The number of direct nonstop international flights from Denver will increase this winter, and Denver International Airport officials expect the global connections to push annual passenger traffic at DIA to over 100 million faster than expected. A record 82 million passengers are expected this year.
The new flights will take travelers to Mexico, France and Iceland.
They build on the launch of a 13-hour nonstop flight from Denver to Istanbul, Turkey, earlier this year. DIA officials have prioritized expanding international flights and are exploring additional routes, including connecting Denver to Ethiopia, more flights to Japan and a nonstop flight to Amsterdam.
International air traffic increased 17.2% in the first half of 2024 compared to 2023, contributing to the overall increase from 77 million passengers in 2023 to a projected 82 million, DIA CEO Phil Washington told City Council members this month. In June, 7.6 million passengers boarded a plane at DIA, a monthly record. “We believe we could break the June record around Labor Day,” Washington said.
DIA officials expect 100 million passengers per year by 2027. The airport was built for 50 million passengers. Current construction work includes the installation of an expanded security checkpoint with 17 lanes.
Starting this winter, DIA will offer 14% more flights to European destinations.
According to information from DIA communications manager Michael Konopasek, travelers can expect the following enhanced service:
— Air France direct flights to Paris. The summer season service will be extended to a year-round service with flights three days a week between November and March.
– Direct flights from Icelandair to Reykjavik. Icelandair Air offers flights four days a week from January to mid-February, then five days a week until the end of winter, and up to eleven flights a week in the peak summer months. In recent years, Icelandair has not offered any flights between the beginning of January and the end of March.
— Aeromexico will add flight to Monterrey, Mexico, starting Dec. 21 (one day per week on Saturdays through mid-April). This complements Viva Aerobus’ nonstop service between Denver and Monterrey.
“This is a big deal,” said JJ Ament, president of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce. The new flights “show that we continue to evolve as a place to do business globally by leveraging Colorado’s highly skilled workforce and deploying it globally,” Ament said.
“The airlines wouldn’t do this if the routes weren’t economical. And it’s a testament to the vision our airport officials have for the future.”
DIA is the third-busiest airport in the United States and the sixth-busiest in the world. According to the latest data from Airports Council International, passenger numbers increased by 69 million in 2019.
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