Is 45 minutes enough at DEN? 20% of inbound flights landed too late for it, allowing 30 minutes to reach the next gate. Book 75 minutes to keep the risk under 1 in 10, or 100 in June.
Separately, 1.3% of flights into DEN were cancelled or diverted (1.4% in June). That isn't a missed connection in the same sense: on one booking the airline rebooks you, though it can still cost you the day.
Check your exact itinerary through DEN →
Missed-connection risk by layover and month
Share of flights that landed at DEN too late for the connection (cancellations not included), pooled over 2023–2026. Read across your travel month.
| Layover | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 min | 24% | 23% | 22% | 24% | 29% | 33% | 31% | 31% | 21% | 20% | 19% | 22% | 25% |
| 50 min | 16% | 16% | 15% | 17% | 22% | 25% | 24% | 23% | 14% | 13% | 12% | 15% | 18% |
| 60 min | 12% | 12% | 11% | 13% | 17% | 19% | 19% | 18% | 10% | 9% | 8% | 11% | 13% |
| 75 min | 8% | 9% | 8% | 9% | 12% | 14% | 14% | 14% | 7% | 6% | 6% | 8% | 10% |
| 90 min | 6% | 7% | 6% | 7% | 10% | 11% | 11% | 11% | 5% | 4% | 4% | 6% | 8% |
| 120 min | 4% | 5% | 4% | 4% | 6% | 7% | 8% | 7% | 3% | 3% | 2% | 4% | 5% |
Counts flights that landed; cancelled and diverted inbound flights are reported separately above. Assumes 30 minutes to get off the plane and reach the next gate, and that the onward flight leaves on time. A terminal change or re-checking bags needs more.
Late in the day is riskier
Share of flights that would miss a 60-minute connection, by scheduled arrival time at DEN (past 12 months). Delays pile up through the day.
Riskiest flights in
| From | Flights | Miss 60 min |
|---|---|---|
| FAR Fargo | 1,413 | 19% |
| DFW Dallas | 6,059 | 19% |
| LGA New York | 4,663 | 19% |
| JFK New York | 1,531 | 19% |
| DAL Dallas | 2,966 | 19% |
| ORD Chicago | 6,118 | 18% |
| ASE Aspen | 2,742 | 18% |
| PHL Philadelphia | 3,060 | 17% |
| XWA Williston | 1,333 | 17% |
| MDW Chicago | 2,259 | 17% |
| OAK Oakland | 1,608 | 16% |
| SFO San Francisco | 5,486 | 16% |
Safest flights in
| From | Flights | Miss 60 min |
|---|---|---|
| FAT Fresno | 1,449 | 7% |
| RNO Reno | 2,438 | 8% |
| SDF Louisville | 1,096 | 9% |
| IAD Washington | 3,387 | 9% |
| BUR Burbank | 2,127 | 10% |
| SMF Sacramento | 3,844 | 10% |
| GEG Spokane | 2,042 | 10% |
| CVG Cincinnati | 1,498 | 10% |
| PDX Portland | 4,280 | 10% |
| TUS Tucson | 2,719 | 10% |
| PSP Palm Springs | 2,027 | 10% |
| ONT Ontario | 2,624 | 11% |
Last flights of the day from DEN
If your inbound runs late and you miss one of these, the next flight is usually the next morning. Typical last scheduled departure over the past three months:
| To | Last departure | Flights / day |
|---|---|---|
| LGA New York | 5:35 p.m. | 12.6 |
| DTW Detroit | 7:05 p.m. | 9.4 |
| BNA Nashville | 8:10 p.m. | 10.8 |
| SNA Santa Ana | 8:32 p.m. | 10.8 |
| OKC Oklahoma City | 8:42 p.m. | 9.3 |
| STL St. Louis | 8:45 p.m. | 11.6 |
| MCI Kansas City | 8:46 p.m. | 13.7 |
| AUS Austin | 8:52 p.m. | 16.4 |
| DFW Dallas | 8:53 p.m. | 17.4 |
| MSP Minneapolis | 8:54 p.m. | 17.8 |
| SMF Sacramento | 9:00 p.m. | 12.2 |
| ORD Chicago | 9:05 p.m. | 17.8 |
| OMA Omaha | 9:05 p.m. | 10.5 |
| SEA Seattle | 9:10 p.m. | 21.3 |
| IAH Houston | 9:10 p.m. | 14 |
| ABQ Albuquerque | 9:10 p.m. | 9.7 |
| PDX Portland | 9:15 p.m. | 14.3 |
| SLC Salt Lake City | 10:13 p.m. | 21.3 |
| LAS Las Vegas | 10:29 p.m. | 18.8 |
| SAN San Diego | 10:29 p.m. | 17.4 |
| SFO San Francisco | 10:29 p.m. | 16.1 |
| PHX Phoenix | 10:36 p.m. | 22.5 |
| LAX Los Angeles | 10:39 p.m. | 21.3 |
| COS Colorado Springs | 11:09 p.m. | 14.2 |
| ATL Atlanta | 11:46 p.m. | 16.6 |
| MCO Orlando | 11:55 p.m. | 12.5 |
| BOS Boston | 11:59 p.m. | 12.3 |
| IAD Washington | 11:59 p.m. | 8.5 |
| EWR Newark | 11:59 p.m. | 9.6 |
| TPA Tampa | 11:59 p.m. | 8.5 |
Questions
Is 45 minutes enough for a connection at DEN?
Often, not always. Over the past year 20% of flights into Denver landed too late to leave 30 minutes to reach the next gate on a 45-minute layover. With 60 minutes it was 13%; with 90, 8%. Separately, 1.3% of inbound flights were cancelled or diverted; on one booking the airline rebooks you.
How long a layover do I need at DEN?
To keep the risk of a late inbound below 1 in 10, about 75 minutes on an average month and 100 minutes in June, the worst month. Add time if you change terminals or need to re-check bags.
An estimate from past arrival delays, not a guarantee. On one ticket, the airline will rebook you if you misconnect. On separate tickets you're on your own, so leave far more time. Method.