New Orleans (MSY) to Denver (DEN)

Distance, flight time and the air traffic controllers who guide you.

Quick answer

New Orleans (MSY) to Denver (DEN) is 1,061 miles in a straight line, about 2h 37m gate to gate. Your flight is handed between 7 air traffic control facilities along the way.

1,061miles
922nautical miles
1,708kilometers
~2h 37mestimated flight time
−1 htime change on arrival
Northwestinitial heading

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.

  1. MSYTowerLouis Armstrong New Orleans Tower (MSY)Clears you for takeoffThank them →
  2. ZHUCenterHouston ARTCC (ZHU)Takes over at cruising altitudeThank them →
  3. ZFWCenterFort Worth ARTCC (ZFW)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
  4. ZKCCenterKansas City ARTCC (ZKC)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
  5. ZDVCenterDenver ARTCC (ZDV)Starts your descentThank them →
  6. D01TRACONDenver TRACON (D01)Lines you up for the approachThank them →
  7. DENTowerDenver International Tower (DEN)Clears you to landThank them →

Flying the other way

Denver (DEN) to New Orleans (MSY)

DEN → D01 → ZDV → ZKC → ZFW → ZHU → MSY

About the airports

Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport

New Orleans, LA

Codes: MSY · KMSY

Time zone: Central

Control tower: Louis Armstrong New Orleans Tower (MSY)

Thank the tower →

Denver International Airport

Denver, CO

Codes: DEN · KDEN

Time zone: Mountain

Control tower: Denver International Tower (DEN)

Thank the tower →

More routes

All flight routes →

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.

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Common questions

How long is the flight from New Orleans (MSY) to Denver (DEN)?

About 2h 37m gate to gate for the 1,061-mile trip. Flying west, you often fight a headwind, so it can take a little longer.

How far is New Orleans (MSY) from Denver (DEN)?

1,061 miles (922 nautical miles, 1,708 km) in a straight line. The path your flight actually takes is usually a little longer.

Which air traffic controllers handle a flight from New Orleans (MSY) to Denver (DEN)?

Usually 7 facilities: Louis Armstrong New Orleans Tower (MSY), Houston ARTCC (ZHU), Fort Worth ARTCC (ZFW), Kansas City ARTCC (ZKC), 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 New Orleans (MSY) and Denver (DEN)?

Yes. Denver (DEN) is 1 hour behind New Orleans (MSY).

Updated October 2026

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