Philadelphia (PHL) to Denver (DEN)

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

Quick answer

Philadelphia (PHL) to Denver (DEN) is 1,554 miles in a straight line, about 3h 36m gate to gate. Your flight is handed between 10 air traffic control facilities along the way.

1,554miles
1,350nautical miles
2,500kilometers
~3h 36mestimated flight time
−2 htime change on arrival
Westinitial 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. PHLTowerPhiladelphia Tower (PHL)Clears you for takeoffThank them →
  2. PHLTRACONPhiladelphia TRACON (PHL)Guides the climb outThank them →
  3. ZNYCenterNew York ARTCC (ZNY)Takes over at cruising altitudeThank them →
  4. ZOBCenterCleveland ARTCC (ZOB)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
  5. ZAUCenterChicago ARTCC (ZAU)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
  6. ZKCCenterKansas City ARTCC (ZKC)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
  7. ZMPCenterMinneapolis ARTCC (ZMP)Keeps you separated en routeThank them →
  8. ZDVCenterDenver ARTCC (ZDV)Starts your descentThank them →
  9. D01TRACONDenver TRACON (D01)Lines you up for the approachThank them →
  10. DENTowerDenver International Tower (DEN)Clears you to landThank them →

Flying the other way

Denver (DEN) to Philadelphia (PHL)

DEN → D01 → ZDV → ZMP → ZAU → ZKC → ZOB → ZNY → PHL → PHL

About the airports

Philadelphia International Airport

Philadelphia, PA

Codes: PHL · KPHL

Time zone: Eastern

Control tower: Philadelphia Tower (PHL)

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 Philadelphia (PHL) to Denver (DEN)?

About 3h 36m gate to gate for the 1,554-mile trip. Flying west, you often fight a headwind, so it can take a little longer.

How far is Philadelphia (PHL) from Denver (DEN)?

1,554 miles (1,350 nautical miles, 2,500 km) in a straight line. The path your flight actually takes is usually a little longer.

Which air traffic controllers handle a flight from Philadelphia (PHL) to Denver (DEN)?

Usually 10 facilities: Philadelphia Tower (PHL), Philadelphia TRACON (PHL), New York ARTCC (ZNY), Cleveland ARTCC (ZOB), Chicago ARTCC (ZAU), Kansas City ARTCC (ZKC), Minneapolis ARTCC (ZMP), 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 Philadelphia (PHL) and Denver (DEN)?

Yes. Denver (DEN) is 2 hours behind Philadelphia (PHL).

Updated October 2026

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