Planespotting Denver — KDEN
Denver International is huge — over 130 square kilometres of prairie northeast of the city — and its six runways are laid out in a pinwheel so that some of them always face the wind: 07/25 and 08/26 east–west, and two north–south pairs, 16L/34R and 16R/34L on the west side, 17L/35R and 17R/35L on the east. 16R/34L is 16,000 ft long, the longest public-use runway in North America. Landings happen almost exclusively on the north–south runways, while departures mostly use 34L, 25 and 08, so the classic photos are arrivals on 34R, 35L and 35R or departures climbing off 25 towards the mountains. Three airlines run hubs here — United, Southwest and Frontier — which means huge volume but a fairly uniform fleet; long-haul visitors and freighters are what you hunt for. Weather is mostly sunny, but summer afternoons bring thunderstorms and strong winds across the open plains, and the high altitude means heat haze arrives quickly on warm days.
- SWA1866 B38M 14 925 ft
- SWA4996 B38M 10 925 ft
- BMJ1702 BE99 10 000 ft
- SWA2667 B737 6 950 ft
- SWA549 B38M 6 750 ft
- LYM292 SW4 6 525 ft
- SWA4434 B738 5 450 ft
- N265SF C172 5 400 ft
Conditions right now
Runways
- 16R/34L RWY 16R 4,888 × 60 m · 16,037 × 197 ft concrete
- 16L/34R 3,666 × 45 m · 12,028 × 148 ft concrete
- 17L/35L 3,666 × 45 m · 12,028 × 148 ft concrete
- 17R/35R 3,666 × 45 m · 12,028 × 148 ft concrete
- 07/25 3,650 × 45 m · 11,975 × 148 ft concrete
- 08/26 3,650 × 45 m · 11,975 × 148 ft concrete
Ask the sky
What flew over this morning? Where was that loud one heading? Ask in plain words — the answer comes from real recorded traffic.
Airport profile
Typical traffic by hour
Relative intensity by local hour — a typical day, not live data.Peak: 07:00
Typical traffic mix
- Narrowbody78%
- Widebody7%
- Cargo6%
- Turboprop5%
- Bizjet4%
Spotter score
Our editorial rating (0–100).Best time of year
When the interesting traffic peaks.Where to spot
West Garage top deck
The highest open level of the terminal's West Garage looks at runway 34R arrivals and aircraft taxiing in and out of the south side of Concourse A, plus departures on taxiway G heading for 25. The northwest corner has steps and a concrete ledge to work from. A fence blocks the lower part of taxiing aircraft.
- Getting there
- Follow Peña Boulevard signs to the West Garage, or ride the RTD A Line from Union Station to Denver Airport, go up into the terminal, turn left and cross the pick-up lanes carefully. Toilets and food inside the terminal. Do not bring a ladder — the drop over the parapet is several storeys.
- Best time
- 34R arrivals in the morning, before noon; after that the light goes flat or behind the aircraft.
- Lens
- 200 mm for Concourse A taxiing traffic, 300 mm or more for 34R arrivals.
East Garage top deck
The mirror image on the other side of the terminal: from the northeast corner of the top level you see 17R landings and part of the Concourse A ramp. Light poles are everywhere, so frame between them.
- Getting there
- Follow signs to the East Garage, or take the A Line to the airport, go up into the terminal, turn right and cross to the garage. Facilities inside the terminal.
- Best time
- 17R arrivals in the afternoon.
- Lens
- 100 mm for taxiing aircraft, 300–400 mm for landings.
Cell phone waiting lot field (Final Approach)
An open field next to the cell phone waiting lot on Peña Boulevard puts you right beside the departure path from runway 25 — aircraft pass close and low as they turn west towards the Front Range. Arrivals on 07 are rare.
- Getting there
- From eastbound Peña Boulevard exit at Gun Club Road, pass under the highway and turn left onto 77th Avenue; park in the lot by the building and walk carefully to the field northeast of it. The Final Approach building has fast food and restrooms.
- Best time
- 25 departures, most of the day; around noon the light is from above.
- Lens
- No more than 150–200 mm — departures are very close.
Valley Head Street pull-off (Mt. Elbert lot)
A dirt pull-off beside the Mt. Elbert parking lot, under the final approach to 35L. Clean views with little heat haze, and you can see 34R and 35R arrivals in the distance.
- Getting there
- Car only. From eastbound Peña take the Jackson Gap exit, follow 71st Avenue to Robertsdale Street, continue round the Mt. Elbert lot as it becomes 68th Avenue, then turn left onto Valley Head Street; the pull-off is past two buildings on the right. No facilities.
- Best time
- 35L arrivals after noon, when the sun is in the west.
- Lens
- 150–200 mm is plenty.
56th Avenue (Adams County)
A straight country road south of the airport where you can stand under the approaches to 35L and 35R; the aircraft are higher than at Valley Head but you can switch sides of the approach as the sun moves.
- Getting there
- Car only. Continue south on Valley Head Street to its end, then turn onto 56th Avenue and park on the dirt shoulder. Local police occasionally check on spotters — they have been friendly; carry ID.
- Best time
- 35L/35R arrivals all day, top-lit around noon; cross to the other side of the approach when it turns backlit.
- Lens
- 300 mm minimum for a full frame.
East 120th Avenue
Roadside positions north of the airport under the approaches to 16L and 16R, used when the airport is landing from the north. You cannot cover both runways from one place, and the stretch where both are visible is a no-stopping zone.
- Getting there
- Car only; park on the road shoulder along East 120th Avenue. Police patrol East 114th Avenue more actively and have asked spotters to leave there, so 120th is the safer choice.
- Best time
- South-flow landings on 16L/16R. Mid-morning or mid-afternoon, depending on which side of the approach you choose.
- Lens
- 300–400 mm.
Respect private property, signage and the airport security perimeter. Spotterra predicts the active runway from live weather on the dashboard.
What you'll see
United is the largest carrier, with 737s, A320-family jets, CRJs and Embraers, plus 787s and 777s on long-haul routes. Southwest's 737s and Frontier's A320neo family make up most of the rest, alongside American, Delta, Alaska, JetBlue and Spirit. Denver Air Connection flies small regional aircraft to rural towns. International traffic is limited, which makes it worth chasing: Lufthansa, British Airways, Icelandair, Edelweiss, Air Canada and Mexican carriers. Freight comes with UPS, FedEx, Amazon Air and DHL 767s, 757s and MD-11s, often at unsociable hours.
FAQ
What's that plane over Denver?
Open Spotterra's live map: every ADS-B aircraft over the Front Range and the airport shows in real time with type, registration and route. Free, nothing to install.
Can I spot at Denver without a car?
Only from the terminal garages. The RTD A Line runs from Union Station to the airport; the West and East Garage top decks are a short walk from the station. Every other spot needs a car.
Which runways does Denver land on?
Almost always the north–south runways: 34R, 35L and 35R when landing from the south, 16L and 16R when landing from the north. Departures mainly use 34L, 25 and 08.
Will security bother me?
Usually not. Airport police have occasionally moved spotters on along East 114th Avenue, so East 120th Avenue is the calmer choice. Carry ID and explain what you are doing if asked.
Spotterra watches the sky over Denver
A live ADS-B map of your area and smart alerts on military transports, warbirds and rare types — with 10–30 minutes lead on long-haul arrivals. Free forever, no card.
Start spotting freeMore in North America: Los Angeles · New York JFK · Miami · San Francisco · Chicago O'Hare · Dallas/Fort Worth · All 204 airports →