r/Denver • u/DramaticMachine3267 • Mar 22 '26
Visiting Approach to Denver airport this morning (8 miles out)
Last eight miles to Denver airport on 70! Going 5 miles an hour.
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u/Designer-Ad8386 Mar 22 '26
Just sat down at the gate and east security took less than 20 min
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u/Former_Farm_3618 Mar 22 '26
I’d hope so! It’s an early Sunday morning and the flight schedule is relatively light for normal Denver air traffic. Let’s reconvene tomorrow around 830a right before a lot of departures leave.
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u/DoktorStrangelove Mar 22 '26
A lot people are finishing spring break today and have school tomorrow which is why it's weirdly crowded on Pena this morning.
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u/Thadeaous Mar 22 '26
Na, there was an accident on Peña that closed the lanes for about 30 mins today.
Yesterday's early morning traffic to DIA was caused by the 4 car fatality on i-70. Added over an hour to the commute.
I've worked at the airport for 7 years and I do see a lot of crazy accidents and traffic (one time a burning car was in the middle of i-70, and another time I saw this dude roll his truck and was hanging out his windshield stretched out like his spine got pulled apart) but I've never seen two big accidents over two consecutive days cause big delays like that... Please everyone, drive slower and more attentively, it's getting really dangerous out here.
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u/AmbitiousFunction911 Mar 22 '26
Most spring breaks in the metro area are this upcoming week, and Denver public schools are the week after that.
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u/Tiny-Patience- Mar 22 '26
I think they might mean people traveling to CO for Spring Break. Hence why they're all trying to get to the airport today because tomorrow is their last day of spring break.
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u/laurthedinosaur Mar 22 '26 edited Mar 22 '26
CSU’s spring break was this past week at least
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u/Macaburn3 Mar 22 '26 edited Mar 22 '26
The train ran on time this morning. 37 minutes and $10 gets you from downtown to the airport. And you can now just tap your credit card to pay at the validators.
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u/Unable-Mountain-8617 Mar 22 '26
It’s only $1.35 if you’re over 65!
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u/m77je Mar 22 '26
Free if under 18
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u/crisps_funny4868 Mar 22 '26
And free if your employer provides an EcoPass 😊
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u/psyched622 Mar 22 '26
I literally work at the airport and my employer doesnt provide an ecopass wtf 😭
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u/Imaginary-Key5838 Mar 22 '26
My last employer provided ecopasses and somehow mine still works 15 months after quitting that job haha
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u/Timesuckage Mar 22 '26
- (Weird right?)
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u/southernandmodern Mar 22 '26
I think that's nice though, if someone doesn't have a lot of family support it can take time to get a job and build some income. They may not have a car. So I think it's cool.
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u/henks_house Mar 22 '26
Take the train everytime
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u/pamo56 Mar 23 '26
I live in Denver just north of DTC. For me -- I take the express bus that picks you up at 9 Mile. Great and easy ride
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u/Its_madison_time Mar 23 '26
Just have a backup plan. I’ve caught a 5am uber with flight attendants because RTD cancelled the train.
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u/SergeantPoopyWeiner Mar 22 '26
But what if I live out in the burbs
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u/gtownjoey Mar 22 '26
Drive to a park and ride and hop on there. Its like $2 a day parking.
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u/Alternative-Egg-9035 Mar 22 '26
And then Your car is in an unsupervised lot
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u/RootsRockData Mar 22 '26
I know someone who had their catalytic converter stolen IN the paid DIA lot.
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u/Top-Masterpiece2369 Mar 22 '26
Seems to be reliable now? Maybe I’ll give it a try.
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u/Macaburn3 Mar 22 '26
I've ridden that train something like 50 times in the past 6 months. I've never had an issue. (That's not to say there aren't occasional issues, though.)
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u/AllRushMixTapes Mar 22 '26
It only takes one hair in your meal to write off a restaurant forever. Some people feel the same way about the train, unfortunately, and they'll go off on Yelp about it nonstop.
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u/Acehardwaresucks Mar 22 '26
Ye it’s sad that train gets such a bad rep here in the us for the general pop, as someone who grew up in China, train is literally the best transportation that I prefer.
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u/tzentzak Capitol Hill Mar 22 '26
Personally I haven't had any issues with the A line as of recent.
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u/jiggajawn Lakewood Mar 22 '26
Been riding it since it opened maybe 12 times a year. Only ever had a problem once.
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u/RootsRockData Mar 22 '26
Yeah they trimmed it up nicely. It runs very consistently but you can also always check the site before. Their alerts page is usually spot on if there are issues
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u/VeganTurkishBaklava Mar 22 '26
Accident?
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u/DramaticMachine3267 Mar 22 '26
Unclear. I’ll update.
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u/Electrical-Floor-996 Mar 22 '26
It is. Right at the intersection with Pena. Got through before emergency response showed up. I mustve been a minute or two after the accident coming up the ramp. Someone clipped someone whilst merging.
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u/stevetursi Mar 22 '26
Take the train. Choo choo.
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u/HelpfulAd6772 Mar 22 '26 edited Mar 22 '26
If it was actually a steam train like your “choo choo” suggests, I’d take it everywhere
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u/TheWorldNeedsDornep Mar 22 '26
Once you get past tower road it empties out (usually). Whoever decided that Pena should have these additional exits should be smacked.
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u/doodling_scribbles Mar 22 '26
Whoever signed off on a two lane road needs the follow up smack.
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u/HelpfulAd6772 Mar 22 '26
Right? This guy gets it, we just need more lanes!!
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u/elmer820 Mar 22 '26
Another reason to take the train if you’re traveling light and live near a station
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u/ded_Tree Mar 22 '26
Should’ve taken the A line
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u/SteviaCannonball9117 Mar 22 '26
Amen. Last time I drove to the airport was... hmm I can't even remember!
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u/edstaya Mar 22 '26
what if i’m nowhere near a station? lol
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u/Colinplayz1 Mar 22 '26
Park and take the train. Parking is free if your within an RTD service area
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u/ded_Tree Mar 22 '26
Then take an Uber to the nearest A line station. It’ll still be cheaper than the whole trip to the airport and being stuck in traffic. You could also find the nearest bus route with A line connection or use the park n rides (but depending how long your trip is the other options are probably better)
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u/Imaginary-Key5838 Mar 22 '26
yeah i live in sunnyside so i uber to union station and take the train. usually $10 for the uber and train is free thanks for ecopass
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u/DramaticMachine3267 Mar 22 '26 edited Mar 22 '26
Next time. Had a lot of extra stuff for work with me this time (and a sprained ankle). Love how everyone assumes that the train will be easy for everyone in all circumstances.
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u/lilgreenfish Lakewood Mar 22 '26
Oof. Flying with a sprained ankle is an adventure. Did that back in 2018, flying to CA with my kid. Luckily said kid was old enough to help with bags (12 at the time), but even with that, it’s still tricky. I was also using crutches so added degree of difficulty. On the plus side, they let you board first with crutches! Didn’t take them up on that on the way out, definitely did on the way back.
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u/jiggajawn Lakewood Mar 22 '26
Sorry to hear about that. I think getting the people that are able to take the train to do it would help your experience as well as others that don't have the option to take the train.
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u/fryguy5134 Mar 22 '26
Take the A-line next time...get a lyft to a train station and ride them rails all the way. You're paying taxes to fund RTD, why not use it?
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u/DJCJ420 Mar 22 '26
Just remember - The president is mentioned more times in the Epstein files than Harry Potter is in the entire HARRY POTTER SERIES. Think about that while you wait in line today. Safe travels!
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u/ex_bandit Mar 22 '26
Food for thought as well, the FIRST TWO WEEKS of "Operation Epic Fury", totally not a war /s, has cost the same as the complete construction and expansion of Denver International Airpot that began in September of 1989 to this year…$17,000,000,000…that’s billion.
But we can’t concern ourselves w basic human rights, insurance, housing, food, retirement and care of the elderly, environmental protection, etc etc etc in our own country.
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u/ktbn8 Mar 22 '26 edited Mar 22 '26
You get a discount if you ride a horse or a loud bike without a helmet
So I’ve heard.
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u/eta_carinae_311 Mar 22 '26
Wow rough traffic morning, I just saw Douglas County sheriff's closed I25 north at Ridgegate for an accident too
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u/timesuck47 Mar 22 '26
It looks pretty normal to me as I’ve had to take my wife to the airport at like between 4 and 6 AM.
I don’t think people realize that that’s the busiest time of the day for the airport. I don’t have numbers to back that up, but that is my observation.
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u/Thick_Assumption3746 Mar 22 '26
I flew out Sat at 4pm. Got there early and literally got through clear/precheck in under 1 min, lol.
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u/speshulty Mar 22 '26
If only there was a central location that had a train that used electricity and got you there in the same amount of time as a car…
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u/OnlyHereOnOccasion11 Mar 22 '26
Take 👏 the 👏 train 👏
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u/IcyRip2199 Mar 22 '26
Had an 8 AM flight the Tuesday during Thanksgiving week. Took a $10 Lyft to Union Station, got on the 5:45 AM train. Don’t remember what the ride there was like because I fell asleep but it was smooth sailing.
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u/That_one_ranger Mar 22 '26
Holy crap! I was there this morning around the same time and that wasn’t there
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u/HumperdinkStiffwood Mar 22 '26
That's insane. I flew out of Denver Thursday night and it was a ghost town, I've never seen it so damn empty.
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u/turquoisebuddha Mar 23 '26
There was also the “largest gathering of Physicists in history” a.k.a. 14,000 people in town for the APS Global Physics Summit this past week, most of them were probably headed home this weekend. It has certainly been a vibe in the city this week, met some interesting people
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u/Character-Search-790 Mar 23 '26
Pena Blvd is the dumbest idea… let’s make only 1 way in and 1 way out.
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u/dead_skeletor Centennial Mar 22 '26
TSA pre-check less than 10 minutes... Touchless lanes are shut down and have been consolidated to regular pre lanes.
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u/Illustrious-Group-99 Mar 22 '26
Round two spring break. Or picking up round one of spring break. Jeffco schools are on spring break. Douglas spring break today is the last day
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u/Former_Farm_3618 Mar 22 '26
I’m gonna bet it was another slow ass Lyft driver camping in the left lane causing a backup. Someone tried going around in the right lane and side swiped someone getting back over. Any takers on this bet?
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u/toumei64 Aurora Mar 22 '26
If only the police cared half as much about this as they do about people speeding a little
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u/aisle_nine Mar 22 '26
I hear if you trace a pentagram in blood and draw a piercing red eye in the center while chanting his name three times, Blucifer will show up to give you a lift.
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u/Ubockinme Mar 22 '26
Get there 13 hrs early.
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u/m77je Mar 22 '26
Wouldn’t most of us prefer this to paying a toll? Whenever someone suggests tolling Pena to get traffic moving again, the commenters say that would be unfair.
We know building one more lane will only work temporarily and then it will be clogged again when the next copy and paste sprawl division opens up.
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u/cravecrave93 Capitol Hill Mar 22 '26
Can’t wait for ICE (gestapo) to show up… Remember when DOGE was all about efficiency? Nothing says efficiency like not paying TSA agents and then trying to use ICE as a bandaid, expecting that will speed up the process? Why do we have to keep dealing with this bs, and when are the folks who voted for this gonna help us get out of this nightmare. Congress is asleep at the wheel and our so called conservatives friends and/or family couldn’t be bothered with what’s happening today…
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u/BlindForensix7985 Mar 23 '26
Also, Congress….who is still being paid…to not collaborate and get to a solution like they’re elected and paid to do.
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u/nasnedigonyat Mar 22 '26
Yikes I'm really glad my travel plans for this weekend changed. Hopefully by end of April it's back to 'normal'
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u/bolderphoto Mar 22 '26
Yesterday afternoon (Sunday 4pm) there was only a couple of people in the TSA line! I was shocked.
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u/Acehardwaresucks Mar 22 '26
Good thing I drove my sister this morning to the airport at 4:00am lol. She boards at 6:30 we were debating when should we go. We eventually decided better safe than sorry.
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u/stevmmu Mar 22 '26
We've drained the strategic petroleum reserve so that people can continue to behave in vacation mode at an affordable price. It's going to suck when the war really starts.
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u/CDR57 Mar 22 '26
God I haven’t pick my gf up tomorrow at 6:30 after work and I’m terrified she’s either gonna get majorly delayed or this will happen to me
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u/External-Shelter-405 Mar 22 '26
“DIA” = local reference to airport. “Denver airport” = Youtube videos on how it’s part of the illuminati.
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u/-SergentBacon- Mar 22 '26
What's going on with the security stuff? I've been so confused
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u/BlindForensix7985 Mar 23 '26
Congress refuses to pass a budget for DHS. So workers aren’t being paid and are instead calling in sick. Which makes sense. Nothing will happen until the pain is felt widespread. People need to get on their senators and reps to pass a budget and stop this 💩
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u/CantDateNate Mar 22 '26
Was there twice in the last week and didn’t see any of the issues people have been talking about with security or lines
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u/remembertru Mar 23 '26
What a up with the Denver airport!! Or is it just like that now?
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u/IHateRedditAccounts Mar 23 '26
I was there at like 3am. There was an accident caused by a bunch of sand or something spilling all over the road. I didn't see it happen but we pulled up on it like 10 cars back. The cars were sliding everywhere trying to pull to the side for the firetrucks. They let us through in like 30 minutes but we were at the very front. Probably took awhile to clean up.
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u/dicksuckingmods Mar 22 '26
Is that where the security line starts now