Denver International Airport (DEN) has officially been ranked as the worst facility among the 50 largest U.S. airports for flight connections. This comes from a data study by Travel Bulletin researcher Josh Koebert. The study evaluated major aviation hubs based on walkability, connection efficiency, and transit logistics. It highlights the immense structural and geographical challenges passengers face when trying to catch tight connecting flights in Colorado.
The study evaluated airports by calculating total travel times between gates, security checkpoints, and shuttle transit systems. Denver scored a low 10.9 out of 50 for walkability and 14.1 for overall connection efficiency. According to the findings, the longest inter-gate journey at Denver International Airport takes 34 minutes. Meanwhile, walking from one end of its largest terminal to the other requires a grueling 23-minute trek-the longest end-to-end terminal walk of any airport in the country.
“Denver is just way too spread out. It has huge distances between gates,” said Josh Koebert, data scientist and researcher for Travel Bulletin. “The design is not built for convenience. It doesn’t get anyone anywhere.”
Key Factors Driving Denver’s Poor Connection Score
For travelers navigating multi-leg itineraries, a short layover at Denver International Airport can quickly turn into a high-stress race against the clock. Several physical and operational bottlenecks contribute to the airport’s last-place ranking:
- Sprawling Physical Footprint: DEN is one of the largest airport properties in North America. Passengers must rely heavily on an automated underground train system to travel between the main terminal and far-flung concourses.
- Lengthy Terminal Walks: Terminal B boasts the longest single terminal walk in the United States, taking 23 minutes to traverse from end to end on foot.
- International Processing Hurdles: International arriving passengers must complete U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) immigration. They must then claim checked baggage, re-check luggage for domestic onward legs, pass through full Transportation Security Administration (TSA) security screening, and ride the automated train to their departure gate.
- Weather Disruptions: Frequent severe winter storms and strong mountain wind patterns interrupt flight schedules. This compounds transfer difficulties for passengers caught in delayed operations.
How Other U.S. Airports Compare
While Denver anchors the bottom of the list, other major U.S. hubs also struggle with connection efficiency. Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) ranked second-worst, featuring a maximum inter-gate walking time of 49 minutes. Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC), LaGuardia Airport (LGA), and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) also scored poorly due to massive physical footprints and complex terminal transfer requirements.
Conversely, Richmond International Airport (RIC) in Virginia was crowned the best U.S. airport for connecting flights. It boasts a maximum gap of just eight minutes between any two potential gates and swift terminal traversal times. Other top-performing connecting hubs included Tampa International Airport (TPA), Boise Airport (BOI), and Jacksonville International Airport (JAX).
Strategic Tips for Navigating High-Risk Layovers
Aviation experts recommend that travelers booking itineraries through sprawling hubs like Denver take proactive steps to avoid missing flights due to physical distance or terminal congestion:
- Book Extended Layovers: Reserve layovers of at least 90 minutes to two hours for domestic connections at large facilities. Allow at least three hours for international-to-domestic transfers.
- Review Terminal Maps Pre-Flight: Check official airport and airline maps before landing to identify gate locations. Determine whether an automated train or terminal shuttle is necessary.
- Monitor Inbound Aircraft: Use airline mobile apps and flight tracking platforms to anticipate potential delays before touching down at congested hubs.
