San Francisco to Denver (SFO–DEN) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections
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No nonstop flights on this route. connecting options below.
SFO–DEN is served by 5 airlines with nonstop service. United Airlines, Southwest Airlines and Frontier lead the route. The flight covers 965 miles in approximately 2h 24m. Beyond nonstop, 176 hubs offer 1-stop connections.
Airline Landscape
| Airline | Freq/wk | Aircraft | Duration | Dep OTP | Alliance | Codeshares |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UA United Airlines Also: AC, AV, EK, OZ, VA | 103 | 32Q, 739, 752, 753, 777, 7M8, 7M9, A21N, B39M | 2h26-2h53 | Star Alliance | AC, AV, EK, OZ, VA | |
| WN Southwest Airlines | 26 | 7M8, 7S7, B38M | 2h26-2h40 | – | – | |
| F9 Frontier Also: Y4 | 20 | 32N, 32Q, A20N | 2h24-2h54 | – | Y4 | |
| DL Delta Air Lines | 1 | – | – | SkyTeam | – | |
| OO SkyWest Airlines | 0 | – | – | – | – |
Weekly Schedule Pattern
Connection Landscape
Other ways to reach Denver from San Francisco
| Metric | SFO→DEN | OAK→DEN | SJC→DEN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Distance from SFO | – | 11 mi | 30 mi |
| Nonstop airlines | 5 | 3 | 5 |
| Weekly flights | 303 | 29 | 93 |
| Flight time | 2h 24m | 2h 25m | 2h 25m |
| Departure OTP | 65% | – | – |
Travel Essentials
SFO: PDT · DEN: MDT
When it's 6:00 PM in San Francisco, it's 7:00 PM in Denver.
BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) runs from downtown San Francisco (Embarcadero, Powell St.) to the SFO station and then a free AirTrain shuttle to all terminals (30–40 min from Embarcadero, $10.45). BART also connects Oakland and Berkeley; useful for East Bay travelers. Trains run from ~4am to midnight.Taxis from downtown San Francisco cost $40–60. Ride-hails (Uber, Lyft) pick up in the designated area in the garage and are often $30–50 depending on surge pricing. SamTrans buses serve Peninsula cities. Highway 101 and I-280 are heavily congested during commute hours; BART is faster than driving at those times.
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.
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.
SFO–DEN Quick Facts
Frequently Asked Questions
San Francisco to Denver: Mountain West Connector
SFO–DEN is a two-and-a-half-hour corridor linking the Bay Area's technology economy to Denver's growing energy, aerospace, and outdoor recreation sectors. United, Southwest, Frontier, and Alaska all operate nonstop service, giving travelers genuine carrier choice and consistent fare competition. The route sustains both leisure traffic toward Colorado ski resorts in winter and spring and a year-round business segment. Frontier's Denver hub concentration makes it an active competitor here at lower price points.
Denver as a Connecting Gateway
Denver International is one of the highest-capacity airports in the US by surface area, designed specifically for volume and connection efficiency. United's Concourse B hub feeds extensive Midwest and East Coast connections. Frontier's Concourse C operation adds budget connectivity to secondary markets. The University of Colorado A Line commuter rail connects DEN to Denver Union Station in 37 minutes, with onward light rail to downtown and suburbs. For SFO passengers connecting through DEN to mountain resort cities. Aspen, Jackson Hole, Telluride. The frequency of onward regional flights is high particularly in ski season.