A Denver car service to DIA takes about 37 minutes on a clear road from LoDo and Union Station, about 25 miles (40 km), and Denver International asks travellers to arrive at least two hours before their flight. Put those together with a buffer for traffic and the usual rule is simple: from downtown, leave around three hours before departure, earlier at rush hour or in snow.
On Elly8.net the trip is a fixed price: US$225 in a Business Sedan, US$295 in a Business SUV, US$360 in a First Class SUV, US$395 in a First Class Sedan and US$585 in an Executive Sprinter, the same price as the trip from the airport. The car drops you on Level 6 of the Jeppesen Terminal, next to check-in and security. The rest of this guide is the timing, the stops and the alternatives.
How early should you leave Denver for DIA?
Work back from the flight. DEN recommends arriving at least two hours before departure. The drive from LoDo is about 37 minutes on a clear road, so add 15 to 30 minutes for weekday rush hours and more for snow. For a 9:00 a.m. flight from downtown, a pickup around 6:00 a.m. is sensible.
The two-hour advice comes from the airport's security page, which also lists the checkpoints: East and West Security on Level 6 and North Security on Level 5. If you rely on TSA PreCheck for an early flight, note the hours the airport lists: 4 a.m. to 8 p.m. at East Security and 4 a.m. to 8:45 p.m. at West Security.
The leave-by formula
Every departure on our desk is planned with the same four numbers:
- The flight time.
- Minus two hours at the airport, as DEN recommends, or more if you are checking bags at a busy time, travelling with children or flying internationally.
- Minus the drive. About 37 minutes from LoDo and Union Station on a clear road. Addresses further out, such as Boulder, Golden, the Tech Center or the foothills, are timed by the desk when you book.
- Minus a buffer for the conditions: weekday commute hours, a game or concert downtown, or snow on Peña Boulevard.
| Flight time | Arrive at DEN by | Clear-road pickup from LoDo | Pickup with a rush-hour or snow buffer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6:30 a.m. | 4:30 a.m. | about 3:50 a.m. | about 3:30 a.m. |
| 9:00 a.m. | 7:00 a.m. | about 6:20 a.m. | about 6:00 a.m. |
| 1:00 p.m. | 11:00 a.m. | about 10:20 a.m. | about 10:00 a.m. |
| 6:00 p.m. | 4:00 p.m. | about 3:20 p.m. | about 2:50 p.m. |
These are planning guides, not guarantees, and the desk adjusts them for your address and the day. A Friday afternoon departure in ski season, or the morning after a snowstorm, needs a larger buffer than the table shows. The COtrip map from the Colorado Department of Transportation shows live conditions.
The route and the drop-off
From downtown, the route runs out of the city on the interstate and then along Peña Boulevard, the airport's long access road. Depending on traffic and where you start, the chauffeur may use E-470, a tolled highway through the eastern suburbs; tolls are billed at cost.
At the terminal, departures are on Level 6. DEN's ride share page describes Level 6 of the Jeppesen Terminal, east or west, as the designated drop-off area for departing passengers, with direct access to check-in counters and TSA security checkpoints, and says there is no charge for using the curbside drop-off. Tell the desk your airline when you book, and the chauffeur drops you on the side closest to its counters.
The chauffeur unloads your bags at the curb. If you need a wheelchair or extra help inside, arrange it with your airline in advance; the airline's staff take over from the curb.
Adding stops on the way to the airport
The airport run is often the last part of a longer day, and that is where a private car is most useful. Three common patterns:
A last meeting with the luggage in the trunk. Check out of the hotel, put the bags in the car, go to a final meeting in LoDo or Cherry Creek, then straight to DEN. Booked as hourly service, as directed, from US$95 an hour in a Business Sedan with a 3-hour minimum, the car waits outside the meeting and the bags never leave it. See hourly chauffeur.
A last look at the city. A morning at the Denver Art Museum or a drive to a foothills viewpoint before an afternoon flight. An hourly booking can finish at the airport, so the sightseeing and the transfer are one booking. Our Denver private driver guide sets out the popular routes.
Collecting colleagues. Two or three people from different hotels or homes, one car to the airport. Enter each address as a stop in the web booker, which prices the multi-stop route before you pay.
Keep stops realistic. Every stop adds time, and the two-hour arrival advice still applies at the end.
What it costs, and the alternatives
| Option | LoDo or downtown to DEN | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| RTD A Line | US$10 Airport Day Pass | train from Union Station | one traveller, light bag, near the station |
| Taxi | US$72.04 flat rate, Zone A | regulated flat rate, airport access fee included | one to three people, ordinary bags |
| Rideshare | set in the app | price varies with demand | short notice, quiet times |
| Elly8.net Business Sedan | US$225 fixed | pre-booked, door to Level 6 | early flights, meetings, fixed budget |
| Elly8.net Business SUV | US$295 fixed | pre-booked, up to 6 with bags | families, ski bags |
| Elly8.net Executive Sprinter | US$585 fixed | pre-booked, up to 12 with bags | teams and groups |
The taxi figure comes from Denver International's taxi page, and Colorado's PUC explains that the flat-rate zones apply to trips to and from the airport. The A Line fare is listed by RTD on its fares page; trips to the airport need the Airport Day Pass or an upgrade.
The honest verdict: for one person with a carry-on staying near Union Station, take the train. For one to three people going downtown to the airport with ordinary luggage, the taxi flat rate is good value. Book a private car when the pickup is very early and you want it confirmed the night before, when you have a group, children, ski or golf bags, when you are adding stops, or when a company needs one invoice. The higher price buys certainty about the one trip of the day that cannot run late. Our Denver airport Uber vs taxi vs private car guide goes into the arrivals side, and DIA airport shuttle vs private car covers shuttles and the train.
Families, ski bags and very early flights
Three kinds of departure need a little more planning than the formula suggests.
Families. Children add time at every step: getting out of the house, at the curb, at security. Add 15 minutes to the pickup and book child seats with the car; add each child's age and weight so the right seat is fitted before the chauffeur arrives. A Business SUV takes up to six passengers and six bags for US$295 from LoDo, which is often less than two separate rides.
Ski and golf bags. Oversized bags take longer at airline check-in, and they do not fit a sedan trunk well. Book a Business SUV or an Executive Sprinter, and count the bags as well as the people when you choose the vehicle.
Flights before 7 a.m. The first departures of the day leave when the city is quiet, so the drive is usually close to the clear-road time, but the margin for anything going wrong is small. A pre-booked pickup is confirmed by email when you reserve, and the chauffeur's name and phone number arrive before pickup, so there is no wondering at 3:30 a.m. whether a car will appear, and no checking an app to see whether any drivers are awake. If you will be checking bags, aim for the earlier end of the airport's two-hour advice rather than the later.
The night-before checklist
- Confirm the flight time and terminal side with your airline, and update the booking if anything has changed.
- Check the pickup details in the confirmation email: address, time, vehicle, stops.
- Save the chauffeur's number when it arrives.
- Look at the weather and COtrip if snow is forecast, and call the desk if you want an earlier pickup.
- Have bags at the door at pickup time. The fixed price includes the trip, not a long wait at the start.
Changes are easiest well ahead. The cancellation terms apply as the pickup approaches: free more than 72 hours before, then 10%, 50% and 100% at 72, 48 and 24 hours or less.
Departures from Centennial and the mountains
Flying privately? Centennial Airport (APA), about 20 miles (33 km) from LoDo and around 29 minutes on a clear road, is priced from US$195 in a Business Sedan to US$510 in an Executive Sprinter. Give the desk the tail number and the FBO. See private jet and FBO car service.
Coming down from the mountains? A drive from Vail, Aspen or Breckenridge to DEN depends on I-70, which can slow or close in winter. DEN to Vail Village is fixed from US$715 in a Business Sedan on the Vail car service page, and the Aspen car service page lists Aspen fares; Breckenridge is in our Breck shuttle vs private car guide. For a mountain departure, add generous time on top of the two-hour airport advice.
How to book your car to DIA
- Enter your pickup address and DEN as the drop-off, with your flight number and airline. Add any stops.
- Choose the vehicle for passengers and bags; the fleet page shows capacity. Add child seats if needed.
- Reserve on the Denver car service page or in the web booker. Confirmation arrives by email, then the chauffeur's name and phone number before pickup.
Rides in Denver are operated by licensed, commercially insured local chauffeur partners vetted through the Limousine Worldwide network; Elly8.net takes the booking, fixes the price and runs the 24/7 desk. More on how airport trips work: airport transfers.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a car service from downtown Denver to DIA?
From LoDo and Union Station to DEN, Elly8.net is US$225 in a Business Sedan, US$295 in a Business SUV, US$360 in a First Class SUV, US$395 in a First Class Sedan and US$585 in an Executive Sprinter, fixed and all-in with taxes and standard gratuity. Tolls and parking are billed at cost.
How long does it take to drive from Denver to DIA?
About 37 minutes on a clear road from LoDo and Union Station, about 25 miles (40 km). Weekday rush hours, events downtown and snow can add a lot more, so the desk builds a buffer into the pickup time. The fixed price does not change with the traffic.
Where does the car drop off at Denver International Airport?
On Level 6 of the Jeppesen Terminal, east or west side, which DEN designates for departing passengers, with direct access to check-in counters and TSA security. Tell the desk your airline and the chauffeur drops you on the closest side.
Can we make a stop on the way to the airport?
Yes. Enter the stops in the web booker for a fixed multi-stop price, or book hourly service, from US$95 an hour with a 3-hour minimum, if the stop is a meeting or sightseeing and you want the car to wait with your bags.
Is the train to DIA cheaper?
Yes. The A Line from Union Station needs an RTD Airport Day Pass, listed at US$10. For one traveller with light luggage near the station, it is the cheapest option. A private car makes more sense for early flights from home, groups, children and heavy bags.
What is the cancellation policy?
Free more than 72 hours before pickup. At 72 hours or less the charge is 10%, at 48 hours or less 50%, and at 24 hours or less, or for a no-show, 100%. Refunds go back to the original card.
