This Blog is posted to review the prep work for the LCCA’s 56th Anniversary Convention in Denver Colorado. Stop by often to catch all the latest news and updates on the Convention. And remember that you can always be directed to all things LCCA Denver by using the hashtag #LCCADenver in the URL line of your browser. #LCCADenver
REMINDER - LCCA 2026 Denver Convention is hosted 4th Week in July - July 20-July 25, 2026
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Denver International Airport’s official code is DEN, which stands for Denver. Though locals often say “DIA” (Denver International Airport), DEN is the globally recognized IATA code used for flights and baggage routing.
DEN was also the code for the former Stapleton International Airport, which DEN replaced in 1995. The airport brands itself as DEN to align with international standards and avoid confusion with other airports like Doha International (DIA)
Opened: February 28, 1995
Replaced: Stapleton International Airport, which had limited runway spacing and expansion capacity
Location: 25 miles northeast of downtown Denver, closer to Aurora
Size: Largest airport in the Western Hemisphere by land area
Runway Highlight: Runway 16R/34L is the longest public-use runway in North America at 16,000 feet. High altitute means less lift and the need for longer runways. Denver International Airport needs long runways because its high elevation and hot climate reduce air density, requiring aircraft to reach higher speeds for takeoff and landing.
Economic Impact: Over $47 billion annually; largest employer in Colorado with 40,000+ employees
Passenger Traffic: Over 82 million passengers in 2024, making it the third busiest airport in the U.S.
The airport was built after a regional push in the 1980s to find a more scalable location. Denver annexed 54 square miles of Adams County to make room for the new facility.
