Here we are, a week prior to Thanksgiving week – or, as so many Angelenos know it, the “I have to go see my family in _______” week. Maybe some are lucky enough to have that family be down the street or, at the most, in Cerritos. But for a great many transplants that live and work in this beautiful city, Thanksgiving means digging out that big coat, finding socks that aren’t ankle ones, buying an umbrella! And prepping to travel far and wide to see their loved ones.
Regardless of destination, the Tuesday and Wednesday prior to Thanksgiving amount to the two busiest travel days of the year, according to the TSA. And, unless you’re lucky enough to get that sweet, sweet nonstop, you’ll also be traversing some of the country’s most crowded, if not complicated, travel hubs during this hectic time.
Denver is one of those.
Denver International Airport (DEN) is one of the world’s major connecting hubs, especially for travelers heading to the East or Midwest passing through during the busy holiday season.
And it’s huge. At 53 square miles of airport property, it’s the largest airport in the United States – it’s nine (9!) times larger than LAX. Despite this massive size, DEN is surprisingly straightforward, so long as you stick to the single rule for efficient travel: Use the train.
For the travelista who values efficiency and minimizing stress during the holidays, mastering the inter-concourse transit system is that golden key to a successful connection.
While huge, Denver is also beautiful!
(Picasa 2.0 / debenbenn)
The AGTS Lifeline
There are three main concourses (A, B, and C) at Denver International, and they are completely separate buildings: meaning you cannot walk between Concourse B and Concourse C, or between either of them and the Jeppesen Terminal. If you try, you will most likely end up tired or lost. So you rely on the Automated Guideway Transit System (AGTS).
Luckily, it’s free. And It’s reliable. If you’ve ever tried to make a tight connection in boots, a scarf, and emotional exhaustion, the AGTS starts to feel less like an airport train and more like a benevolent holiday spirit guiding you through your layover.
Speed is Predictable: The train runs continuously, with cars popping up every few minutes. The ride between concourses is only 5 to 9 minutes, which is blissfully predictable when everything else about holiday travel is… not.
Access: AGTS stations are on Level B at the center of each concourse – easy to find even if you’ve reached that special travel-state where time, space, and personal grooming no longer matter.
Connection Time Estimates (Train Ride Only):
Once you embrace the train, DEN becomes shockingly manageable, even when you’re wearing too many layers because you forgot how to dress for “weather.”
Security can be an issue if you have to check out or catch an international connection.
(Oddharmonic / Creative Commons)
The Holiday Playbook: A Couple of Timing and Security Workarounds
Peak holiday travel has one job: to test you. Test your patience, test your rolling suitcase wheels, or test whether you can consume three different types of carbohydrates at 6 a.m. without regret.
So here’s how to outsmart the chaos instead of becoming its latest victim.
Domestic Connection Times
For domestic-to-domestic flights, DEN is so efficient that many travelers feel fine with 45–60 minute connections, assuming their first flight is on time and the travel gods are smiling.
But for a connection that doesn’t require speed-walking, prayer, or a frantic gate-to-gate jog in your heaviest coat, aim for 90 to 120 minutes.
It’s the sweet spot: enough time to breathe, hydrate, charge your phone, and emotionally prepare for the “So how’s work going?” interrogation awaiting you at your destination.
The Power of DEN Reserve
DEN Reserve is a free system that lets you book a designated time slot for TSA screening, basically a Disneyland FastPass but to go through metal detectors.
The Benefit: If you leave the secure area (international arrival, re-checking a bag, rescuing a lost family member), you don’t have to return to the main security line. With DEN Reserve, you can stroll into your scheduled lane with ease.
(Just confirm which checkpoint offers it, don’t confidently march to the wrong one while clutching your reservation like a boarding pass to heaven.)
The Concourse A Exception
Concourse A is the only one you can reach via a pedestrian bridge from the Jeppesen Terminal. It’s a quick 5-minute walk, has moving walkways, and gives you a cathartic aerial view of the airport.
Perfect if you: need fresh air (well… airport air), want to stretch your legs, or just need a moment alone to mentally apologize for the things you yelled internally during boarding.
Strategic Final Tips
Gate Distance: The concourses themselves are extremely long (Concourse B is over 4,500 feet – that’s almost a mile). Even if you land and depart from the same concourse, allow 15 to 20 minutes for walking between gates at opposite ends. Use the moving walkways. Use all of them. Your future self will be grateful.
The Ultimate Luxury: Utilize airport lounges (United Club, Delta Sky Club, etc.) located in the concourses. Once through security, you have access to any concourse via the AGTS, giving you options for a quiet workspace or a quick, high-quality meal before your next flight.
See? There’s no reason to stress this holiday, or at least save it for an overcooked turkey!
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