Denver International Airport (IATA: DEN, ICAO: KDEN, FAA LID: DEN), often referred to by locals as DIA, is an international airport in the Western United States, primarily serving metropolitan Denver, Colorado, as well as the greater Front Range Urban Corridor. Runway 16R/34L, with a length of 16,000 feet (3.03 mi; 4.88 km), is the longest public use runway in North America and the fifth longest on Earth. The airport is 25 miles (40 km) driving distance northeast of Downtown Denver, 19 miles (31 km) farther than the former Stapleton International Airport which DEN replaced; the airport is actually closer to the City of Aurora than central Denver, and many airport-related services, such as hotels, are located in Aurora. Opened on February 28, 1995, DEN serves 27 airlines (as of 2025) providing nonstop service to 230 destinations throughout the Americas, Europe, and Asia; it was the fourth airport in the United States to exceed 200 destinations. The airport has been the largest operating hub for Frontier Airlines and Southwest Airlines for several years and, as of 2024, DEN has eclipsed Chicago's O'Hare International Airport as the largest operating hub for United Airlines as well. The Colorado Department of Transportation's 2025 Economic Impact Study estimated that the airport contributes $47.2 billion annually to Colorado's economy and, with over 40,000 employees, the airport is the largest employer in the state of Colorado. The airport is located on the western edge of the Great Plains and within sight of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains.