Best Hacks When Traveling at Denver International Airport

With its seemingly never-ending construction — hey, Mayor Michael Hancock, how about changing those welcome messages to mention that the airport is a hot mess? — traveling at Denver International Airport can feel chaotic anytime of year. But the madness really peaks during the holiday season, most notably before and after Christmas. However, although the conspiracy theories about DIA having secret underground tunnels that connect it to NORAD aren’t real, there are plenty of hacks and insights to make traveling in the holiday season less stressful. Here are our favorites:

Skip the Drive

The traffic on the drive to DIA, especially during rush hour, can be brutal. RTD’s A Line cuts out any of that nonsense, with a smooth and relaxing trip to the airport. The $10.50 price tag each way offers better value than an Uber or a Lyft and certainly beats out the cost of parking multiple nights at the airport. Also, it’s just better for the climate to take the train and skip the car.

An added bonus is that you won’t have to leave your car in a DIA parking lot, the scene of a massive auto and catalytic converter theft epidemic.

Use Free Bag Check at the Transit Center

If you do end up taking the A Line, as soon as you get off, head over to the nearby bag check right below the Westin hotel. You can check your bags here, eliminating the need to lug bags any farther. This bag check at the transit center is open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day. Most importantly, it’s free.

Get TSA PreCheck, Clear or Global Entry

With your bags already checked, the best way to ease travel worries at DIA is to come with a TSA PreCheck or Global Entry “trusted traveler” clearance, or a Clear membership in hand.

TSA PreCheck, which costs $78 for five years, allows you to skip the generally longer regular TSA lines and then also go through scanners without taking off your shoes or removing laptops from bags. It’s these little things that make traveling more pleasant.

Global Entry costs just $22 more than TSA PreCheck, includes TSA PreCheck and also lasts for 5 years. The downside is that it takes 4-6 months to go through the more intensive background check, but if you fly internationally even once, it’s worth the price of admission because it also allows you to more easily return through U.S. Customs.

Clear, which costs a much heftier $189 per year, largely eliminates lines. Those who use Clear get to skip to the front of the line to immediately go through the body and baggage scanner.

Lastly, to skip lines and also not have to take off shoes or remove laptops, you can get all three memberships. Certain credit cards offer rebates for these services, which are worth exploring.

Know Before You Go

Download the TSA app, which gives you real-time updates on wait times, delays and other helpful info on navigating major airports. Specific to DIA, though, is the airport’s own security site, which also posts security waits and delays in real time.

Use the Bridge Security if not a TSA PreCheck Member

If you haven’t yet become a TSA PreCheck member, check out the A-Bridge Security TSA Checkpoint, which is located on Level 6 on the north side of the Jeppesen Terminal. This security passageway often features the shortest lines in the airport. Most travelers recognize that the bridge security is great for the A Concourse, but there’s also an elevator that takes passengers to the train to go to the other concourses. Additionally, those trying to access the other concourses can head to Concourse A and then take an escalator to get down to the train to access concourses B and C.

Walk to A Concourse

The train that runs from the Jeppesen Terminal to the three concourses is a must for getting to and from the B and C concourses. But those flying into or leaving the A Concourse can simply skip the train and walk. The train, which is only just replacing some of its cars from 1995, when the airport opened, usually works. But sometimes, it malfunctions and passengers get stuck or delayed. Additionally, when the train gets crowded, getting on it can be a challenge, and disembarking and getting up the one available escalator can be a pain.

Chill Out in the Outdoor Spaces

All three concourses have outdoor decks that feature mountain views, firepits, seating and pet relief areas. These types of spaces help ease some of the claustrophobia that travelers might feel upon entering an airport, where they usually won’t be going outdoors until they get to their destination.

The outdoor decks are located on the west sides of A and B concourses and on the east side of Concourse C.

People on Tarmac Can See Into Certain Bathrooms

In June, the TikTok account Almost Captain Morgan, which is run by an actual Boeing 737 pilot, sent out a PSA to let folks at DIA know that those using the new bathrooms in C Concourse could actually be seen from the tarmac when washing their hands or fixing their hair. One-way glass could’ve done wonders here; in any case, act accordingly.

Get Picked Up From Departures

If you’re lucky enough to have a friend or family member who’s picking you up at the airport, cut out any of the romantic or exuberant in-person greetings at Arrivals and just have them wait in the Cell Phone Waiting Lot, which can be accessed by following signs along the route to the airport. Once you get off the plane, call the person picking you up and have them come to Departures. That way, you can skip a lot of the traffic at Arrivals.

Bright Floors Are Slip Hazards

In October 2021, the airport completed the construction of new floors in the Jeppesen Terminal. The white and somewhat sparkly floors are blindingly bright, a polarizing feature that some travelers love and others hate. But don’t be fooled by the bright aesthetic of the floors, which can bring darkness upon travelers quite quickly.

When the floors get wet, usually from travelers bringing in outside precipitation on their shoes, the bright floors can become incredibly slippery.

“Whenever weather arrives, large mats are placed at the entrances and exits of the terminal and more janitorial crews are stationed throughout to clean the floors,” says Stephanie Figueroa, a spokesperson for Denver International Airport.

In other words, stay on the mats.