Downtown Denver skyline from City Park with the Rocky Mountains behind. Flights from Los Angeles to Denver

Route guide

Cheap Flights from Los Angeles to Denver

Flights from Los Angeles International to Denver, with the LAX terminal for six airlines, construction advice from LAWA, and how to leave DEN by rail or road.

LAX to DEN · 861 mi · 2h 28m est.

LAX to DEN
861 miles
2h 28m nonstop (estimated)
6 airlines in our fare results

Photo: David Herrera, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Los Angeles to Denver flight insights

Average flight time

~2h 28m (estimated)

LAX → DEN

Cheapest cached price

$154

Checking live fares…

Prices shown may not be current. Last checked: Oct 22, 2026.

Planning a trip from Los Angeles to Denver? The average flight time on this route is ~2h 28m (estimated). The lowest fare we recorded on this route recently was $154 (last checked Oct 22, 2026); today's live fare for your dates can differ.

Los Angeles to Denver covers a straight-line distance of about 861 miles. Based on that distance, a nonstop flight would take approximately ~2h 28m (estimated). Actual flight time varies by airline, aircraft and routing.

Los Angeles to Denver at a glance

LAX to DEN is about 861 miles in a straight line. The curved line is an illustration; the route your airline flies may differ.

Route Quick Facts

Quick facts for flights from Los Angeles to Denver on Eazair
Origin	Los Angeles (LAX)
Destination	Denver (DEN)
Average Flight Time	~2h 28m (estimated)
Current Lowest Fare	$154
Fares Last Checked	Oct 22, 2026
Distance	861 miles (LAX to DEN)
Time in Denver	1 hour ahead of Los Angeles
Airlines in our fare results	6

Local time in Denver is 1 hour ahead of Los Angeles. Los Angeles is on Pacific Time, Denver on Mountain Time.

Flight deals from Los Angeles to Denver

Los Angeles International (LAX) is where this search begins, with Denver International (DEN) as the arrival airport. Separate Southern California airports, including Hollywood Burbank (BUR), Long Beach (LGB), Ontario International (ONT) and John Wayne Airport, Orange County (SNA), will not match this page. Frontier, United, American, Alaska, Southwest and Delta have appeared in EazAir's fare checks for this route. Terminals at LAX differ by airline: Southwest and Frontier use Terminal 1, Delta checks in at Terminal 3, American is at Terminal 4, Alaska at 6 and United at 7 and 8.

Getting to LAX by rail means riding Metro's C or K Line to the LAX/Metro Transit Center, where LA Metro says a free shuttle leaves Bus Bays 1 and 2 for every terminal. FlyAway buses come in from Union Station and Van Nuys. LAWA advised in July 2026 allowing two hours before a domestic flight, warned of construction detours and suggested TSA PreCheck for faster screening. Drivers face nightly lane restrictions on westbound Century Boulevard until 13 Nov 2026. Frontier passengers are bused from Terminal 1 to Terminal B.

At DEN, the train to the gates links Concourses A, B and C with Jeppesen Terminal. Level 5 is the floor for most road transport: mountain carriers load at Island 4, hotel shuttles also pick up on Level 5, and a free rental car shuttle runs from the terminal pickup area to the off-site counters. If you prefer rail, A Line trains run every 15 minutes from the Transit Center on Level 1, and RTD requires an Airport Fare.

EazAir's first 3 fare checks for LAX to DEN fall between 28 Sep and 5 Oct 2026. Each one asked for the lowest one-way economy fare for one adult, departing 30 days later, and the highest result was at least double the lowest. Three checks are too few to show a pattern. Search your own dates, and check the final price, bags and fare rules on the partner site before you pay.

Airports for Los Angeles to Denver flights

Departure · Los Angeles

Los Angeles International (LAX)

Pacific Time

Other airports near Los Angeles: Long Beach (LGB), John Wayne (SNA), Ontario International (ONT), Hollywood Burbank (BUR)

Arrival · Denver

Denver International (DEN)

Mountain Time

About Denver

Areas to know in Denver

LoDo (Lower Downtown)
RiNo Art District
Capitol Hill

Weather in Denver

A semi-arid climate with over 300 sunny days a year; the high altitude keeps evenings cool even in summer, and winter brings snow to the nearby mountains.

Los Angeles to Denver: airport and fare guide

Checked on 17 Oct 2026 against the airport, airline and transit pages listed under Sources. Airports and airlines change these details, so confirm them with your airline before you fly.

Hollywood Burbank (BUR), Long Beach (LGB), Ontario International (ONT) and John Wayne Airport, Orange County (SNA) are separate Southern California airports, so check the airport code on every result.

Leaving from Los Angeles International (LAX)

Airline	LAX terminal
Southwest	Terminal 1
Frontier	Terminal 1 (Frontier passengers are bused to Terminal B)
Delta	Check-in at Terminal 3; gates in Terminal 3 or Terminal 2
American	Terminal 4
Alaska	Terminal 6
United	Terminals 7 and 8
Other airlines	Check your boarding pass or airline app.

Metro C and K Line trains stop at the LAX/Metro Transit Center. LA Metro says a free shuttle runs from Bus Bays 1 and 2 there to all LAX terminals.
FlyAway buses run from Union Station and Van Nuys to the LAX terminals, 7 days a week.
LAX says ride apps can drop you directly at your terminal on the upper Departures level.
LAWA advised in July 2026 arriving two hours before a domestic flight and three hours before an international flight.
LAWA warned of detours and longer shuttle times from construction, and suggested TSA PreCheck and Global Entry for faster screening.
LAX lists nightly lane restrictions on westbound Century Boulevard until 13 Nov 2026.

Arriving at Denver International (DEN)

Airline	DEN concourse
Delta	Concourse A
Frontier	Concourse A
Alaska	Concourse A
United	Concourses A and B
Southwest	Concourse C
American	Concourse C
Other airlines	Check your boarding pass or airline app.

DEN's airline page shows no update date, so confirm your concourse on your boarding pass.

DEN has three concourses, A, B and C, beyond security. The train to the gates links them with Jeppesen Terminal.
The train leaves from a platform on Level 4. DEN says the ride from the terminal to the C Gates takes less than 10 minutes.
With an A gate boarding pass you can walk the A-Bridge, directly north of the security checkpoints, instead of taking the train.
In Jeppesen Terminal, even-numbered doors are on the west side and odd-numbered doors are on the east side.

Getting from DEN	Where to board	Where it goes
RTD A Line	Transit Center on Level 1, beneath the Westin Denver International Hotel. DEN says trains run every 15 minutes. RTD says trips to or from the airport need an Airport Fare.	Union Station in downtown Denver, 37 minutes according to DEN, with stops at 61st & Peña, 40th & Airport and 38th & Blake.
Rideshare	Level 5, Island 5, on the East or West side of the terminal. DEN says to order your ride after collecting your luggage.	Wherever you booked.
Taxis	Level 5, Island 1. DEN says taxis are available 24 hours a day and you can go straight to the stands after baggage claim.	Your destination.
Mountain carriers	Level 5, Island 4.	The carrier's own routes.
Hotel and rental car shuttles	Hotel shuttles pick up on Level 5. A free rental car shuttle runs from the Jeppesen Terminal pickup area.	Hotels and the off-site rental car counters.

What the lowest fares include

Fare	Carry-on	Checked bag	Seat	Changes
Delta Main Basic	Delta says every passenger can bring one carry-on and one personal item free.	Delta charges for checked bags on domestic flights unless you qualify for a waiver, such as Medallion status or an eligible Delta SkyMiles American Express card.	Assigned after check-in. You may be able to buy a seat ahead of time for a fee.	Refunds are not allowed after the 24-hour risk-free cancellation window. Delta says a change or cancellation may be possible for a fee, with any value left as an eCredit.
American Basic Economy	Included, plus a personal item.	Not included, except for some AAdvantage status members and eligible cardmembers.	A free seat is assigned at check-in, or you can pay to choose one.	Generally not allowed. American describes a 24-hour window and some credit options on its Basic Economy page.
United Basic Economy	Not included on domestic flights. One personal item only, unless you are a MileagePlus Premier member, travel with one, or hold a qualifying MileagePlus card.	Not included; check United's bag fee calculator.	Assigned by United before boarding.	Changes may not be allowed. Refund if cancelled within 24 hours of booking, under United's 24-hour policy; after that, partial travel credit.
Southwest Basic	Southwest's policy allows one carry-on and one personal item.	Checked bag fees apply to Basic fares.	A free Standard seat is assigned at check-in. Preferred and Extra Legroom seats cost extra.	Only by upgrading to a Choice fare or higher. Cancelling at least 10 minutes before departure gives a flight credit, which for Basic expires 6 months from booking.
Alaska Saver	Included, plus a personal item.	Same allowance as Alaska's Main fare.	Assigned at check-in or at the gate. Parties are not guaranteed to sit together.	No changes except eligible same-day changes for a fee. Cancelling within 24 hours of booking follows Alaska's 24-hour policy; cancelling at least 14 days before departure gives a 50 percent credit.
Frontier, without a bundle	Not included. One personal item only.	Not included. Prices vary by travel date and when you buy.	Costs extra, or a seat is assigned after check-in.	Not covered here. Check Frontier's rules before you book.

Based on the airlines' own pages, checked on 17 Oct 2026. Fees are left out because they change often. Check the final price, bags and fare rules on the partner site before you pay.

How EazAir measured fares on this route

EazAir's first 3 fare checks from Los Angeles to Denver ran from 28 Sep to 5 Oct 2026. For the return direction, Denver to Los Angeles, EazAir's first 9 checks ran from 11 Sep to 14 Oct 2026. Each check asked partner travel sites for the lowest one-way economy fare for one adult, departing 30 days after the check. Results can include connecting flights. The highest result was at least double the lowest. With only 3 checks, this cannot show a pattern. Search your own dates for current prices.

Sources

LAX: Airline list (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
LAX: Airline location map (as of 1 Jul 2026, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
LAX: Terminal 1 (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Delta: Los Angeles airport map (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
LAX: Traffic and ground transportation (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
LAX: FlyAway bus (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
LAWA: Summer travel tips (1 Jul 2026, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
LA Metro: LAX (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
DEN: Airlines (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
DEN: Facilities (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
DEN: To and from the airport (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
DEN: East security checkpoint opens (4 Aug 2025, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
RTD: Airport (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Delta: Delta Main Basic (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Delta: Fares and discounts (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Delta: Carry-on baggage (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Delta: Bags (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
American Airlines: Basic Economy (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
United: Basic Economy FAQ (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Southwest: Fare information (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Southwest: Assigned seating (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Southwest: Carry-on baggage policy (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Southwest: Fare types and benefits (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Alaska Airlines: Saver fare (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Frontier: What is included in my fare (last modified 25 Mar 2026, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Frontier: Bag options (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
Frontier: Bundles (no date shown, accessed 17 Oct 2026)
EazAir fare checks for LAX to DEN, 28 Sep 2026 to 5 Oct 2026; DEN to LAX, 11 Sep 2026 to 14 Oct 2026

Frequently asked questions

Which LAX terminal do I leave from?

It depends on the airline. LAX lists Southwest and Frontier at Terminal 1, Delta at Terminal 3, American at Terminal 4, Alaska at Terminal 6 and United at Terminals 7 and 8.

How early should I get to LAX for a flight to Denver?

LAWA advised in July 2026 arriving two hours before a domestic flight, warned of detours and longer shuttle times from construction, and suggested TSA PreCheck and Global Entry for faster screening.

Can I take a train from DEN into Denver?

The RTD A Line leaves from the Transit Center on Level 1 for Union Station, and DEN lists a 37-minute trip. RTD says an Airport Fare applies.

Where do hotel shuttles and mountain transport pick up at DEN?

Both use Level 5. DEN lists mountain carriers at Island 4, and a free rental car shuttle runs from the Jeppesen Terminal pickup area.

Do the basic fares on this route include a carry-on?

Alaska, American, Southwest and Delta basic fares allow a carry-on plus a personal item, according to each airline. United Basic Economy and Frontier's lowest fare are limited to a personal item.

How far is it from LAX to DEN?

LAX and DEN are about 861 miles apart in a straight line. Flight times vary by airline, direction and routing, so check the scheduled time shown with each result.

Airline bag fees

Baggage allowances differ significantly between fare classes (Basic/Light vs. Standard/Flex) and can change over time. Always verify the exact allowance for your specific fare with the airline before you fly.

Checked bag fees from each airline's own website
Airline	Carry-on, basic economy	1st checked bag	2nd checked bag	Source
American Airlines	Included	$45	$55	aa.com, Sep 24, 2026
United Airlines	Not included	$40	$50	united.com, Sep 24, 2026
Delta Air Lines	Included	$45	$55	delta.com, Sep 24, 2026
Southwest Airlines	Included	$45	$55	southwest.com, Oct 27, 2026
JetBlue	Included	$45	$59	jetblue.com, Sep 24, 2026
Alaska Airlines	Included	$45	$55	alaskaair.com, Sep 24, 2026
Frontier Airlines	Not included	Varies	Varies	flyfrontier.com, Sep 24, 2026
Sun Country Airlines	Not included	Varies	Varies	suncountry.com, Sep 24, 2026

Domestic US fees per bag, each way, when paid online in advance. "Varies" means the airline prices bags by route and date.

Travel tips

Arrive early for domestic flights

TSA generally recommends arriving at least 2 hours before a domestic departure, more at larger hub airports during peak travel periods.

Pack a mixed carry-on

Keep a change of clothes, chargers, and any essentials in your carry-on rather than only your checked bag, in case of a delay or a bag that doesn't arrive with you.

Screenshot your confirmation

Save a screenshot or PDF of your booking confirmation and boarding pass before you travel, in case you lose signal or battery at the airport.

Check in online when it opens

Most airlines open online check-in 24 hours before departure. Checking in early can help with seat selection and, on some airlines, boarding group assignment.