In the battle for supremacy in the Mile High City, United Airlines has announced its newest offensive, and it is a potent one.
The airline will increase its operations to 12 more gates, add 35 new flights and six new destinations out of Denver, as well as create three newly renovated clubs, one of which will grow to be the largest in the network.
Customers, representatives from the government, and community partners are being welcomed by the airline and its CEO Scott Kirby at Denver International Airport (DEN) for a ceremonial announcement and celebration later on Tuesday.
The newest effort by United to capture the Denver market is this expansion.
Denver is a key market for both Southwest and United and for the past few years, the two airlines have competed head-to-head for dominance in the region. The announcement made on Tuesday is one of United's most significant actions to date. Both carriers have spent heavily to outdo one another in Denver.
Below are the specifics.
6 new routes and 35 additional flights from Denver
The addition of six routes, four of which are not currently offered from the airport, is the centerpiece of the Denver expansion.
On October 29 and November 4, respectively, United will start operating daily flights to San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Montego Bay, Jamaica. The airline's improved onboard experience, which features quicker and more dependable Wi-Fi, seatback entertainment, and larger overhead bins, will be used on both routes when Boeing 737 MAX aircraft are used.
Additionally, the carrier will increase daily nonstop service to Asheville, North Carolina; Dayton, Ohio; Greensboro, North Carolina; and Lexington, Kentucky. Beginning on September 29, United Express Embraer E175 regional aircraft will operate these four routes.
United asserts that four cities—Dayton, Greensboro, Lexington, and San Juan—have all received new nonstop service from Denver, however, according to Cirium schedules, Dayton was a market that United suspended in April 2020. Frontier also operated flights between Denver and Greensboro up to August 2018. Denver has never used the other two markets.
A new morning departure bank from the airport to Dallas/Fort Worth, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Orlando, Phoenix, Portland, Oregon, San Diego, and Seattle will be added by the airline in addition to the new routes. Locals have many opportunities to make the most of their days when traveling thanks to these planes' early departures (around 6 a.m.) and late arrivals.
Additionally, United wants to boost Denver's mainline operations to their greatest levels in 20 years. Regional aircraft will be sent to less-traveled, smaller cities, while its primary domestic workhorses, the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 families, will continue to operate on more routes.
In total, United will increase the number of flights from Denver by 35 in 2023, including the eight flights in the new 6 a.m. departure bank in addition to the six new routes. The airline is also introducing nine new United Express frequencies to cities like Little Rock, Arkansas, and Santa Fe, New Mexico, in addition to 13 additional mainline flights to bigger markets like Austin and Boston.
12 new gates
By the middle of 2024, the airline will install 12 new gates to serve all of its new flights, raising the total number of gates at its Denver operation to an astounding 90. (This is in keeping with the growth strategy that was initially presented in 2020.)
Although the Denver airport only recently opened in 1995 (making it one of the newest airports in the nation), its current facilities are already overflowing. While the main departures and arrivals hall is now being restored and expanded, each of the airport's three gate concourses recently experienced an enlargement.
Concourse A is now where United has increased its presence in Denver (it had previously exclusively utilized Concourse B), and the airline's new Denver gates are stunning.
For Denver residents, the addition of more of these upscale, large gate areas should be positive. Along with new seats, digital signs, and self-service kiosks, the airline will also remodel its 55 Concourse B gates.
All of this is a part of United's nearly $1 billion investment in the passenger experience at Denver International Airport, which also includes a 30% increase in gate capacity, a gorgeous new check-in lobby, new self-service kiosks at gates, a new grab-and-go United Club Fly, and the renovation of existing lounges (more on that below).
3 updated and new United Clubs
The United Clubs, which are available in Denver, are possibly the biggest (and most-needed) enhancement for frequent travelers.
Flyers have little choice but to make the journey to Concourse B to use the lounge before their flights because United hasn't run a club there even after expanding into Concourse A.
The airline will thankfully launch a brand-new 24,900-square-foot club in Concourse A this summer (at a yet-to-be-determined date), which will change everything.
Additionally, United closed the B-East club so that it could undergo renovations; this location will reopen this summer as the biggest United Club in the entire network. It will span three levels and be 36,500 square feet in size. The architecture will be Colorado-inspired.
At some time in 2024, United promises to renovate the current B-West United Club, which will then total 36,500 square feet.
The 1,600 square-foot Club Fly, which debuted in November 2022 to considerable acclaim, is now joined by these three newly built and remodeled clubs.
With more than 60,000 daily departures, United needs all the lounge space it can get. Fortunately, it will soon have roughly 100,000 square feet divided among four outposts to accommodate all of its premium travelers.
Denver is the only American hub without a Polaris lounge for business class passengers alone, and it doesn't appear that one will be opening any time soon.
Bigger and better than Southwest
All of United's expansion in Denver comes as the airline competes with Southwest, which has also increased its operations and added new flights in Denver to acquire a larger share of the local market.
Denver is a good hub airport for both carriers as they compete on one-stop routes for passenger flows going east to west and north to south (and vice versa), thanks to its position.
Even while United doesn't specifically mention Southwest, its subtle assault is obvious to anyone who reads between the lines. The press release from the airline frequently makes mention of the "most [gates] at Denver International Airport," "more [destinations] than any other Denver airline," and "Denver's most-flew airline."
The airline has chosen Denver as the location for the launch of its first locally tailored iteration of its "Good Leads the Way" campaign. This initiative, dubbed "That's the Denver in Us," will soon start airing on local TV and appearing on billboards throughout the city.
United boasts that it is the largest private employer in Denver, and Mayor Michael B. Hancock of the city has declared May 23, 2023, to be the inaugural "United Airlines Day" in Denver. This shows the United's political clout with influential local figures.
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