Los Angeles (LAX) to Denver (DEN) is 861 miles in a straight line, about 2h 13m gate to gate. Your flight is handed between 6 air traffic control facilities along the way.
Who handles your flight
Every airliner is passed from one air traffic control facility to the next. On the most direct path, these are the teams that guide you, in order. Weather and traffic can send a flight through other centers, so your actual flight may differ a little.
- LAXTowerLos Angeles International Tower (LAX)Clears you for takeoffThank them →
- SCTTRACONSouthern California TRACON (SCT)Guides the climb outThank them →
- ZLACenterLos Angeles ARTCC (ZLA)Takes over at cruising altitudeThank them →
- ZDVCenterDenver ARTCC (ZDV)Starts your descentThank them →
- D01TRACONDenver TRACON (D01)Lines you up for the approachThank them →
- DENTowerDenver International Tower (DEN)Clears you to landThank them →
Flying the other way
Denver (DEN) to Los Angeles (LAX)
DEN → D01 → ZDV → ZLA → SCT → LAX
About the airports
Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles, CA
Codes: LAX · KLAX
Time zone: Pacific
Control tower: Los Angeles International Tower (LAX)
Denver International Airport
Denver, CO
Codes: DEN · KDEN
Time zone: Mountain
Control tower: Denver International Tower (DEN)
More routes
- Los Angeles (LAX) to Atlanta (ATL)
- Los Angeles (LAX) to Dallas–Fort Worth (DFW)
- Los Angeles (LAX) to Chicago O'Hare (ORD)
- New York JFK (JFK) to Los Angeles (LAX)
- Las Vegas (LAS) to Los Angeles (LAX)
- Orlando (MCO) to Los Angeles (LAX)
- Miami (MIA) to Los Angeles (LAX)
- Charlotte (CLT) to Los Angeles (LAX)
- Seattle (SEA) to Los Angeles (LAX)
- Phoenix (PHX) to Los Angeles (LAX)
- Newark (EWR) to Los Angeles (LAX)
- San Francisco (SFO) to Los Angeles (LAX)
- Houston (IAH) to Los Angeles (LAX)
- Boston (BOS) to Los Angeles (LAX)
- Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to Los Angeles (LAX)
- Minneapolis (MSP) to Los Angeles (LAX)
How we figure this out
Distance is the great-circle distance between the two airports, the shortest path over the curved Earth. Flight time assumes an average airliner speed of about 500 mph plus about 30 minutes for taxi, takeoff and landing. The list of facilities follows the same path, using each airport's tower and approach control and the FAA's en route center boundaries.
Say thanks to the controllers who got you there. It's free, takes 30 seconds, and every post is checked before it goes up.
Common questions
How long is the flight from Los Angeles (LAX) to Denver (DEN)?
About 2h 13m gate to gate for the 861-mile trip. Flying east, you often pick up a tailwind, so it can be a little shorter.
How far is Los Angeles (LAX) from Denver (DEN)?
861 miles (748 nautical miles, 1,385 km) in a straight line. The path your flight actually takes is usually a little longer.
Which air traffic controllers handle a flight from Los Angeles (LAX) to Denver (DEN)?
Usually 6 facilities: Los Angeles International Tower (LAX), Southern California TRACON (SCT), Los Angeles ARTCC (ZLA), Denver ARTCC (ZDV), Denver TRACON (D01) and Denver International Tower (DEN). You can thank each one on its own wall at Thank ATC.
Is there a time change between Los Angeles (LAX) and Denver (DEN)?
Yes. Denver (DEN) is 1 hour ahead of Los Angeles (LAX).