United Airlines plans largest-ever Denver hub
United Airlines has big aspirations in Denver, with plans that could turn the Mile High City into its largest hub in five years.
The Chicago-based carrier will add about 50 daily departures annually from Denver International Airport (DEN) with an aim of more than 700 departures on peak days by 2025, the head of United's Denver hub Steve Jaquith told a Denver City Council committee Wednesday. The airline is scheduled to fly more than 550 peak day departures this summer.
“We have every intention to be the top carrier [in Denver], and growing the airport to its full potential," he said.
That full potential could see Denver become United's largest hub by departures. While multi-year airline growth plans rarely play out as expected, the airline is adding flights at a faster clip in Denver than at either its two larger hubs, Chicago O'Hare (ORD) or Houston Intercontinental (IAH), according to Cirium schedule data. Chicago is scheduled to see about 670 departures and Houston 570 departures on peak days this summer.
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Gavin Molloy, the vice president of corporate real estate and environmental affairs at United, called Denver the "centerpiece" of the airline's current domestic growth strategy. That strategy has seen the carrier add flights at its three mid-continent hubs in Chicago, Denver and Houston in an effort to boost connections and recapture what executives have previously called United's "natural share" of the domestic market.
Most of the new flights planned in Denver will be domestic. However, Jaquith said that the additional traffic could support new international long-haul service in the future. United serves Frankfurt (FRA), London Heathrow (LHR) and Tokyo Narita (NRT) from the city.
If the growth in Denver continues at its current pace, the operation is on track to surpass Houston and rival Chicago as United's busiest hub in terms of departures by 2025.
United spokeswoman Rachel Rivas told TPG that United is growing at all of its hubs when asked about where Denver might rank in the future rank with more than 700 flights. While current growth rates would put Denver in position to become United's busiest hub, a change in pace in Denver — or stepped up growth in Chicago or Houston — could alter the projection.
Related: United Airlines plans more gates, new clubs at growing Denver hub
Largest hub or not, United needs a lot more gates in Denver for all its new flights. Jaquith and Molloy joined airport officials Wednesday in presenting a plan for the airline to add 24 more gates for a total of 90 in Denver by 2022. The additional gates would include 23 on Concourse A, including 12 under construction and 11 existing, plus one being built on Concourse B.
Denver airport is in the midst of building 39 new gates under a $1.5 billion concourse expansion it kicked off in 2018. Plans call for 12 new gates on Concourse A, one on B — 11 are being built but they replace former regional gates — and 16 on C. The program also includes new passenger amenities, including outdoor patios on all three concourses.
Kim Day, CEO of Denver airport, told the City Council committee Wednesday that all of the new gates are already leased and the airport has plans to begin a second phase of gate expansion in the "coming weeks."
Day did not explain, nor did the committee members specifically ask, how the airport plans to accommodate Southwest Airlines' request for the 16 gates under construction on Concourse C. The math does not add up for the Dallas-based discounter to take all of the space on C if United takes 11 existing gates on A — gates that are currently occupied by Delta Air Lines and Frontier Airlines — plus all of the new space on A and B.
Related: Denver airport will get the first of 3 new outdoor patios this year
Southwest spokesman Dan Landson told TPG that the airline is "keeping an eye" on the United gate proposal, and maintains its request for the 16 under construction gates on Concourse C.
“All of the carriers that are growing are going to get the gates they wish," said Day when asked by committee members about other airlines. She added that the United agreement did not "preclude" other requests without providing additional details.
The committee approved the agreement between United and the airport for more gates, with the full Denver City Council set to hear the proposal later in January.
Denver airport was the fifth busiest in the U.S. with 64.5 million passengers in 2018, according to airport and U.S. Federal Aviation Administration data. Year-to-date through October 2019, traffic in Denver was up 7.3% year-over-year to 57.9 million passengers.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
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You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.