Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock, along with partners from the Federal Aviation Administration, United Airlines, and Southwest Airlines, celebrated the completion of the first phase of the Great Hall Project at Denver International Airport on Oct. 27.
Phase 1 of the project focused on renovating the center portion of Jeppesen Terminal on levels 5 and 6 to create new check-in space for United, Southwest, and eventually Frontier Airlines. The renovations created a modern check-in experience and added to terminal capacity while improving operational efficiency.
“The improvements in this first phase are just the beginning of a major transition of the Jeppesen Terminal that will ultimately prepare DEN for the future,” said Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock. “This investment will ensure that the airport continues to be an economic powerhouse for our region, creating jobs and business opportunities while helping Denver expand its global reach. Denver, together with our airline partners, looks forward to creating a more efficient airport for our passengers.”
The Phase 1 completion includes new restrooms and upgrades to existing restrooms; new ticketing areas with 86 automated self-bag-drop units; and an additional 31,000 square feet of space for Jeppesen Terminal, as well as 158,500 square feet of newly renovated space.
On Thursday, the airport released a Request for Information (RFI) seeking alternative methods for passengers to move between the Jeppesen Terminal and the concourses. Currently, passengers take a train to access two of the three concourses. The airport said it is looking for ways to build redundancy as well as provide passengers with options when it comes to traveling between the terminal and concourses.
When the airport opened in 1995, it was designed to serve 50 million passengers. In 2019, DEN served 69 million passengers. By 2022, officials estimate DEN will meet or exceed 2019 numbers and will reach 100 million passengers within 10 years.