Flying through Denver on United concourse B

[oregon pioneer]

Hello friends, Hubby has to go to Kansas next week. When we planned this a few months ago, he really wanted to go by train. However, he didn't want to use up all his points (which it would have), take three days in each direction (counting the drive/bus to the train), and THEN make his relatives meet the train in the middle of the night (for pickup AND drop-off). I got online and found him a flight from Boise to Salina (SLN), at a reasonable price (<$400 r.t), at civilized hours of the day. Three of the four planes he'll be on are Canadair regional jets, which he has flown on in the past and likes better than jumbo jets. Only hitch is, he has to connect at Denver (ugh). It's United, so he will be going through concourse B.

Does anyone have experience flying through Denver on United? Food, concourse layout, etc? I see there is a ground-level extension on one end of concourse B for regional jets, though they don't necessarily load there (they can use jetways as well). I looked at current gates for those flights, and they are mostly in the higher numbers (ground level or nearby), but they can and will change every day depending on traffic. I'll look again when his day is listed in flight status.

Now we get to use our points for a trip next December on the EB, which we will take together. :wub:

THANKS!

 

[AmtrakBlue]

You should be able to find terminal maps with food locations etc online.
Back in 2012 I flew Delta out of the ground level terminal.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Does anyone have experience flying through Denver on United? Food, concourse layout, etc?

In short and simple terms I'm not a fan of flying UA through DEN.  That being said most of my annoyances were specific to situations your husband won't encounter (customs, immigration, TSA re-check, duty free selection, etc.).  Nothing I've experienced at DEN was bad enough to put it on my no-fly list.  The food was unimpressive and the merchandise was overpriced but many airports are like that.  DEN is rather large for a domestic airport but relatively small for an intercontinental gateway.  Denver is the only airport I can remember feeling cold inside, so warm (but layered) clothing might be a good idea.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Not to mention that its located so far from the City that Natives call it  "Kansas International!" :giggle:

 

[Seaboard92]

I was not a fan of DEN when I flew from DEN-PDX on southwest last summer. I found the TSA line to be incredibly long, and time consuming. I barely made my flight and I gave myself two hours. And I was staying in the airport hotel.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

https://www.flydenver.com/enjoy_relax/dine

Interactive map:  https://maps.flydenver.com/?vid=den&amp;s=eyJnbG9iYWwiOnsiaGVhZGluZyI6MCwicG9zaXRpb24iOlszOS44NTQ3OTMsLTEwNC42NzM3ODNdLCJpc01vYmlsZVdpZHRoIjpmYWxzZSwibGV2ZWxJZCI6ImRlbi1nbG9iYWwtZGVwYXJ0dXJlcyJ9LCJsZXZlbFNlbGVjdG9yIjp7ImlzT3BlbiI6ZmFsc2V9LCJzZWFyY2giOnt9LCJwb2kiOnt9LCJuYXZpZ2F0aW9uIjp7InNlZ0luZGV4IjowLCJuYXZpZ2F0aW9uT25Hb2luZyI6ZmFsc2V9fQ

https://www.ifly.com/denver-international-airport/DEN-Concourse-B

 

[AmtrakBlue]

She said her husband was making a connection, so how far from Denver or how bad TSA is won't be an issue for him. 

 

[Trogdor]

Having just connected through DEN today (in fact, I’m typing this while taxiing to the gate at ORD):  Basically, it’s one long concourse with a bunch of food in the middle, and a few food places amongst the gates. A reasonably quick walker can go from one end to the other in 5-10 minutes. 

 

[oregon pioneer]

Thanks for the advice and the links. AmtrakBlue is correct, he will NOT be leaving the post-TSA area at all, just changing planes within a single concourse.

Looks like both City Wok and Que Bueno! Mexican, both of which I had bookmarked, are listed under grab-and-go food. East bound, he has plenty of time to check out the options. Coming back, he only has an hour to change planes (assuming the first leg is on-time), so he has to be prepared.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Having just connected through DEN today (in fact, I’m typing this while taxiing to the gate at ORD):  Basically, it’s one long concourse with a bunch of food in the middle, and a few food places amongst the gates. A reasonably quick walker can go from one end to the other in 5-10 minutes. 

DEN actually has a few long parallel concourses that remind me of a wanna-baby ATL.

Looks like both City Wok and Que Bueno! Mexican, both of which I had bookmarked, are listed under grab-and-go food. East bound, he has plenty of time to check out the options. Coming back, he only has an hour to change planes (assuming the first leg is on-time), so he has to be prepared.

Picking up food at DEN during an on-network single concourse domestic connection should be a breeze with an hour or more to work with.

 

[PRR 60]

I've stopped at the Woody Creek Bakery and Cafe at DEN Terminal B (mezzanine level at the central hub). Nice, fresh-made sandwiches, soups, salads.

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

I connected through there last summer, my take: pricey food and skint selection (compared to ORD anyways, imo). We had to connect on the lower level of United's terminal to a regional jet, we were on each of the wings/piers for each direction. I think going west we had a jetway, coming back stairs and at the plane baggage collection (door checked baggage from Grand Junction to Denver due to small regional jets) - our outbound flight way delayed each way, so the baggage delay was no problem either way, but those with tight connections had issues and got really angry. Crowded, but overall nothing out of the ordinary for a big American airport.

Depending on where his gate is, he may have to hustle to get between gates.

 

[XHRTSP]

I used to be based out of DEN and concourse B was my home.  Favorite restaurants include Que Bueno near B52, and Heidi's Brooklyn Deli near B87. 

 

[oregon pioneer]

I used to be based out of DEN and concourse B was my home.  Favorite restaurants include Que Bueno near B52, and Heidi's Brooklyn Deli near B87. 

Oh, thank you! I had picked out Que Bueno, and he may be pressed for time on the way back, and in the vicinity of Heidi's (B80-95 for both flights). He has time on the way east to "case the joint" thoroughly.

 

[fairviewroad]

The bathrooms are designated tornado shelters, should that become necessary. (The random things one remembers....!)

I've connected through DEN a couple of dozen times and it's always been easy. I hardly ever buy airport food anywhere, so I can't really comment on that.

All of the terminals are connected airside, so if he has time to spare and likes to wander, he can take the underground tram to have a look around. There's an unusual situation at DEN in that there is a pedestrian concourse that goes overtop of an active taxi way. You can literally stand and look down onto jets as they pass underneath you.  You can access this without leaving security. It's actually a nice quiet spot to relax if you have a long connection.

 

[trainman74]

A reasonably quick walker can go from one end to the other in 5-10 minutes. 

It sure seems longer than this to me, and I consider myself a reasonably quick walker! (Fortunately, there are some moving sidewalks for parts of the terminal.)

Not sure if your husband has any health issues, but he may start feeling some effects of the altitude the more he walks. The airport's official elevation is actually higher than the city of Denver's (5,431 feet versus 5,280 feet).

 

[Devil's Advocate]

There's an unusual situation at DEN in that there is a pedestrian concourse that goes overtop of an active taxi way. You can literally stand and look down onto jets as they pass underneath you.  You can access this without leaving security. It's actually a nice quiet spot to relax if you have a long connection.

That's pretty cool.  There was talk of adding a sky bridge at LAX as part of the current series of expansion projects, but the cost and complexity of building one so tall that it could handle widebody aircraft proved to be problematic.  So instead they're building a subterranean tunnel for passengers with the aircraft passingoverhead.  Not nearly as interesting but still rather appropriate considering how passengers reached the terminals in the early days of LAX.

It sure seems longer than this to me, and I consider myself a reasonably quick walker! (Fortunately, there are some moving sidewalks for parts of the terminal.) Not sure if your husband has any health issues, but he may start feeling some effects of the altitude the more he walks. The airport's official elevation is actually higher than the city of Denver's (5,431 feet versus 5,280 feet).

I don't think I could move from one end to the other in 5 minutes but 10-15 should be perfectly doable if you have wheeled luggage and make use of the travelators.

 

[cpotisch]

There's an unusual situation at DEN in that there is a pedestrian concourse that goes overtop of an active taxi way.

That's nothing. Tag me when there's a pedestrian concourse over an active runway. :lol:

 

[jis]

I think railroad grade crossing across active runways is more fun where you have to get clearance from the Tower before heading across the runway :lol: A famous rail line has this feature.

 

[Trogdor]

I think railroad grade crossing across active runways is more fun where you have to get clearance from the Tower before heading across the runway :lol: A famous rail line has this feature.

What railroad crosses a runway?

I know in ... Gibraltar (?) ... there is a road that crosses a runway.

 

[jis]

The famous one is the Khyber Railway (part of erstwhile North Western Railway, now part of Pakistan Railway) crosses the main runway of Peshawar International Airport. The trains have to get clearance from the Airport Tower before proceeding across the runway, on their way to Landi Kotal at the mouth of Khyber Pass near the Afghan border on the Durand Line at Torkham.

 

[caravanman]

Gibraltar is pretty weird. I arrived at the border from Spain, and watched as a plane landed . One the gates opened, I could cross into Gibraltar, board a red double decker London style bus, salute a British policeman, and post a letter in a typical UK red post box. In 80 degree weather, I had roast beef for lunch, and sponge and custard for pudding. Felt a lot more like the UK than the UK does!

Ed

 

[oregon pioneer]

There's an unusual situation at DEN in that there is a pedestrian concourse that goes overtop of an active taxi way. You can literally stand and look down onto jets as they pass underneath you.  You can access this without leaving security. It's actually a nice quiet spot to relax if you have a long connection.

That sounds like fun! I see a long walkway between Concourse B & Concourse C, is that it?

Not sure if your husband has any health issues, but he may start feeling some effects of the altitude the more he walks. The airport's official elevation is actually higher than the city of Denver's (5,431 feet versus 5,280 feet).

No health issues at all. He is used to physical activity, and hates being crammed into a small seat, so he'll want to stretch his long legs with a nice walk. We live at 4840', so the elevation is not an issue either.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

https://milehighcre.com/dia-celebrates-25th-anniversary-of-world-renowned-pedestrian-bridge/

 

[fairviewroad]

That sounds like fun! I see a long walkway between Concourse B & Concourse C, is that it?

There isn't a walkway between Concourse B and C. What you may be seeing on a map is the underground tram that runs between all of the terminals.

The pedestrian bridge runs between Concourse A and the check-in terminal (known as the "Jeppesen Terminal.")

To get to the pedestrian bridge, he would need to follow the signs to the A Gates. This would lead him to the underground tram (runs every 2 minutes or so). He would take this one stop. It's a very short ride. Then, he would go upstairs and follow the signs to the pedestrian bridge. I forget how it's marked. He may need to go up two levels from the tram, I forget. But at a certain point it just becomes intuitive.

It sounds complicated, but you can be there in less than 5 minutes from the B Terminal (once you're at the tram station, which is in the very center of the B Concourse).

When you are on the pedestrian bridge, you can see (IIRC) the TSA check-in area, and it looks as though you are about to leave security, which you definitely don't want to do. However, it's easy, and in fact perfectly normal, to stay on the bridge without proceeding to the airport exit.

Note: The last time I connected through DEN was in November 2017, but I assume there have been no substantial changes since then.