Chicago-based United Airlines is making another investment in Denver, purchasing 113 acres outside the airport where it has a key hub.
The carrier plans to use part of the undeveloped agricultural land, purchased for $33 million, to expand United’s pilot-training facility in Denver, spokesperson Patrick Mullane said. But that won’t take up the entire piece of land, which also leaves the carrier options as it grows in Denver.
“It’s prudent for any large company to take advantage of opportunities to buy land in its key cities when the opportunity arises,” Mullane said in a statement. “So we didn’t want to miss this opportunity in Denver.”
United, which has a key hub at O’Hare International Airport in addition to being headquartered in Chicago, has recently focused on expanding its hub in Denver, announcing in May plans to add flights, gates and clubs at Denver International Airport.
The carrier operates an average of 468 daily flights out of Denver, approaching the 494 it averages daily out of O’Hare. United flies to the same number of domestic cities out of both airports — 159 — but flies to more than twice as many international destinations out of O’Hare.
“Denver is one of the fastest growing cities in the country and as the Mile High City’s most flown airline, it’s essential that we maintain the most modern infrastructure and fleet to support our local employees and customers and deliver a great experience,” United CEO Scott Kirby said in a statement in May. “Our expansion in Denver will further enable us to connect our customers to destinations across the globe and revitalize our presence at the airport with modern, customer friendly offerings.”
United has about 10,000 employees in Denver, where it’s the largest private employer. It operates more flights out of the airport than any other airline, according to the carrier. United also has a flight training center in Denver that it says is the world’s largest, with 42 flight simulators and capacity for 10 more.
The announcement comes as United has been on a hiring spree, announcing plans earlier this year to hire 15,000 employees in 2023, including at its major hubs in Denver, Houston and Chicago. The largest group of hires was expected to be in Chicago, where the carrier was looking to bring on 3,800 employees for roles at both O’Hare and the corporate office.
This month, United announced it has hired 11,400 employees so far this year, including pilots, which are an acute need for the industry, and maintenance technicians, which are on track to be the next big hiring need. The carrier also hired for flight attendant roles, which have been met with huge demand from applicants, and for jobs in the corporate office.
