Denver figuring out where to put other airlines after gate deals with United and Southwest
Denver International Airport faces a puzzle. Its two largest carriers Southwest Airlines and United Airlines have deals for new gates under construction at the field, but questions continue to swirl around where other carriers will go — and grow — in the Mile High City.
The future locations of Delta Air Lines and Frontier Airlines in Denver (DEN) are at the center of the intrigue. Some of their existing gates, or all in Delta's case, will shift to United when that carrier takes over 23 gates on the eastern end of Concourse A by early 2022. United's expansion includes 12 new and 11 existing gates at the airport.
“We have enough gates for everyone to grow," Denver Airport CEO Kim Day told TPG on the sidelines of the U.S. Chamber of Summit Aviation Summit in Washington on Thursday. She added that the Southwest and United agreements are only the first of several with the airport's airlines, and that "there's more to come."
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Asked what the airport plans to do with Delta and Frontier, Day said they will both be accommodated but where they move is still in the works. Delta, she added, has requested one additional gate on top of the six they already use.
One outlet for Denver airport's growth are nine temporary gates on the eastern end of Concourse A. Opened in 2018 just as work on the larger expansion got under way, the facility will receive some "modifications," as Day put it, to extend its life.
The temporary Concourse A wing will be home for "one of our airline partners" once United moves into its new digs, said Day. She declined to say what airline will move in.
Related: Southwest Airlines has big plans for its new gates in Denver
It's perhaps worth noting that the temporary A wing has nine gates, the same number that hometown carrier Frontier currently uses.
The new gates are part of a larger multi-billion dollar expansion of Denver airport. Works includes an upgraded terminal, additional carriages on the terminal-concourse train, and new outdoor patios on the ends of the three concourses.
The capital works at Denver airport come amid a decade of passenger traffic growth. Last year, a record 69 million travelers passed through the facility on the plains east of the city.
Executives at both Southwest and United say their airlines plan to grow at the airport in the coming years. United has even said it could operate more than 700 departures from Denver by 2025.
Related: United Airlines marks new Denver gates with more long-haul seats
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Why We Chose It
It's hard to find a card that competes with the mile-long list of benefits that come with the Amex Business Platinum. While it's certainly not the card for the average consumer, a business owner with tons of expenses -- especially related to travel -- will find this card incredibly valuable. This card is similar to the consumer version that Amex offers, but with more business-oriented perks around statement credits and earning rates that are a better fit for business owners.Pros
- An up to $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee every four to five years
- Up to $400 annual credit for eligible U.S. Dell purchases (enrollment required)
- Gold status at Marriott and Hilton hotels (enrollment required)
- Access to the Fine Hotels & Resorts program and Hotel Collection
- Extended warranty protection
- International Airline Program and Cruise Privileges Program
Cons
- Steep annual fee
- Difficulty meeting $15,000 welcome offer for smaller businesses
- Limited high-bonus categories outside of travel
- The Points Guy Exclusive Offer: Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Platinum Card® within the first 3 months of Card Membership.
- Get 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on amextravel.com, and 1X points for each dollar you spend on eligible purchases.
- Earn 1.5X points (that’s an extra half point per dollar) on eligible purchases at US construction material & hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else, on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year.
- Unlock over $1,000 in annual statement credits on a curation of business purchases, including select purchases made with Dell Technologies, Indeed, Adobe, and U.S. wireless service providers.
- $200 Airline Fee Credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year for checked baggage fees, lounge day passes, and more at one selected airline.
- $189 CLEAR® Credit: Use your Card and get up to $189 back per year on your CLEAR® membership. CLEAR® is available at more than 50 U.S. airports and stadiums.
- The American Express Global Lounge Collection® can provide an escape at the airport. With more than 1,400 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting, you have more lounge location options than any other credit card on the market as of 9/2021.
- $695 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.