Seattle (SEA) to Denver (DEN)

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

Quick answer

Seattle (SEA) to Denver (DEN) is 1,022 miles in a straight line, about 2h 33m gate to gate. Your flight is handed between 7 air traffic control facilities along the way.

1,022miles
888nautical miles
1,645kilometers
~2h 33mestimated flight time
+1 htime change on arrival
Southeastinitial 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. SEATowerSeattle-Tacoma Tower (SEA)Clears you for takeoffThank them →
  2. S46TRACONSeattle TRACON (S46)Guides the climb outThank them →
  3. ZSECenterSeattle ARTCC (ZSE)Takes over at cruising altitudeThank them →
  4. ZLCCenterSalt Lake City ARTCC (ZLC)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 Seattle (SEA)

DEN → D01 → ZDV → ZLC → ZSE → S46 → SEA

About the airports

Seattle–Tacoma International Airport

Seattle, WA

Codes: SEA · KSEA

Time zone: Pacific

Control tower: Seattle-Tacoma Tower (SEA)

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 Seattle (SEA) to Denver (DEN)?

About 2h 33m gate to gate for the 1,022-mile trip. Flying east, you often pick up a tailwind, so it can be a little shorter.

How far is Seattle (SEA) from Denver (DEN)?

1,022 miles (888 nautical miles, 1,645 km) in a straight line. The path your flight actually takes is usually a little longer.

Which air traffic controllers handle a flight from Seattle (SEA) to Denver (DEN)?

Usually 7 facilities: Seattle-Tacoma Tower (SEA), Seattle TRACON (S46), Seattle ARTCC (ZSE), Salt Lake City ARTCC (ZLC), 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 Seattle (SEA) and Denver (DEN)?

Yes. Denver (DEN) is 1 hour ahead of Seattle (SEA).

Updated October 2026

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