Best times to fly
Best times to fly into Denver (DEN)
Denver sits high on the plains next to the Rockies, so it sees afternoon thunderstorms through the warm months and gusty downslope winds off the mountains. Mornings are typically the smoothest, and summer afternoons the most active.
Calmest
Early morning
Bumpiest
Summer afternoons
These are the general seasonal patterns pilots rely on, and our own live observations below are confirming and sharpening them for Denver over time. For a specific flight, check the live forecast.
What our live data shows
Average bumpiness by local hour at Denver, from our own observations.
Sample size: 62 observations across 21 hours.
We just started measuring Denver, with 62 observations so far. This picture fills in and gets more reliable every day as we collect more.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the best time of day to fly into Denver?
- The calmest window at Denver is usually early morning. Afternoons, especially in the warm season, tend to be the bumpiest.
- Why is Denver bumpier in the afternoon?
- As the sun heats the ground through the day, rising air columns and, in the warm months, thunderstorms stir up the lower atmosphere. That is what pilots and passengers feel as bumps around Denver, and it is why summer afternoons tend to be the most active window.
- Is turbulence at Denver dangerous?
- No. Turbulence at Denver is routine and expected. Modern airliners are engineered for far more than they ever encounter, and the crew works to find the smoothest ride. Bumps like these are a routine part of flying that pilots handle every day, and the aircraft is built to handle far more.
Want the full picture? Read our guide: Is turbulence dangerous?
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