United Airlines Plans Massive Denver Flight Training Campus with up to 6,000 Jobs by 2030

United Airlines is advancing plans to establish an expansive new flight training campus adjacent to Denver International Airport (DEN), a project poised to substantially increase pilot training capacity and generate thousands of jobs. This development follows approval to rezone a 114-acre site near DEN and targets an operational start around 2030. The initiative aligns with United’s strategic preparation for one of the largest fleet expansions in commercial aviation history.

The new campus will complement — not replace — United’s existing Denver training complex, forming one of the world’s largest airline training hubs when complete. It is forecasted to include dozens of additional full-flight simulators, classrooms, office spaces, and employee facilities. This expansion further solidifies Denver’s role as United’s fastest-growing hub and the core location for the airline’s pilot training operations.

The Denver City Council recently unanimously approved rezoning plans for about 114 acres near DEN. According to submitted plans, the site could eventually hold over one million square feet of buildings, featuring up to 60 full-flight simulator bays distributed across four structures. Construction is anticipated to start in 2027, with the facility becoming operational approximately by 2030.

This substantial investment is driven by United’s ambitious fleet renewal program, which includes plans to acquire roughly 700 new aircraft by 2033. Key additions will include Airbus A321neo, A321XLR, and Boeing 787 Dreamliner models, creating a strong demand for both initial and recurrent simulator training. United has indicated that this growth necessitates significantly expanded flight training center capacity to support future pilot needs.

Denver is already home to one of the largest airline training operations globally. In 2024, United unveiled a new 150,000-square-foot simulator building at its existing Denver Flight Training Center, increasing its total campus size to more than 700,000 square feet across eight buildings. Currently, the complex contains 46 full-motion simulators with room for 52 and can conduct upwards of 32,000 training events annually, training as many as 860 pilots daily.

Every United pilot, numbering over 18,000, returns to Denver annually for recurrent simulator training, resulting in an estimated 31,000 annual pilot visits. Denver stands as the airline’s fastest-growing hub and is home to United’s largest workforce in the city. The current training campus will remain in operation alongside the new facility, jointly accommodating rising pilot numbers.

Beyond pilot training, United’s Denver campus employs a large group of instructors, evaluators, engineers, schedulers, and operational specialists, with more than 1,600 employees supporting the existing training center. These resources underscore the scale required to manage and sustain one of the world’s largest airline fleets.

The project reflects a wider challenge in commercial aviation: as aircraft deliveries increase, the need for expanded pilot training infrastructure becomes critical. Each new aircraft demands well-trained crew, additional simulator sessions, and instructor capacity before revenue service. United’s nearly $1 billion investment in Denver airport facilities, gates, lounges, and training centers, together with the purchase of the new site for about $33 million, demonstrate its commitment to meet this critical demand.

Once operational, the new campus will rank among the world’s largest dedicated airline training facilities. Coupled with United’s expanded fleet and Denver’s growth as a hub with over 500 daily departures to more than 175 destinations, this investment anticipates ongoing growth in air travel demand and pilot requirements well into the coming decade.