Denver Expanding For Regional Aircraft

Having recently opened its new United Express facility on the B Concourse, Denver International Airport may add a similar facility to its C Concourse to handle regional jets and turboprops. The cost is expected to be between $40 million and $50 million and would add the same number of gates – 16 – as that at the new United Express facility. As part of the update to its master plan, the airport is already moving to spend $160 million to add 10 more gates to C Concourse and the proposed regional aircraft center would be in addition to that. The construction would happen simultaneously, should Denver decide to proceed and would be at least three years out before it is completed. It may include the possibility for regional carriers to enplane and deplane through jet bridges. The proposed facility could house regional partners for American, Delta and Northwest, Midwest Airlines all of whom use C Concourse, along with Big Sky. Consultant Mike Boyd told the Rocky Mountain News that since regional jets are not the wave of the future, airports would be ill advised to build a regional aircraft facility unless specifically needed or requested by a major partner.