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Data source: OurAirports (2026-09-01 Snapshot) · Methodology & Verification →

Denver International Airport

Compiled by Bill Gao

Denver, Colorado (United States)

IATA: DEN ICAO: KDEN

Longest Active Runway

16,000 ft

4,877 meters

Field Elevation

5,434 ft

1,656 m MSL

Runway Inventory

6 active

Lighted / Paved

Coordinates & Class

39.8600°, -104.6738°

LARGE AIRPORT

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Multi-Universe Rankings & Statistical Standing

How ranks work →

RunwayFacts Published Dataset

#2 of 650

In curated primary commercial index

Global Commercial Universe

#5 of 7558

Top <0.1% percentile worldwide

National Standing (United States)

#1 of 63 in US

#2 of 2020 in full national registry

vs Large Airport Median

+60%

Compared to 10,000 ft baseline

💡 DEN in numbers: 16,000 ft longest runway · #2 of 650 published · #5 of 7,558 worldwide (top <0.1%) · #1 in United States.

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Editorial Aerodrome Deep Dive: Denver International Airport (DEN)

Curated Aerodrome Profile

Denver International Airport is an architectural and aeronautical marvel designed specifically to overcome high-altitude atmospheric limitations. Located at 5,434 ft above sea level on the high Colorado plains, summer temperatures routinely exceed 35°C, drastically thinning air density. Its 16,000 ft runway 16R/34L allows fully loaded widebody jetliners to accelerate to higher true liftoff airspeeds and climb out safely to Europe and Asia. Its non-intersecting pinwheel layout enables simultaneous triple instrument approaches even in heavy blizzards.

Runway Layout & Magnetic Alignments

Six non-intersecting runways configured in a pinwheel layout: four north-south parallels (16L/34R, 16R/34L, 17L/35R, 17R/35L) and two east-west crosswinds (07/25, 08/26).

Expansion Milestones & Predecessor Facilities

Opened in February 1995 on a massive 53-square-mile plot 25 miles east of downtown Denver, replacing the severely slot-constrained Stapleton International Airport. Features the iconic Teflon-coated fabric peaks of the Jeppesen Terminal.

Regional Differentiation & Cluster Role

Largest airport in North America by total land area, operating without the boundary constraints that limit Colorado Springs (COS, 63 NM south) and Centennial (APA).

Data Nuances & Operational Quirks

Runway 16R/34L measures 16,000 ft (4,877 m)—the longest public commercial runway in North America—specifically engineered to counter high summer density altitude penalties at 5,434 ft elevation.

📚 Official Aerodrome Sourcing: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) · FAA Form 5010-1 Airport Master Record & NFDC Surveyed Aeronautical Data · AirNav DEN Master Record ↗

Verification Methodology →

🔬 Operational & Aerodrome Engineering Comparative Analysis

Longest runway ≥10,500 ft

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Elevation & National Context

High-Altitude Aerodrome (≥5,000 ft)

DEN lies at 1,656 m (5,434 ft), #35 of 650 published airports by elevation and 93.9 percentile among 7,558 worldwide. It is 4,827 ft above the United States median (607 ft, 63 airports); COS is highest at 6,187 ft, 753 ft higher than DEN.

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Regional Density & Alternates (100 NM)

1 Qualifying Aerodrome in Vicinity

Closest of 1 paved-runway (≥5,000 ft) neighbour within 100 NM: City of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport (COS), 63.3 NM, 13,500 ft. DEN has the longest runway in this radius, 2,500 ft over COS.

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Runway Inventory & National Standing

Primary Runway: 16,000 ft (4,877 m)

DEN runways: 16R/34L 16,000 × 200 ft concrete (con); 07/25 12,000 × 150 ft concrete (con); 08/26 12,000 × 150 ft concrete (con); 16L/34R 12,000 × 150 ft concrete (con); 17R/35L 12,000 × 150 ft concrete (con); 17L/35R 12,000 × 150 ft concrete (con). National standing: #1 of 63 in United States; 1,165 ft ahead of LAS (14,835 ft). +60% vs the 10,000 ft baseline.

🛫 Physical Runway Inventory & Surface Engineering

Runway Designator	Length (ft / m)	Width (ft / m)	Surface Material	Lighting	Status
16R/34L	16,000 ft (4877 m / 4.877 km)	200 ft (61m)	`Concrete (CON)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active
07/25	12,000 ft (3658 m / 3.658 km)	150 ft (46m)	`Concrete (CON)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active
08/26	12,000 ft (3658 m / 3.658 km)	150 ft (46m)	`Concrete (CON)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active
16L/34R	12,000 ft (3658 m / 3.658 km)	150 ft (46m)	`Concrete (CON)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active
17R/35L	12,000 ft (3658 m / 3.658 km)	150 ft (46m)	`Concrete (CON)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active
17L/35R	12,000 ft (3658 m / 3.658 km)	150 ft (46m)	`Concrete (CON)`	✅ Lighted	✅ Active

🧭 Comparative Aerodromes (100 NM Radius, ≥5,000 ft Paved)

Great-circle Haversine spatial proximity matching for commercial facilities with paved runway capacity within 100 NM.

Aerodrome Name	IATA	Distance	Longest Runway	Lighting
City of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport (Colorado Springs)	`COS`	63.3 NM (117.2 km)	13,500 ft	✅ Lighted

🛡️ Source: OurAirports Open Aviation Database, snapshot 2026-09-01 · Provenance →