United Airlines has taken aim at Southwest Airlines in its latest ad campaign at Denver International Airport. The new ad reinforces United’s place as Denver’s most-flown airline, offering more flights and seats than any carrier.

Denver's most flown airline

Recently, Southwest Airlines' ads around the airport stated that Southwest Airlines is Denver’s most-flown airline. The problem with the ad is that on the bottom left, there is a disclaimer in fine print. The disclaimer states that their position is based on data from the Department of Transportation from 2010-2021. Last time we checked, we are in 2023 and have been for more than four months, and passenger traffic data from 2022 is available. According to DEN’s 2022 investor relations report, United carried 14,028,146 origin and destination passengers, compared to Southwest’s 12,705,505.

Denver's most-flown airline last year, United, did not like Southwest’s ad, so it created its own campaign. The Chicago-based carrier posted a video on Twitter earlier today, with the opening line stating, “Denver’s most flown airline.” The video adds United’s “legal disclaimer” in large text, saying it has nothing to hide and that, according to the DOT, it carried more passengers in and out of Denver than any other airline in 2022. The tweet is below,

Breaking it down by flights

A quick search of schedule data in Cirium reveals that United has the highest number of arrivals and departures in Denver. Today, May 02, 2023, United has 419 departures in Denver, compared to Southwest’s 269. Though Southwest has more seats per departure, 155, United, with 128 seats per departure, has almost twelve thousand more seats than Southwest. On today’s schedule, United has 53,368 seats available, compared to Southwest’s 41,699.

Though it is clear United’s ad was aimed at Southwest, numerous other airlines are operating in Denver. Let us take a quick look at those airlines and their numbers:

United also offers more destinations than Southwest at Denver, with 152 routes today, compared to Southwest’s 70. United blows Southwest out of the water internationally, offering 11 routes compared to Southwest’s two. From. Denver, United flies to three continents, to destinations like Tokyo, Cancun, London, Frankfurt, and more. Today, United has 20 flights to its eleven international destinations from Denver, totaling 3,389 seats, compared to Southwest’s 318-seat offering.

United has two routes tied for the busiest by flight number, one is to a United hub, and the other is one of the shortest flights in the carrier’s network. From Denver, United will fly nine times today to Chicago O’Hare International Airport, Colorado Springs Airport, Houston Intercontinental Airport, and Newark Liberty International Airport. The following busiest routes are also to United hubs, at San Francisco International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport, with eight flights.

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A few of Southwest’s busiest routes do not compete with United, but some do. The low-cost carrier’s most serviced destination from Denver is Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, with 14 flights today. In second place are flights to another airport in the desert, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, with 13 flights. Dallas Love Field, Southwest’s central hub, and Chicago Midway Airport are tied for joint third with ten flights.

Which airline would you rather fly in Denver? Let us know in the comments below.

• 

  United Airlines

  Region:

  North America

  Loyalty Program:

  MileagePlus

• 

  Denver International Airport

  IATA/ICAO Code:

  DEN/KDEN

  Country:

  United States

  CEO:

  Phillip A. Washington

  Passenger Count :

  58,828,552 (2021)

  Runways :

  7/25 - 3,658m (12,000 ft) | 8/26 - 3,658m (12,000 ft) | 16L/34R - 3,658m (12,000 ft) | 16R/34L - 4,877m (16,000 ft) | 17L/35R - 3,658m (12,000 ft) | 17R/35L - 3,658m (12,000 ft)