San Diego to Denver (SAN–DEN) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections
Flight Schedule
74 flights
Verified 3m ago
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No flights match your filters.
No nonstop flights on this route. connecting options below.
✦ 1-Stop Connections
→
Separate tickets — book each leg independently. Collect and recheck bags at .
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✧ 2-Stop Connections
Separate tickets — book each leg independently. Collect and recheck bags at each hub.
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San Diego to Denver
7 carriers, 208 flights/week nonstop.
7 Airlines
208 Flights/wk
852 mi
2h 19m nonstop
+1h ahead
91 1-stop hubs
SAN–DEN is served by 7 airlines with nonstop service. Southwest Airlines, United Airlines and Alaska Airlines lead the route. The flight covers 852 miles in approximately 2h 19m. Beyond nonstop, 91 hubs offer 1-stop connections.
Carriers on this route
Airline Landscape
All carriers operating nonstop SAN–DEN service, compared side by side.
| Airline | Freq/wk | Aircraft | Duration | Dep OTP | Alliance | Codeshares |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WN Southwest Airlines | 90 | 738, 7M8, 7S7, B38M | 2h20-2h35 | – | – | |
| UA United Airlines | 54 | 32Q, 739, 7M9, A21N | 2h26-4h56 | Star Alliance | – | |
| AS Alaska Airlines | 22 | 73J, 7M9, E75L | 2h38-2h53 | Oneworld | – | |
| F9 Frontier | 19 | 32N, A21N | 2h19-2h37 | – | – | |
| AC Air Canada | 16 | 32Q, 739, A21N | 2h28-2h31 | Star Alliance | – | |
| CM Copa Airlines | 7 | A21N | 2h26 | Star Alliance | – | |
| B6 JetBlue | 1 | – | – | – | – |
Aircraft on this route
OTP based on airport-level delay snapshots. Duration ranges reflect seasonal/directional variation.
Schedule
Weekly Schedule Pattern
Nonstop flight frequency by day of week, SAN to DEN direction.
Mon
32
flights
Tue
30
flights
Wed
29
flights
Thu
31
flights
Fri
31
flights
Sat
26
flights
Sun
29
flights
Departure time distribution
12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM12 AM
Morning departures
Afternoon/evening departures
38
Nonstop flights
208
Outbound / wk
204
Return / wk
Connections
Connection Landscape
Beyond nonstop. 1-stop and 2-stop options for SAN to DEN.
1-STOP
One-Stop Connections
91
Hubs
~3h
Fastest
~33h
Longest
Verified with published schedule alignment and minimum connection time.
2-STOP
Two-Stop Connections
3,949
Candidates
Two-stop connections loaded in the connections tab above.
Connections computed from published schedules with minimum connection time verification. Use the interactive explorer above the fold to filter by airline, tier, and layover time.
Reliability
On-Time Performance
What to expect at each end of your journey.
Outbound
SAN → DEN
100%
Generally reliable. Most flights run on time.
Departing
100%
Arriving
90%
Return
DEN → SAN
0%
Frequent delays expected. Consider flexible booking.
Departing
0%
Arriving
100%
OTP = percentage of flights arriving within 15 min of schedule. Based on airport-level delay snapshots.
SAN delays → DEN delays →
Alternatives
Other ways to reach Denver from San Diego
Nearby airports with service to Denver International Airport.
| Metric | SAN→DEN | CLD→DEN | SNA→DEN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Distance from SAN | – | 28 mi | 76 mi |
| Nonstop airlines | 7 | 1 | 5 |
| Weekly flights | 208 | 7 | 135 |
| Flight time | 2h 19m | 2h 38m | 2h 10m |
| Departure OTP | 100% | – | – |
Carlsbad (CLD) to Denver flights · Santa Ana (SNA) to Denver flights · Palm Springs (PSP) to Denver flights
Airports within 200 miles of SAN with service to Denver International Airport.
Know before you go
Travel Essentials
Practical planning for this route.
Time Difference
+1h
Denver is 1 hour
ahead of
San Diego.
SAN: PDT · DEN: MDT
When it's 6:00 PM in San Diego, it's 7:00 PM in Denver.
SAN: PDT · DEN: MDT
When it's 6:00 PM in San Diego, it's 7:00 PM in Denver.
Distance & Flight Time
852 mi / 1,371 km
Nonstop flight time is approximately 2h 19m to 4h 56m.
Getting from DEN
RTD A Line runs to Denver Union Station (37 min, $10.50) with connections to light rail and bus routes. Taxis have meters; expect $55–65 to downtown.DEN's tent-roof Jeppesen Terminal is a single building; all three concourses connect via the underground automated train. Rental cars are on level 5. For ski resorts, shuttle services depart from Ground Transportation.
Denver Climate
Semi-arid with 300+ days of sunshine. Summers are dry and warm (27–34°C) with afternoon thunderstorms that produce dramatic but brief delays. Winters bring cold temperatures (−8 to 5°C) and heavy blizzards that can shut down ground operations.
Spring snowstorms can be heavier than midwinter ones. Altitude (5,430 ft) means low humidity year-round; stay hydrated.
Facts
SAN–DEN Quick Facts
Key statistics for the San Diego to Denver route.
Route details
Distance852 mi / 1,371 km
Flight time2h 19m to 4h 56m
Time difference+1 hour
Airlines (nonstop)7
Weekly flights208 out / 204 return
1-stop connections91 hubs
Origin: SAN
Full nameSan Diego International Airport
IATA / ICAOSAN / KSAN
TimezoneAmerica/Los_Angeles
Passengers/yr25.6M
Elevation17 ft / 5 m
Destination: DEN
Full nameDenver International Airport
IATA / ICAODEN / KDEN
TimezoneAmerica/Denver
Passengers/yr82.4M
Elevation5,431 ft / 1,655 m
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about SAN to DEN flights.
Nonstop flights from San Diego International Airport to Denver International Airport take approximately 2h 19m to 4h 56m. The route covers 852 miles.
7 airlines operate nonstop service: Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, JetBlue, Copa Airlines, Frontier, United Airlines and Southwest Airlines.
There are approximately 208 nonstop flights per week from SAN to DEN. The return direction has about 204 weekly flights.
Yes, 1-stop connections are available through SCF, RIL, SBA, SAF, HDN, EGE, BFI, ABI, PAE, OKC, CRP, SJD, JAC, CHS, RDU, APF, PBI, ANC, PIT, LAX, PHX, LAS, ATL, HOU, RNO, SLC, MRY, FAT, SMF, SFO, MSP, PSP, OAK, STS, KOA, ELP, SAT, GEG, IAH, SJC, EUG, BOI, OGG, ABQ, TUS, COS, SBP, AUS, PTY, BNA, OMA, STL, DAL, MCI, MDW, MCO, DFW, HND, ORD, RDM, MKE, SEA, MFR, HNL, CLT, SUN, DTW, LIH, PDX, TUL, MIA, PHL, BOS, BWI, JFK, TPA, FLL, BZN, NRT, CMH, MSY, LHR, IAD, IND, YVR, EWR, DCA, PVR, YYZ, YYC and MUC. These options provide additional schedule flexibility.
Denver is 1 hour ahead of San Diego.
Yes, return flights from DEN to SAN are available. Use the direction toggle at the top to view the return schedule.
Click the 'Search Flights' button to check availability and prices on Google Flights. You can also compare airlines and schedules on this page to find the best option.
See the On-Time Performance section for the latest delay data at both airports. This shows departure and arrival reliability to help you plan.
Route data is updated regularly from official airline schedules. On-time performance data comes from recent airport delay snapshots.
United, Southwest, Frontier, and Alaska all operate nonstop SAN–DEN. United runs the highest frequency from its Denver hub, with 3–4 daily departures. Southwest operates from Terminal 2 at SAN; United uses Terminal 2 as well. Frontier uses Terminal 2. At DEN, United operates from Concourse B, Southwest from Concourse C, and Frontier from Concourse A. Flight time is 2 hours 10 minutes eastbound and 2 hours 35 minutes westbound.
Southwest's no-change-fee policy gives the most flexibility for unplanned itinerary adjustments on SAN–DEN. United's flexible fares allow same-day standby on later flights for elites and certain fare classes. Frontier and Allegiant charge fees for changes, making them less practical when schedule certainty matters. Southwest operates multiple daily departures and allows rebooking to any later same-day flight at no fee, which is useful for travelers whose schedules in San Diego or Denver are subject to change.
Yes. November through March is the highest-demand period on SAN–DEN, driven by San Diego residents and military-community travelers heading to Colorado ski resorts accessible from Denver. Breckenridge, Vail, and Keystone are 90–120 minutes from DEN by shuttle. Fares rise 20–40% on peak winter weekends compared to spring shoulder periods. Frontier and Allegiant add extra rotations during ski weekends. Booking 6–8 weeks ahead is practical for holiday ski travel from San Diego.
San Diego to Denver: Sun Belt to Mountain Hub
SAN–DEN connects San Diego International, one of the most constrained major airports in the US by runway capacity, to Denver International, United's western hub and one of the largest airports in the country by land area. United anchors the nonstop market with multiple daily departures connecting into its Denver banking structure. Southwest, Frontier, and Alaska provide competitive alternatives. Block time is 2 hours 10 minutes eastbound. The corridor carries leisure travelers heading to Colorado's mountain recreation areas, business travelers between the two metros, and military-connected traffic from San Diego's large Navy and Marine Corps presence.
Seasonal Demand and Connectivity
Ski season from November through March is the highest-traffic period on SAN–DEN, with weekend flights selling out several weeks in advance. Summer also sees elevated leisure demand as Coloradans use San Diego beaches as a summer destination and San Diego travelers visit Rocky Mountain National Park and other summer outdoor destinations. Passengers connecting through Denver reach the upper Midwest, East Coast, and international destinations on United's hub network. SAN's slot-like peak hour constraints mean that SAN–DEN seats are a limited resource during the airport's busiest morning and early evening banks.