Summary
- Over 400 flights delayed at Denver International Airport due to severe wintry weather causing visibility issues and FAA ground stoppage.
- United Airlines most affected with 171 delayed flights, followed by Southwest Airlines. Top delayed destinations include Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles.
- So far, 459 flights delayed and 8 canceled at Denver International Airport, one of the busiest in the US.
Flight operations at Denver International Airport (DEN) have been severely affected by wintry weather on February 27th. At the time of writing, a total of 459 flights operating in and out of the airport had been delayed. Eight flights had also been canceled, leading to significant disruption for passengers.
Photo: Don Mammoser | Shutterstock
The harsh conditions caused visibility to be severely reduced, and led the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to issue a ground stoppage order at Denver International Airport at around 10:00 local time.
More than 400 flights delayed
Although the FAA’s order was in place for just over one hour, its knock-on effect on the airport’s operations has been felt throughout the day. Data from flight tracking website FlightAware shows that so far, 459 flights have been delayed, and eight have been canceled. The disruption is likely to continue for the rest of the day as airlines battle to get their aircraft and crews back on track.
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With 171 flights delayed, United Airlines was the most affected carrier, which comes as no surprise, given that Denver International Airport is a major hub for the Star Alliance member. That figure represents about 30% of United Airlines’ total flights at the airport today. Southwest Airlines was the second-most affected carrier, with 155 flights delayed.
The destinations with the most delayed services from Denver are Phoenix (ten delayed flights), Las Vegas (eight delayed flights), and Los Angeles (seven delayed flights). The wintry weather also led to treacherous conditions on the airport’s access roads. The airport took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to advise passengers of the situation:
Denver International Airport
Denver International Airport is one of the busiest airports in the country, with 77 million passengers in 2023. United Airlines has a 35% market share at the airport, which equates to more than 23 million passengers. Southwest Airlines, meanwhile, comes in a close second with a 32% market share. The airport is the low-cost carrier’s largest operating base.
Photo: Kevin Hackert | Shutterstock
The busiest routes from Denver International Airport last year were to Las Vegas (LAS), Phoenix (PHX), and Chicago (ORD), with all three routes seeing more than one million passengers. When it comes to long-haul flying, the airport is connected to a handful of intercontinental destinations, including London (LHR), Tokyo (NRT), Frankfurt (FRA), and Paris (CDG).
United Airlines’ 10 Longest Routes From Denver International Airport
Just five of United Airlines’ longest flights from Denver are international services, connecting to the UK, Germany, Japan, and Costa Rica.
Have you been affected by the weather-related delays and cancelations at Denver International Airport? Share your experiences by commenting below.
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Denver International Airport
- IATA/ICAO Code:
- DEN/KDEN
- Country:
- United States
- CEO:
- Phillip A. Washington
- Passenger Count :
- 58,828,552 (2021)
- Runways :
- 7/25 – 3,658m (12,000 ft) |8/26 – 3,658m (12,000 ft) |16L/34R – 3,658m (12,000 ft) |16R/34L – 4,877m (16,000 ft) |17L/35R – 3,658m (12,000 ft) |17R/35L – 3,658m (12,000 ft)
