulevard. Give yourself 20-30 extra minutes to get to the lot and ride the free bus to the Terminal, where you will be dropped off at curbside.
  • The Mt. Elbert Shuttle Lot has more than 11,700 overflow spaces if the Pikes Peak Lot fills up. Travelers will be directed to those lots only as needed.

Baggage


  • It may be faster to check bags at curbside rather than at the ticket counters. Check as much luggage as you can to minimize carry-on and speed up the screening process.
  • Airlines have varying cutoff times for checking in bags. Ask your airline how long before departure it will stop accepting checked luggage.
  • Put identification on the outside and inside of all bags. Never leave your luggage unattended, and never accept any objects or packages from strangers.
  • You are allowed one carry-on bag and one personal item (purse, briefcase or laptop). Put essentials (medicines, diapers, baby food, etc.), as well as unexposed film, in your carry-on luggage.
  • If you are traveling around the holiday season and taking gifts with you, leave them unwrapped and put them in your checked bags. They are subject to inspection at any point in the screening process. All toy weapons will be confiscated.

Ground Transportation


  • Renting a car for your trip will ensure easy access to anywhere you want to go. Hertz offers vehicles with ski/snowboard racks as well as other features to help with your winter mountain driving. The rental lot operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and is located at 24890 East 78th Avenue.
    Hours of Operation: 24 Hours, 7 Days a week; Book a rental at www.hertz.com
  • Information on buses, shuttles, taxis, etc., is available from DIA's Ground Transportation Information Counter located on level 5 of the Jeppesen Terminal or at 303-342-4059. Service hours are 6:30am to 11:30pm, daily.
  • Colorado Mountain Express (CME) provides shuttle service to many ski resorts and mountain destinations year-round.
  • You can get RTD's Sky Ride schedules to Denver, Colorado Springs, and other locations along the Front Range at www.rtd-denver.com

Helpful Information


  • Directions and information are available from DIA's Hospitality Ambassadors(need to link to video not just page) or from Guest Services staff in the Terminal and concourse Information Booths.
  • Guest Services also can be reached by dialing "2000" from a white paging telephone inside the airport, or from out of town by calling DIA's toll-free line, 1-800-AIR-2-DEN.
  • Travelers with special needs, such as oxygen, can make advance arrangements with the Travelers' Assistance Program at 303-342-0400.
  • Additional maps and directions to DIA can be found here.

For more information, please refer to the official Denver International Airport www.flydenver.com