There are some airports that are always ranked #1 in “something.”
- Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Int’l Airport is ranked as the busiest airport in the world
- Changi has been ranked the “Best Airport in the World” for years and years
- Dawson Community Airport is ranked as the smallest commercial airport in the U.S.
But when you think of “which U.S. airport is #1 for its number of domestic flights,” what do you think it would be?
Actually, Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) has been the #1 airport for its number of domestic flights for several years. That’s been, in part, due to United using ORD as its hub.
Behind it was Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Int’l Airport (ATL), which, thanks to Delta’s use of the airport as a hub, is probably no big surprise, either.
Denver held the #3 spot for domestic flights last year, which was a jump from #4, which it had held the previous 2 years, and #5 in 2019.
Those rankings are all courtesy of Simple Flying, BTW.
That was then…this is now
But those numbers were from 2023. The rankings from 2024 are now out and, sorry Chicago but you’ve been blown out of the water.
The airport that’s the largest domestic hub in the country now is…
(drumroll, please)
Denver International Airport.
Yep, for the first year ever, DEN surpassed other popular airports, even ORD and ATL, with the most direct flights within the U.S.
How did THAT happen?
The airport added 12 new flights this year, which brought the total number of domestic nonstop flights to 197 destinations across the country.
Airport officials believe Colorado’s location has helped DEN continue to grow, along with rising domestic travel demand and increased airline investments.
“It’s based on geography and based on the strategies of the airlines that are operating at the airport. You know it’s not easy to drive to places from Denver, and over the past six or seven years, both United and Southwest have really started to invest in Denver, and Frontier as well,” said Laura Jackson, the Vice President of Air Services Development at Denver International. “Post-COVID, what really bounced back initially was the domestic travel environment and domestic travel demand.”
WTG DEN!
H/T: KUNC
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