Denver International Airport

Airport news from Seattle, Denver & San Francisco

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Good news for passengers during this busy travel season.

As the busy holiday travel season kicks into gear, we’ve gathered up some airport news that may make your journey as wee bit smoother.

Concert at Sea-Tac Airport

At noon on Friday, November 22, Washington State native soul and R&B singer Allen Stone, will perform a live show in Central Terminal featuring songs from his new album, Building Balance.

The performance will be live-streamed Sea-Tac Airport’s Facebook and will celebrate the expansion of the already robust live music program at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.

Skating at Denver Airport

Friday is also opening day for the ice-skating rink at Denver International Airport (DEN).

Located on the outdoor DEN plaza, between the main terminal and the Westin Hotel, the rink will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily through January 20.

There’s no fee to skate. And there are free skate rentals as the on-side “Skate Shop” Airstream trailer near the ice rink.

The ice rink will feature music daily and host special activities and performances on the ice throughout the skating season including Colorado Avalanche Ice Patrol, Denver Figure Skating Club, E-Gals Ice Crew, curling lessons, little tykes’ hockey and more.

Holiday Open House at Pittsburgh Airport

Pittsburgh International Airport will its annual open house this year on Saturday, December 7 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Open to all who register, the in-terminal event features shopping and dining specials, live music, kids’ entertainment and visits with Santa.  Registration closes December 4.

Here’s a rundown of the entertainment:

  • Juggler: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. 
  • Balloon Artist: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. 
  • Touch-A-Truck: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. 
  • Face Painting: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. 
  • Children’s Museum Activity: 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. 
  • Lovebettie: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. 
  • Photos with Santa: 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. 
  • Caricature Artist: 2 p.m. – 5 p.m. 
  • Airbrush Tattoo Artist: 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. 
  • The Pittsburgh Pirates Pierogies: 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. 

SFO Airport pilots premium Uber pick-up

To reduce congestion at curbsides, in June 2019 San Francisco International Airport (SFO) moved domestic terminal pickups for ride-hailing services Uber, Lyft and Wingz away from the terminal curbside to the 5th floor of the Domestic Hourly Parking Garage, with pickups in the International Terminal at the center island of the Departures level roadway.

Now, just in time for the holiday travel season, SFO has kicked off a two-month pilot program with Uber to offer a premium curbside pickup option for travelers.

Passengers who choose a premium Uber product, including Uber Comfort, Uber Select, and Uber XL, Uber Black and Uber Black SUV will be picked up curbside at designated locations in each Domestic Terminal: Terminal 1 at Door 9; Terminal 2 at Doors 5 and 6; Terminal 3 at Doors 12 and 13.

Pickups at the International Terminal will continue in the current location, which is at the center island of the Departure level roadway.

Passengers choosing (basic) UberX and Uber Pool in the Domestic Terminals must still go to the domestic hourly parking garage for pickup.

3 airports where you can go ice-skating this winter

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What’s better than an airport with an ice-skating rink?

Three airports with ice-skating rinks, of course!

Denver International Airport (DEN) is bringing back its free outdoor skating rink for the fourth season.

Starting November 22, DEN’s ice-skating rink will be in the pre-security area on the DEN Plaza, which is between the airport terminal and the Westin hotel.

Time on the ice is free. And, recognizing that not everyone has their own ice skates, or travels with them, there is free skate rental as well.

DEN’s skating rink hours will be from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily from November 22 through January 20, 2020. As a bonus, on Friday afternoons there will be hot chocolate, hot cider and a variety of extra winter activities, including live entertainment.

Skating at the TWA Hotel at JFK

This year there will an ice-skating rink created at the TWA Hotel across from JetBlue Terminal 5 at John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) as well.

The custom 56-by-44-foot Runway Rink will be created near the hotel’s 1958 Lockheed Constellation Connie airplane-turned-cocktail lounge and operate seven days a week starting November 30 and running through February 2020.

While skating shows are planned, time on the ice at the TWA Hotel’s Runway Rink won’t be free. Admission will be $15 for adults and $10 for kids under 12. Skate rentals will $10 ($8 for kids under 12).

Hours:

  • Monday through Thursday from 4 PM to 9 PM
  • Friday from 4 PM to 10 PM
  • Saturday and Sunday from 10 AM to 10 PM

The TWA Hotel will also be selling retro knit hats and scarves as well as beers, Sno-Caps candy and other snacks.

Skate in a Winter Wonderland

If you’re traveling to or through Germany’s Munich Airport (MUC) this holiday season, you’ll find an ice-skating rink already up and running.

For the 21st year, the large roofed open space between Terminals 1 and 2 and Munich Airport is transformed into a winter wonderland, with a winter market, more than 45 Christmas trees, live music, activities for kids and adults, a pine forest and a free ice-skating rink. Skates can be rented for a small fee and there’s a bonus rink for curling set up next to the skating rink as well.

Hours: 11 am to 9 pm. Daily.

How to get free beer at Denver International Airport

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Denver Airport beer

Like beer? Like free beer? Ever fly through Denver International Airport?

Denver has a robust craft brewing scene and there are plenty of places to order a local or regionally brewed beer at Denver International Airport (DEN).

The airport even has a Beer Passport that can earn you a free pint.

Here’s how it works:

Order a beer at each of the four Colorado breweries in the airport.

Get your Beer Passport stamped at each brewery

Once you have all four stamps, redeem the passport for a free pint of beer at any of these participating breweries:

Tivoli Brewery, inside Tom’s Urban. This one is located pre-security, on the plaza between the terminal and the Westin.

Breckenridge Brewery – Concourse A, Near Gate A71

New Belgium Brewing – Concourse B, Near Gate B30

Great Divide Brewing Co. – Concourse C, Near Gate C32

If you fly to, from or through Denver International Airport regularly, getting four beer stamps shouldn’t be that difficult.

If you’re spending a long time at the airport before or between flights, you can perhaps get all your beer stamps in one day.

To “play,” just pick up a Beer Passport card at any participating brewery or at any of the airport information booths, which are located pre-security and on each concourse.

After you purchase a beer at one of the participating breweries, be sure to get your Beer Passport stamp.

Once you’ve collected all four stamps, swap the passport for a free pint of beer at any of the breweries.

Jut be sure to drink those beers before April 1, 2020, when all beer passports expire.

Should we make this the Airport Amenity of the Week?

Oktoberfest at Denver Int’l Airport

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We’re into Oktoberfest season and Denver International Airport is celebrating with the 6th annual “Beer Flights” beer garden through September 22.

The beer garden is set up on the DEN plaza, which is located between the Westin and the south entrance to the Jeppesen Terminal. Hours are from 11 a.m. through 7 p.m. daily through September 22.

Entry tickets are $10 and include a souvenir glass to taste up to 20, 2-ounce samples of beer from 12 Colorado breweries. Each brewery has two beers to sample.

  • • Avery Brewing – Rocky Mountain Rose, Hazyish IPA
  • • Boulder Brewing – Shake Chocolate Porter, Mojo IPA
  • • Breckenridge Brewery – Strawberry Kolsch, Agave Wheat
  • • Colorado Cider Company – Glider Cider, Grasshop-ah
  • • Denver Beer Company – Juicy Freak IPA, Incredible Pedal
  • • Great Divide Brewing – Yeti Imperial Stout, Hercules Double IPA
  • • Left Hand Brewery – Milk Stout Nitro, Flamingo Dreams
  • • New Belgium Brewing – Trippel, Mountain Time Premium Lager
  • • Odell Brewing – Drumroll IPA, Sippin Pretty Fruited Sour
  • • Tivoli Brewery – Bohemian Girl, Brut
  • • Upslope Brewing – Rocky Mountain Kolsch, Snow Melt
  • • Wibby Brewing – Lightshine Helles, Moondoor Dunkel

Participating brewers have giveaways for attendees and there’s live music daily from 4 to 6 p.m.

The beer garden is outside of security, so if you partake just be sure to keep an eye on the departure time of your flight and leave plenty of time to get through security,


Denver Airport turns 24 – and gets chatty about it

Uncategorized,

Lots of odd conspiracy theories swirl around the art and some of the architectural elements at Denver International Airport.

And the airport is OK with that.

To mark its 24th birthday, the airport is sharing this video of one of the gargoyles that came alive.

Have a theory – or a question – about something you’ve seen or heard about Denver International Airport? Share it in the comments section and we’ll track it down.