Denver International Airport

May is a good time to land at Denver Int’l Airport

Sadly, the 250-ft tall Red Eye Ferris wheel announced by Denver International Airport (DEN) on April 1 was just an April’s Fools joke.

But there are plenty of real events coming to the airport during May that travelers will enjoy.

May The Fourth Be With You

Like some other airports around the country, Denver International Airport has a good time on Star Wars Day – May 4th.

This year they’ll do it again. On Thursday, May 4 characters from the Star Wars movies will be parading in the Jeppesen Terminal and all the concourses between 10:30 am and 1 pm.

Travelers will be able to get their pictures taken with Darth Vader, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Mandalorian, and a Stormtrooper.

On Friday, May 5, DEN Airport will celebrate Cinco de Mayo with a performance by the Baila Conmigo Dance Group in the Jeppesen Terminal Great Hall and in the concourses between 10 am and 1 pm.

National Paper Airplane Day 

And on Friday, May 26th between 9 am and noon, Denver International Airport will be celebrating National Paper Airplane Day.

From 9 am until noon a traveling craft station will visit the concourses at DEN with a supply of origami paper and offer tutorials on how to fold the perfect paper airplane.

See the list of these and other events at Denver International Airport here.

Cute alert: Denver Int’l Airport Puppy Bowl

Football fan or not, if you like puppies (and who doesn’t?) you’ll want to tune in to Denver International Airport’s (DEN) Facebook live broadcast of this year’s Puppy Bowl.

The adorable face-off takes place Friday, Feb 10 from 10 a.m. to noon (Denver time).

If you’re in the DEN terminal, make your way to Level 5, near passenger arrival, to see it live.

DEN teams up with the Denver Animal Shelter (DAS) for this event, which doubles as an adoption event.

Here are some adorable puppy pics from past DEN Puppy Bowls so you know what to expect.

DEN’s ELF, PHL’s Pottery Bike & More Airport Fun

Some airports around the country are going all out to celebrate the holidays this year and entertain travelers. Here are some of the fun celebrations we’ve spotted.

More to come. Let us know what we missed.

Denver Int’l Airport’s Purple Elf

Pottery Bike Landing at Philadelphia Int’l Airport

If you’re at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) on Friday, December 16, between 11:30 am and 1:30 pm make your way to the spot between Terminals B and C across from the food court.

PHL Airport will be teaming up with The Clay Studio, Philadelphia, for the second visit of Pottery Unplugged–a people-powered pottery bike.

Passengers and employees will be able to try to throw their own clay vessel or just watch and see how it’s done. The twist here is that the pottery wheel is powered by a bicycle.

“At PHL, we always strive to represent what Philly has to offer artistically and culturally,” says Leah Douglas, PHL’s Director of Guest Experience. “Pottery Unplugged certainly accomplishes that through its creative ingenuity.”

Festive Decor at Chicago O’Hare Airport

Christmas Miracle at SEA Airport

The pandemic put the renovations in the Central Terminal at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) years behind schedule. But just in time for the holidays, the airport has finally opened Salty’s – a welcome sit-down restaurant with great airfield views – and a beer & wine garden.

Now if only the reindeer would return to the airport light rail station…

(More) Holiday Decor at an Airport Near You

A lot of people are going to be spending a lot of time in airports in the coming weeks. And while there may be long lines and lots of delays, at least there will be some lovely holiday decorations to look at.

We’re making a list (and checking it twice) of great holiday decor at airports. And we’re very curious about what’s on tap at Denver International Airport.

Happy Thanksgiving. Safe Travels

Here are some Thanksgiving items we spotted at airports this week. If you’re on the road or in the air, please travel safely.

Reno-Tahoe Airport’s Gratitude Wall is Back

LaGuardia Terminal B has its own Turkey Mascot

Gobble Down a Thanksgiving Dinner at O’Hare & Denver Airports

There’s a New Pop-Up Lounge at Philadelphia Int’l Airport

Cat Let Out of Checked Bag at JFK Airport

United Airlines’ Tasty Travel Tip

Airports have Black Friday/Cyber Monday Deals Too

Free ice skating is back at DEN Airport

Now here’s a great, free airport amenity:

The Denver International Airport (DEN) ice skating rink is back for its fifth season.

The rink took a two-year pandemic pause. But it’s back. And from ow through January 1, 2023 passengers and airport visitors – even visitors from other planets – are invited to ice-skate for free on the outdoor plaza between the DEN terminal and the Westin Hotel.

The DEN ice-skating rink is open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., weather permitting.

The skate shop offers free ice skate “rentals” in multiple sizes and is located inside the Westin hotel on the west side near Tivoli Restaurant and Brewery.

Refreshments and holiday treats are available for purchase in the skate shop and, for those who just want to hang out, there’s outdoor lounge seating.

The ice rink is located pre-security and is just steps from RTD’s A-Line commuter rail station at DEN, or a short walk from the airport parking garages.

Let’s make this Airport Amenity of the Week!

Voodoo Doughnuts Lands at Denver Int’l Airport

Doughnut fans rejoice!

Good things do come in pink boxes at an airport.

If you’re a fan of Portland-based Voodoo Doughnuts, you know what’s up when you spot people flying with a pink box carefully balanced on their laps.

And if you just love the idea of having a decadent doughnut as a treat when you travel, you’re in luck.

Voodoo Doughnuts has opened its first airport location. And it is at Denver International Airport (DEN) on the Concourse B mezzanine.

Voodoo Doughnuts is credited with creating the gourmet doughnut category way back in 2003 with doughnuts such as the Bacon Maple Bar, a Voodoo Doll doughnut, a doughnut made with Captain Crunch cereal, a Dirt Doughnut, and the Pepto Bismol Doughnut – which the FDA nixed.

Voodoo Doughnut now offers more than 50, often outrageous, doughnut creations in locations in Oregon, Texas, Colorado, at Hollywood’s Universal City Walk and Orlando Universal Walk.

Fans of the doughnuts often bring pink doughnut-filled boxes of these treats with them as gifts when they travel, And they have to figure out how to get them through airport security.

Now there’s the option of indulging in a Voodoo Doughnut or buying a box to go at Denver Int’l Airport. To celebrate, the opening of this first airport location, a planeload of United Airlines passengers was treated to a doughnut festival.

Flying this week? Look for this airport art

Cool Clay exhibit at Denver International Airport

Artist: Dean Goss

We’re not sure how we missed the announcement of this cool exhibit at Denver International Airport (DEN). But if you’re passing through DEN this month, be sure to take a moment to visit the Colorado Clay exhibit near the A-Bridge checkpoint.

Visual Artists at Work at IAH & HOU Airports

Houston Airports owns one of the country’s largest public art collections. Now it has an Artist-in-Residence (AIR) program.

During a three-month-long residency, visual artist and educator Jaymes Earl will work with textiles at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). Visual Artist and educator Mathieu JN Baptiste will paint at William P. Hobby Airport (HOU).

Houston Airports will provide each artist with an easel, a workstation, and a monthly stipend to cover their art supplies. And the traveling public will get to see artists at work. Both artists will be working in prominent spots in the airport and, to maximize interaction with travelers, they’ll be doing much of their work in the evenings and during weekends.

“As air travel returns to pre-pandemic levels and with these artists in the airports during the holidays, our travelers will have an extraordinary experience to enjoy art and culture without ever having to leave the airport,” said Alton DuLaney, Curator of Public Art for Houston Airports.

Travel Tidbits from an airport near you

Happy Thursday. Today we present a quick round-up of some travel tidbits and news-to-use, courtesy of an airport near you.

Ride public transit free to Denver International Airport

How did we miss this?!

Chicken and Waffles Now Being Served at PDX Airport

Look at You, Chicago O’Hare International Airport

Now That’s a Beer Run

Airport or Museum? You Decide

Denver Int’l Airport’s open-air plaza reactivated

Here’s a great sign that airports are coming back to life just in time for summer travel.

Denver International Airport (DEN) is reactivating the open-air public plaza between the main Jeppesen Terminal and the Westin Hotel.

Over the years, the plaza has hosted everything from outdoor movies and skating rinks to a beer garden, a concert space, and a miniature golf course.

The pandemic put a halt to that. But now the plaza is once again being used to offer a relaxing outdoor space where travelers and locals can get some fresh air and relax before, after, or between flights.

As we head into the busy travel season, DEN has once again turned the plaza into an outdoor oasis offering lounge seating, grass-like turf, native plants, and trees.

Entertainment options include live jazz performances, cornhole, and, soon, free miniature golf.

On select Fridays from 3-6 pm, the Jazz on the Park series will present a variety of local jazz bands in the plaza. Here’s the schedule:

·       June 3, Danny Showers Trio

·       June 17, Tenia Nelson Trio

·       July 1, Danny Showers Band- “A Salute to America”

·       July 15, Tenia Nelson

·       Aug. 12, Danny Showers Trio

·       Aug. 26, Paul Trunko and Steff Kull

A free nine-hole miniature golf course will open daily from June 17 through July 17. The hours will be from 10 am to 7 pm.

No question about it, this is definitely the Airport Amenity of the Week.