Denver International Airport

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Denver, CO · DEN

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Recent News

Updated Mar 8, 2026
Denver International Airport records 385 flight delays, 68 cancellations on March 8

Denver International Airport emerged as a major disruption epicenter on March 8, 2026, with FAA data showing 385 flight delays and 68 cancellations. Travelers from New York, Los Angeles, London, Paris and other major cities experienced significant hold and taxi delays as operational pressure mounted.

Travel And Tour World·Mar 8, 2026
Delta opens new 13,000 sq ft Sky Club at Denver International Airport

Delta Air Lines opened a new Sky Club on the fourth floor of Concourse A in early March 2026, spanning 13,000 square feet with seating for 230 guests. A second phase later in 2026 will add 6,000 additional square feet, bringing total capacity to roughly 400 seats at one of the busiest airports in the world.

Business Traveller·Mar 5, 2026
High winds cause over 1,100 flight delays at Denver airport in mid-February

Strong gusty winds on February 17, 2026 caused more than 1,100 flight delays and 93 cancellations at Denver International Airport. The FAA implemented ground delay programs with departure traffic experiencing delays averaging 2 hours and 35 minutes due to sustained winds above 30 mph with gusts over 40 mph.

9News·Feb 17, 2026
Denver airport reaches milestone of 200 nonstop domestic destinations

Denver International Airport hit the 200 mark for nonstop flights to domestic destinations as of January 2026, reflecting continued network expansion. The airport announced nine new destinations for 2026 including routes to Abilene, Texas and Bangor, Maine on United Airlines, plus new Mexico service.

Westword·Feb 5, 2026

Airport Profile

Governing EntityCity and County of Denver, Department of Aviation
Entity TypeCity Department
Fiscal Year EndDecember
Bond TypeGARB
Rate MethodologyHybrid Compensatory
AUA StatusActive
S&PA+
Moody'sA1
FitchA+

Key Financial Data (FY 2024)

CPE$12.76
Signatory Landing Fee$4.7300
Enplanements41,146,001
Total Operating Revenue$1.2B
Total Operating Expense$1.0B
Operating Income$168.4M
Total Debt$7.4B
Rate Covenant1.25x
Unrestricted Cash$1.5B
Landed Weight (1000 lbs)46,589,560

Enplaned Passengers (T-100)

33.4M-16.0%

Cost per Enplanement (CPE)

$12.76+17.9%

Revenue

$1.2B+15.5%

Expense

$1.0B+11.5%

Ratemaking Overview

Overall MethodologyHybrid Compensatory
Ratesetting Typeagreement
Cost Center StructureTerminal Complex, Commuter/Regional Jet Facilities, Airline Tenant Finishes, Interline Baggage, Common Use Equipment, Concourse Ramp, Airfield, International Facilities, Cargo, Airline Maintenance, AGTS/Tunnels, Public Parking, Future Concourses
Capital RecoveryAmortization of city investments and debt service

Weighted average effective rate per square foot calculated as sum of average terminal rental rate, tenant finish rate, cost of joint use facilities, baggage sortation charges, and automated baggage system charges

Settlement & True-Up

Mid-year adjustment

Landing fees, terminal rents, and ramp fees subject to mid-year adjustment; charges allocated based on actual usage data

Extraordinary Coverage Protection (ECP)

ECP TypeAcknowledgment Only

Airlines may lease exclusive space; joint use facilities available for tug space and common use facilities; concourse ramp areas for parking and pushback

Landing Fee Methodology

MethodologyResidual

Not available

Terminal Rental Rate

Rate DivisorRentable Space (with specific exclusions and adjustments)
Space WeightingMultiple weightings for different space types

Net Terminal Complex requirement divided by total rentable square footage in Terminal Complex

Common Use & Gate Allocation

Common Use GatesYes - concourse joint use facilities
Gate AllocationAllocated based on airline rentable square footage to total rentable space

Additional Bonds Test

To issue Additional Senior Bonds, other than for any refunding of Senior Bonds, the City is required to obtain, among other things, a report of an Airport Consultant estimating the ability of the Airport System to meet the requirements of the Senior Rate Maintenance Covenant in each year of the forecast period, and a certificate of an Independent Accountant setting forth for the last audited Fiscal Year, or for any period of 12 consecutive calendar months out of the 18 calendar months next preceding the delivery of such series of Additional Senior Bonds, as determined by the Independent Accountant, (1) Net Revenues, together with any Other Available Funds, for such period and (2) the aggregate Debt Service Requirements for the Outstanding Senior Bonds, for such period; and demonstrating that for such period Net Revenues, together with any Other Available Funds, at least equaled the larger of either (A) the amount needed to make the required deposits to the credit of the several subaccounts in the Bond Fund for the Senior Bonds and to the credit of the Bond Reserve Fund for the Senior Bonds and the Operation and Maintenance Reserve Account or (B) an amount not less than 125% of the aggregate Debt Service Requirements for the Outstanding Senior Bonds for such period.

Rate Covenant

Covenant Ratio1.25x

Gross Revenues, together with Other Available Funds (consisting of transfers from the Capital Fund to the Revenue Fund), will be at least sufficient to provide for the payment of Operation and Maintenance Expenses and for the greater of either: (1) the amounts needed for making the required cash deposits to the credit of several subaccounts of the Bond Fund (except the Redemption Account) and to the credit of the Bond Reserve Fund with respect to the Senior Bonds, and to the credit of several accounts and subaccounts of the Subordinate Bond Fund and the Operation and Maintenance Reserve Account, or (2) an amount equal to not less than 125% of the aggregate Debt Service Requirements on the Senior Bonds for the Fiscal Year.

Flow of Funds

Gross Revenues deposited into Revenue Fund. Priority waterfall: (1) Operation and Maintenance Expenses; (2) Debt Service on Senior Bonds (Interest Account, Principal Account, Sinking Fund Account, Redemption Account); (3) Bond Reserve Fund (Minimum Bond Reserve); (4) Subordinate Bonds Debt Service; (5) Subordinate Bonds Reserve; (6) Junior Lien Obligations; (7) Capital Fund (Coverage Account, Equipment and Capital Outlay Account, Airline Revenue Credit Account, Capital Improvement Account); (8) Discretionary uses.

1.Operation and Maintenance Expenses — Payment of all Operation and Maintenance Expenses
2.Bond Fund - Senior Bonds — Debt service deposits to Interest Account, Principal Account, Sinking Fund Account, and Redemption Account for Senior Bonds
3.Bond Reserve Fund — Maintain Minimum Bond Reserve equal to the lesser of (A) maximum annual Debt Service Requirements on outstanding Senior Bonds and (B) 125% of the average annual aggregate Debt Service Requirements on outstanding Senior Bonds
4.Subordinate Bond Fund — Debt service on Subordinate Bonds
5.Subordinate Bond Reserve — Subordinate Bonds reserve requirements
6.Junior Lien Obligations — Payment of Junior Lien Obligations
7.Capital Fund — Coverage Account (Other Available Funds), Equipment and Capital Outlay Account, Airline Revenue Credit Account, and Capital Improvement Account for capital projects and repairs
8.Discretionary — Remaining funds for lawful Airport System purposes per grant assurances

Source Documents

Official Statements

DEN-2022CD-OS.pdf
DEN-2023AB-OS.pdf
DEN-Great-Hall-OS.pdf

Financial Statements

DEN 2024 ACFR.pdf

Airline Use Agreements

DEN-2014-UA-Amendment.pdf
DEN-2018-AUA.pdf
DEN-2022-Frontier-AUa.pdf

Rate Books

DEN Jan25 Rate Book.pdf
DEN-2025-Ratebook.pdf

Source: FAA CATS Form 5100-127, DOT T-100 Market Data, Airport Official Statements · Hub classification: FAA CY 2024 Enplanement Data · Prepared by DWU Consulting