Summary
- Air travel demand leads to larger terminals and longer walks for passengers.
- JFK, Denver, George Bush Intercontinental, Washington Dulles, and Dallas Fort Worth have the longest terminal distances in the US.
- Airports provide transportation options like trains, buses, and moving walkways for passengers to travel long distances.
Demand for air travel continues to rise yearly, and the aviation industry responds by increasing the available capacities. Airlines grow their fleets and networks while airports expand their infrastructure. Increasing air travel demand calls for infrastructure that can accommodate more passengers from airports towards their destinations. That means terminals are getting bigger and much longer.
With these giant terminals expanding, passengers often face long distances to navigate their way to their flights on different concourses – even with trains, buses, or moving walkways. Some walks from arrival to gate are guaranteed to get your steps in for the day. Simple Flying delves deeper into the top five longest airport walk distances across the US.
5
New York John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK)
Distance: 1.38 miles (2.21 km)
|
JFK |
2023 Statistics |
|---|---|
|
Passengers handled |
62.4 million |
|
Aircraft operations |
481,000 |
|
Cargo and mail |
1.58 million tons |
The busiest airport in the New York airport system, JFK airport serves New York City and its metropolitan area. The busiest international gateway in North America takes fifth place on our list of airports with the longest terminal distances for passengers, as highlighted by Kuru. With over 62 million passengers passing through its terminals last year, the airport remained flooded with passengers walking in all directions.
Photo: JFK
The airport serves a wide range of inter-terminal connections, requiring passengers to walk, use a shuttle bus, or use the AirTrain JFK to get to the other terminal. Passengers at two different ends of the terminals may have to walk as long as 1.38 miles (2.21 km), requiring at least 28 minutes to reach the other side.
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4
Denver International Airport (DEN)
Distance: 1.45 miles (2.32 km)
|
DEN |
2023 Statistics |
|---|---|
|
Passengers handled |
77.8 million |
|
Aircraft operations |
662,000 |
|
Cargo and mail |
341,000 tons |
Concourse B at Denver International Airport is used exclusively by United Airlines. A walk from one end of this concourse to the other to pass all 66 gates takes approximately 1.45 miles (2.32 kilometers). Estimated to take over 30 minutes, this concourse trek is often joked about as an easy cardio session for stranded passengers.
Photo: CJ Hanevy | Shutterstock
However, escalators and moving sidewalks are available for passengers who prefer to spend their layovers differently. And if 30 minutes of non-stop walking sounds too tiresome, passengers can also stop for breaks in between with the many shops and food outlets available.
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3
George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)
Distance: 1.52 miles (2.43 km)
|
IAH |
2023 Statistics |
|---|---|
|
Passengers handled |
46.2 million |
|
Aircraft operations |
422,000 |
|
Cargo and mail |
192,000 tons |
In third place is Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport, where the walk from the security point at Terminal A to gate E19 at Terminal E is approximately 1.52 miles or 2.43 kilometers. The above-ground Skyway departs every two minutes for airside passengers headed towards a connecting flight wishing to save themselves on this trek.
Photo: Moab Republic | Shutterstock
This train service takes roughly 4 minutes and 15 seconds from Terminal A to Terminal D/E station. Landside passengers headed for departures could take the below-ground Subway train anytime before 00:30 and after 03:30, which departs every three minutes.
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2
Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD)
Distance: 1.62 miles (2.6 km)
|
IAD |
2023 Statistics |
|---|---|
|
Passengers handled |
25.1 million |
|
Aircraft operations |
252,000 |
|
Cargo and mail |
213,000 tons |
Second place is the trek from the main terminal, passing Concourses A and B, to the end of Concourses C and D at Washington Dulles International Airport. This particular trek clocks in at about 1.62 miles or 2.6 kilometers. While not as long as Dallas Fort Worth’s distance, it still packs a punch for passengers.
Photo: 3000ad | Shutterstock
Thanks to the moving walkways and the AeroTrain, which connects with the main terminal—the station is just past the security checkpoints—getting through the different concourses at this airport becomes easier. Passengers with flights at Concourse D could try the airport’s Mobile Lounges, which run approximately every five minutes.
1
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW)
Distance: 2.16 miles (3.46 km)
|
DFW |
2023 Statistics |
|---|---|
|
Passengers handled |
81.8 million |
|
Aircraft operations |
690,000 |
|
Cargo and mail |
774,000 tons |
Passengers and staff who’ve walked from Terminal B to Terminal E or vice versa at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport to catch a connecting flight will probably remember the mission it involves. This concourse trek is the longest in the country, clocking in at approximately 2.16 miles or 3.46 kilometers.
Photo: JW_PNW | Shutterstock
Fortunately, for those who don’t desire to walk such a distance while carrying heavy baggage, there are more convenient ways to get across the airport complex, including a train that fittingly connects all five terminals.