Denver International Airport (DEN) delays and on-time record

Denver, Colorado KDEN #4 US airport by passengers

Live airport-wide delay programs from the FAA, the weather that causes them, and how each airline has actually performed at DEN.

FAA status: Ground delay program Updated 12 min ago
Weather now: VFR 85°F Observed 49 min ago
Late departures: 28.7%May 2026 to July 2026
Security line: No recent reportsAdd yours

FAA delay status for DEN

Ground delay program runway construction Average 33 minutes, maximum 1 hour and 29 minutes

Source: FAA National Airspace System Status, checked 12 min ago. Airline-specific delays are not shown here.

Current conditions at DEN

VFR

85°F29°C

Good visibility and high cloud base. Normal operations are typical.

Wind: 190° 24 mph, gusts 33
Visibility: 10+ mi
Clouds: SCT 11,000 ft, SCT 14,000 ft, BKN 22,000 ft
Ceiling: 22,000 ft
Pressure: 29.73 inHg

METARMETAR KDEN 112053Z 19021G29KT 10SM SCT110 SCT140 BKN220 29/01 A2973 RMK AO2 PK WND 20029/2053 SLP981 T02940011 58032

Source: NOAA Aviation Weather Center. Observed 49 min ago.

On-time performance at DEN

Based on 85,543 departures from May 2026 to July 2026. A flight counts as late when it leaves 15 or more minutes after schedule.

28.7%Departures late

23.5%Arrivals late

0.54%Cancelled

20.4 minAverage departure delay

On-time performance by airline at DEN
Airline	Departures	Late	Cancelled
United Airlines	28,985	22.6%	0.22%
Southwest Airlines	23,801	46.2%	0.52%
SkyWest Airlines	19,366	20.2%	0.39%
Frontier Airlines	6,265	22.9%	0.65%
Delta Air Lines	3,182	18.3%	1.32%
American Airlines	2,435	29.7%	2.05%
Alaska Airlines	918	20.8%	0.76%
JetBlue Airways	388	38.7%	6.96%
Allegiant Air	166	23.5%	1.20%

Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics, On-Time Performance of reporting carriers. Smaller regional carriers and some airlines are not included.

Late departures by month

AprMayJunJul

How delays work at DEN

A ground stop holds flights bound for DEN at their origin airports. A ground delay program spaces arrivals out so the airport is not overloaded. Departure and arrival delay messages describe the average wait the FAA expects. None of these tell you whether your own flight is late, so always check your airline as well.

Local tips

The airport is at about 5,400 feet, so it sits above many other US airports in elevation. Snow and wind can slow operations in winter and spring.
Do not plan a tight connection that needs you to change concourses in under 40 minutes; the train is reliable, but the walk to a distant gate takes time.
If you need to meet someone arriving, the A Line station is below the terminal, a straightforward walk from baggage claim.