United Airlines Looking to Expand Denver Hub

United Airlines, the largest carrier to fly out of Denver International Airport, wants a bigger piece of the pie.

Like, much bigger.

Denver International is currently in the midst of a $1.5 billion project to add 39 more gates to the airport by 2021 – and United wants more than 60 percent of them.

The airline is asking the Denver City Council to approve an amendment to its lease that would grant it rights to 24 more gates at DIA, according to the Denver Post.

“The expansion is really driven from the fact that over the last several years United has embraced a midcontinent growth strategy,” Steve Jaquith, a vice president with United who runs its Denver hub, told the Post. “Denver is the fastest-growing hub in our network and most successful hub in our network. Geographically, we are very well positioned.”

United currently operates 66 gates in Denver, and handles 44% of the passenger traffic at the airport. Jaquith told the Post that gaining approval for the additional 24 gates would mean departures jump from 500 per day now to as much as 700 daily by 2025.

But hang on.

Southwest said last year that it would like to add 16 new gates to Denver International, and Denver-based low-budget carrier Frontier Airlines is also believed to be seeking more gates.

With 39 new gates after construction is complete, and with United wanting 24 and Southwest 16, the math already doesn’t add up even before Frontier makes a request for new gates.

“We are currently in active use and lease negotiations with other airlines but cannot confirm yet when these will be finalized,” DIA spokeswoman Emily Williams wrote in an email to the Denver Post.

United’s amendment is scheduled to be considered by the City Council’s business, arts, workforce and aviation services committee on Wednesday, January 8.