Denver travel agent tips for flying from Denver International Airport (DEN)

According to Denver travel agents, there are a few options for taking a flight that departs from the Mile-High City.

Melanie Pahl, a travel agent with Denver-based Distinct Destinations, says that often your best bet is recruiting a friend or family member to drop you off. "The best thing to do is have a friend or family member drop you off so you don’t have to worry about parking and taking a shuttle," she says. "It’s cheaper than paying to park in the garages, which can run about $12 to $16 a day."

According to the Denver International Airport (DEN) website, the airport and its terminals encompass more than 53 square miles of land on the outskirts of Denver. That's one reason Pahl says it may be more expensive to take a shuttle or taxi. "Due to it being so far out of town, taxis can be pricey," she says.

To avoid the rush of business travelers, Pamela Wilson of Denver Travel recommends trying to schedule your vacation flight departures around less busy days of the week. "Business travelers tend to travel on Mondays and back on Fridays, which makes Saturday the least traveled day," she says. Once at the airport, both Pahl and Wilson recommend wearing slip-on shoes and to avoid wearing a belt, if possible, to speed up time spent at TSA security check points. 

Although Denver hosts smaller regional airports, including Centennial Airport (APA) and Rocky Mountain Metro Airport (BJC), Denver travel agents in general recommended sticking with flights from DEN unless your plans specifically called for them. "I generally don’t recommend those airports unless clients are traveling to mountain resorts within in Colorado," Pahl says.

And, Wilson says, considering the services of a travel agent can provide your vacation a peace of mind that travel websites don't. "Almost anything can be said about the quality of a tour company or hotel in the virtual world," she says. " Travelers deserve an agent who can be held accountable and takes the time to get to know their expectations."

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