Planning the Future

Master Plan
Imagine a Great Airport
DIA was designed to be Denvers
port to the world.
As with many great public work projects, the
idea for Denver International Airport sprang from
need. In the early 1970s, farsighted community
leaders were already envisioning a larger
airport to accommodate Denvers burgeoning
growth. Stapleton Airport, which had opened
as Denver Municipal Airport in 1929, was virtually
landlocked and nearing its capacity, with noise
pollution and flight delays becoming increasingly
contentious issues.

The search for a new site began, culminating

in the acquisition of 53 square miles of farmland in
neighboring Adams County. Denver annexed most
of this property, an enormous political challenge
that required the astute guidance of business and
civic leaders, and, ultimately, approval by voters
from both counties. Building DIA was a seminal
event that raised Denvers collective consciousness
by showing how big dreams can be realized.

Table of Contents
1 Imagine a Great Airport
2 DIA Today
4 What is a Master Plan?
6 Why Update the Master Plan?
8 Key Considerations
10 Timeline and Process
12 Airport Efficiency
14 Airport Activity Forecasts
18 Short-term Needs
18 Long-term Needs
20 Runways
22 Terminal and Concourse Alternatives
20 Terminal and Concourse Alternatives
24 Landside and Support Facilities Alternatives
26 Sustainable Development
28 Moving Forward

Stapleton International Airport

Denver International Airport / 1
DIA Today

For four consecutive years (2005 annual economic impact to the state at more
than $22 billion dollars, while accounting for over
to 2008) DIA has ranked as the top half of the states total aviation jobs. DIA is truly
airport for business travelers in the most important economic engine in the state
of Colorado.
North America.
Encompassing 53 square miles of land, DIA is the
An airport is a reflection of a community and largest airport in North America and the second-
its spirit. Denver International Airport has come largest airport in the world. This large land area
to symbolize many things about our region: is designed to limit the impacts of airport activity
architectural ingenuity, technological innovation, on the airports neighbors and provides room for
visionary planning and perhaps most important the airport to expand and grow. The enormous
our communitys belief in itself and confidence in potential of DIA to serve a prominent role in the
its future. Although metro Denver ranks as the global aviation system is due primarily to the
20th-largest metropolitan area in the US, DIA airports room to grow. DIA is part of a larger plan
served more than 51 million passengers in 2008, for the landlocked city of Denver, opening the
ranking as the fifth-busiest airport in North path to markets around the world and providing a
America and the 10th busiest in the world. Colorado stimulus for economic growth in the region. The
Department of Transportation estimated DIAs very foundation of Denvers role as a world-class
city is Denver International Airport.

2 / Master Plan Denver International Airport / 3

What is a Master Plan?

DIAs Master Plan Update is funded A master plan is one of the most important
documents from an airport management and
in part by a grant from the FAA, with operation perspective as it guides future growth
the remainder of the study funded and development. An airport master plan provides
by Denver International Airport. No a road map for efficiently meeting aviation
demand through the foreseeable future while
taxpayer monies are involved to pay preserving the flexibility necessary to respond
for the master plan study. to changing industry conditions. DIAs current
master plan was developed in 1988 and provided
guidance for the airport through 50 million annual
passengers. With that threshold now reached,
DIA management is in the process of updating the
master plan. The new plan will provide development
guidelines through 2030.

The goal of a master plan is to build the overall

framework needed to guide future airport
development. The plan must also allow the airport
to keep pace with aviation growth cost effectively,
while also considering potential environmental and
socioeconomic impacts. Master plans also provide
the airport with the tools to react to uncertainties
by examining key trends in the aviation industry,
such as changing airline business models,
improvements in technology, and local/regional
economics that could affect airport activity.

4 / Master Plan Denver International Airport / 5

Why Update the Master Plan?
DIAs original master plan, which was completed recommends that airports review and update
in the late 1980s when airport construction their master plan every five to 10 years or as
initially started, projected that the newly built necessary to ensure future planning accounts
facility could support approximately 50 million for these changes. DIAs master plan study will
annual passengers. In 2007, the airport handled consider these factors in order to develop an
49.9 million passengers, and, in 2008, annual expansion plan that meets projected demand,
passenger traffic topped 51 million. Even as we both in magnitude and characteristics, while
face a downturn in the economy and passenger providing flexibility for the airport to respond to
traffic there is a great need to plan for future changes.
DIAs future.
Additionally, DIA was originally designed to
Aviation has changed tremendously over the handle a significantly higher number of connecting
past 20 years when DIAs current master plan was passengers than current levels. The proportional
developed. These changes include increased increase in originating and terminating passengers
security measures and processes, an evolution in has imposed more demand on airport facilities
airline check-in procedures, baggage screening than would have the same increase in the
technology and regulations, evolution of airline number of connecting passengers, since local
fleets, and changes in airline and aviation industry passengers use roadways, parking facilities,
economics. These changes have resulted in airline ticketing and baggage facilities, security
different and typically more intensive demands on checkpoints, and other facilities that connecting
airport facilities. The Federal Aviation Administration passengers do not.

TYPICAL
TYPICALAIRCRAFT
AIRCRAFT FUTURE
FUTUREAIRCRAFT
AIRCRAFT

A320
A320 B787-8
B787-8

B737-800
B737-800

B757-200W
B757-200W

A380-900
A380-900

B747-400
B747-400

6 / Master Plan Denver International Airport / 7

Key Considerations
There are numerous elements - Minimize impact to current operations
- Optimize operational efficiencies and flexibility
that must be balanced to develop - Emphasize customer service and satisfaction
a master plan that will meet the - Allow airport to respond to the changing
needs of the dynamic aviation industry
dynamic needs of DIAs varied - Continue to support DIAs role as the key
stakeholders. economic engine for the region and the state
- Meet sustainability and environmental
Key considerations for developing DIAs requirements and continue DIAs leadership
master plan: in environmental stewardship
- Ensure safety and security - Reserve and maintain land uses on-airport
- Keep costs practical and affordable to permit logical, phased development that
- Maintain consistency with DIAs vision, is both flexible and responsive
mission and goals - Allow the airport and its terminal to remain
- Maintain consistent and coordinated architecturally iconic
development that matches city and - Allow for enhancement of nonairline revenue
regional development plans

8 / Master Plan Denver International Airport / 9

 Timeline and Process
The development of an airport master plan Concept Evaluation and
generally takes three years from start to finish. Recommendation Process
At the end of the process, the FAA will grant
approval, allowing the airport to move forward with Step 3 of the master plan process includes concept
development plans. As demonstrated here, public evaluation and recommendation. The process is
input begins early on and continues throughout depicted graphically below.
the process. Denver Mayor Hickenlooper also
convened a Master Plan Advisory Committee which
includes representatives from all stakeholder
groups including government, businesses, airlines, TERMINAL LANDSIDE

and community organizations.

AIRFIELD SUPPORT

Alternative
Manager Master Plan Process Concepts

STEP 1 STEP 4 SCREENING

Initial Technical Preliminary

Screened
Evaluation of Needs Recommendations
Concepts
- Inventory - Best options to meet our
- Forecasts future needs
- Analysis INTEGRATION
- Coordination with FAA

ing
Integrated
Concepts

STEP 2 STEP 5
SCREENING
Detailed Technical Analyses Final Stakeholder
Meetings
Identify Needs Shortlist Integrated
Concepts
Stakeholder Meetings
& Input
EVALUATION

Preferred
We Are Here Alternative

STEP 3 STEP 6
Preparation of Airport Layout Plan
Alternative Solutions FAA Approval of Airport
- What are the options to Layout Plan (ALP)
meet our future needs? - EIS Scoping

Stakeholder input begins in step 2 and

continues through step 5.

10 / Master Plan Denver International Airport / 11

Airport Efficiency
DIA is one of the most efficient and wide spacing between runways add to the
airports efficiency. Three aircraft can typically
airports in the world due to the land simultaneously at DIA, even in adverse
vision of the airports original weather conditions.
planners. Passenger movement also follows a simple
flow-through principle. While DIA may seem
Situated on 53 square miles of land, DIA currently intimidating to infrequent travelers, everything is
has one terminal building, three concourses and arranged in a logical, consistent pattern from
six runways. DIA planners designed enough room parking to ticket counter to train to concourse.
between concourses to allow two wide-body These elements have led to DIAs ranking as one
aircraft to push back from opposite concourses of the least-delayed airports in the US good
while two more aircraft taxi between them. news for both airlines and passengers.
The pinwheel layout of the airports six runways

16R 16L

W E

12,000
3,658m

16,000 12,000

26
4,572m 3,658m

8
17L

34R C
17R

B
E470

A
34L

TERMINAL
12,000 12,000
3,658m 3,658m
25
7

12,000
3,658m

35R
to I-70 Pea Boulevard
to Denver
35L

12 / Master Plan Denver International Airport / 13

Airport Activity Forecasts
DIAs annual airport activity is Scenario 2: Decrease in hubbing/connecting
activity: 64-percent growth in
estimated to grow by 20- to passengers; 60-percent growth
25-percent by the 2015/2020 in operations
Scenario 3: An evolution to a larger aircraft
time period. fleet: 84-percent growth in
passengers; 64-percent growth
One of the first steps in the master plan process
in operations
is to develop forecasts of aircraft and passenger
Scenario 4: Higher international growth as
activity. To allow the airport to adapt to future
Denver grows into an international
changes, several alternate scenarios for future
gateway: 103-percent growth in
growth at the airport have been examined.
passengers; 90-percent growth
in operations
Base
Forecast: Growth rates reviewed in comparison
Based on these forecasts, DIAs annual airport
to FAAs Terminal Area Forecast:
activity is estimated to grow by 20- to 25-percent
84-percent growth in passengers
by the 2015/2020 time period, and by 70- to
and 77-percent growth in operations
100-percent by the 2030/2035 timeframe. This
Scenario 1: High growth rate (compared to
generally translates into a 60- to 90-percent
the baseline): 108-percent growth
increase in overall facility needs at DIA.
in passengers; 98-percent growth
in operations

14 / Master Plan Denver International Airport / 15

Short-term Needs
As part of the master plan, DIA has identified
short-term needs (2015/2020 timeframe).

These include:
- One additional runway (7 total runways)
- Concourse expansion 20-plus new gates
(total) on any or all Concourses (A, B, or C)
- Additional international passenger processing
and gates
- Capacity expansion of the airport people mover
- Baggage system improvements
- Expansion of passenger security screening
- FasTracks rail station IMAGE?
- On-airport hotel
- Parking and rental car expansions

Long-term Needs
In addition to meeting the short-term needs of
airport activity, DIA is taking a longer term view
of the airport to plan for activity through the
2030/2035 timeframe. Like visionary planners
of the past, we want to prepare the airport for
future generations and leave a legacy that can
support growth and expanded economic activity.

- Additional runways (9 or 10 total)

- 100-plus additional gates
- Concourse D (2020/2025)
- Concourse E (2030/2035)
- Significant international passenger
processing expansion
- Expansion of passenger security screening
- Taxiway improvements
- More aircraft deicing positions
- Potential for doubling of rental car space
- Fourth lane on Pea Boulevard
- Public and employee parking expansion
(near doubling)

16 / Master Plan Denver International Airport / 17

Runways
DIAs runway configuration is To accommodate the forecast growth in air
service, a seventh runway will be needed by the
the envy of the airport industry. 2015/2020 timeframe. DIA has not yet decided
which runway will be built next. We will consider
The airfield design which includes no several issues before selecting the seventh
intersecting runways allows for smooth and runway, including:
efficient flow, which reduces delays. As the map - Optimization of existing runways and taxiways
here shows, future runways follow the same - Weather conditions specifically the coordination
pinwheel pattern, allowing DIA to maintain one of deice pads and snow-removal operations
of the most efficient airfields in the world. - Minimization of taxi times and flight times
- Accommodation of new/emerging aircraft types
- FAA Control Tower needs for line-of-sight

16R 16L
N

W E

15 16R 8L 26R
CURRENT RUNWAYS
12,000
FUTURE RUNWAYS (2009-2030) 3,658m

16,000 12,000
FUTURE RUNWAYS (beyond 2030) 4,572m 3,658m 8 26

17C 17L 18

34R C
17R

B
E470

A
33 34L 34L

TERMINAL
12,000 12,000
3,658m 3,658m

7 25
12,000
3,658m

35C 35R 36
Pea Boulevard

35L

to I-70 7R 25L
to Denver

18 / Master Plan Denver International Airport / 19

 N

W E

B
S

Terminal and Concourse Alternatives TERMINAL

Existing Template Expansion Concept CURRENT TERMINAL

When DIA was first designed, the original long- CURRENT CONCOURSES

FUTURE TERMINAL/CONCOURSE EXPANSION

term concept was for terminal expansion to the
south and concourse expansion to the north.
ard D
E
This concept remains one of the alternatives for
future development. The concept components
and related issues follow.
- Telescoping of current concourses to the
gnment
east and west D
- Concourses D and E built to the north
- Second terminal building to the south of
current Jeppesen Terminal
- Concerns about capacity and funding of the C
people-mover and baggage systems
- People-mover remains the must-ride system
E to all concourses other than Concourse A
B

JEPPESEN
TERMINAL

CURRENT TERMINAL

CURRENT CONCOURSES

FUTURE TERMINAL/CONCOURSE EXPANSION

20 / Master Plan Denver International Airport / 21

 26R

26

Terminal and Concourse Alternatives

E E

D D
East/West Terminal and Concourse Concept South Terminal Concept
In this concept, a strong central terminal is This concept provides for a new terminal
created for bothC DIAs passengers and tenants. complex in the C existing cargo area south of the

- Includes two new concourses oriented

N
current Jeppesen Terminal.
north-south one west and a second one - A new terminal complex could be uniquely
W E

B B
S

east of the current Jeppesen Terminal branded as an international or a low-cost

- Defers the need for Concourses D and E terminal
beyond 2030/2035
A - Requires the A relocation of most of DIAs
- Alleviates the need for an expensive expansion support facilities south of the terminal and
of the people-mover system and new, bigger will require a people-mover system to
tunnels for the planning period connect passengers, employees and visitors
TERMINAL TERMINAL

to the existing terminal/concourse complex

CURRENT TERMINAL CURRENT TERMINAL

CURRENT CONCOURSES CURRENT CONCOURSES

CURRENT RUNWAYS
FUTURE TERMINAL/CONCOURSE EXPANSION FUTURE TERMINAL/CONCOURSE EXPANSION

FUTURE RUNWAYS
Boulevard FUTURE TERMINAL/CONCOURSE
E EXPANSION D

SUPPORT FACILITIES

N
C
ks Alignment D
W E

B
C

B A

JEPPESEN
A TERMINAL

JEPPESEN
TERMINAL

22 / Master Plan Denver International Airport / 23

Landside and Support Facilities Alternatives

In addition to runways and Landside Alternatives

terminal/concourse facilities, 16C 16L

the master plan will include a CURRENT RUNWAYS

review of landside and support FUTURE RUNWAYS

facilities. As the airport grows, EXISTING SUPPORT FACILITIES

15 16R 8L

12,000
26R

one of the areas of focus needs 16,000 12,000

3,658m

26
8
to be how to best accommodate
4,572m 3,658m

demands for these facilities. W E

The review includes:

S
17C 17L 18

34R
- Parking (both public and 17R
C

employee)
B

E470

- Rental car facilities 33 34L 34C

A

- A potential Ground 12,000

TERMINAL
12,000 12,000

Transportation Center (GTC) 7

3,658m

25
3,658m 3,658m

- Cargo facilities
- General aviation operations
RENTAL CARS
Pea Boulevard

35C 35R 36

- Firefighting operations FasTracks Alignment

GTC PUBLIC PARKING

35L

- Airline and airport to I-70

7R 25L

maintenance facilities to Denver

- The fuel farm

These are all critical elements

for DIAs long-term success, Support Facilities
and various alternatives are Alternatives
under review. 0
SCALE
5 miles

10 miles
16C 16L

CURRENT RUNWAYS

FUTURE RUNWAYS
15 16R 8L 26R
EXISTING SUPPORT FACILITIES
12,000
FUTURE SUPPORT FACILITIES: 3,658m

16,000 12,000
8 26
ALTERNATIVE 1 4,572m 3,658m

ALTERNATIVE 2
ALTERNATIVE 3
17C 17L 18
ALTERNATIVE 4
34R C
17R

B
N
E470
W E
A

S
33 34L 34C

TERMINAL
12,000 12,000 12,000
3,658m 3,658m 3,658m

7 25

Pea Boulevard

35C 35R 36

FasTracks Alignment 35L

7R 25L

to I-70
to Denver

24 / Master Plan Denver International Airport / 25

SCALE
5 miles
Sustainable Development
DIA is one of the greenest
airports in the world.
Colorado is perhaps most well-known for its
natural beauty and recreation, and leaders from
both the public and private sectors are proactive in
protecting the environment for future generations.
Denver International Airport has also established
itself as a leader in environmental stewardship.
In January 2009, DIA hosted the first meeting of
the Global Reporting Initiative for international
airports. This group which includes world-class
airports such as Munich and Frankfurt will
develop environmental guidelines specific to
airports. DIA was the first US airport asked
to join this prestigious group.

The following are DIAs key environmental

achievements:
- First international airport in the US to
develop and implement a facility-wide
Environmental Management System
certified to ISO 14001 (2004)
- First airport in the US to be accepted into
the US Environmental Protection Agencys
National Environmental Performance
Track Program (2006)
- Received FAA Environmental Stewardship
Award (2007)

Ongoing environmental initiatives include recycling,

the use of alternative fuels, management of
the deicing process, and wildlife and wetlands
management. In August 2008, DIA installed a
two-megawatt solar facility on its land. This facility
will generate more than three million kilowatt
hours of electricity annually and reduce carbon
emissions by five million pounds per year. DIAs
master plan process and future growth will
incorporate sustainable principles every step of
the way.

26 / Master Plan Denver International Airport / 27

Moving Forward
At full build out, DIA will ensure that this tremendous asset is preserved.
This can be achieved through communication,
have over 300 gates and can cooperation and coordination with stakeholder
accommodate over 100 million groups, including governments, businesses,
airlines and community organizations. Ultimately
annual passengers. the entire region and state will benefit from the
continued growth of DIA.
Imagine an airport twice the size of the present
one. As one of the largest economic engines for Fortunately, Denver International Airport is
the region and the state, DIAs growth will continue poised to embrace the future. A visionary master
to propel the Denver metropolitan area as one of plan coupled with experienced, professional
the most successful and desirable in the country management and staff and supportive community
in the coming decades. leaders and stakeholders will ensure DIAs
place as the jewel in the crown of world-class
Size is one of the most significant competitive airports for decades to come. For updates
advantages in the global aviation industry. DIA is regarding DIAs Master Plan, please visit
the envy of airports around the world because of www.flydenver.com/masterplan.
the room to grow to accommodate the dynamic
needs of airlines, passengers and stakeholders. Comments can be submitted in writing to
The challenge facing current planners is to [email protected].

Flight Times from DIA

London
Frankfurt

DENVER New York

Tokyo Los Angeles
2 Hours Cairo
Shanghai
Dubai
4 Hours
Mexico City Mumbai

6 Hours

Singapore
8 Hours

10 Hours

Sydney Buenos Aires

12 Hours

14 Hours

16 Hours

Note: Times are approximate

28 / Master Plan Denver International Airport / 29

www.flydenver.com