Denver International Airport shut down its Level 6 West side Friday evening, closing the West Security checkpoint and departures area after officials flagged a possible security threat. The move sent departing passengers to the airport's East checkpoint and left the nature of the concern — and the reopening timetable — unanswered.
According to Denver7, airport officials posted the closure notice at 5:32 p.m. and said Level 6 West would remain closed until further notice. Passengers were directed to Level 6 East for all departure processing and security screening, while officials provided no additional details about the threat or an estimate for reopening.
By Saturday morning, Denver International Airport's security page was still carrying the closure notice and repeating the instruction to use Level 6 East. The airport says DEN has two main security areas on Level 6 and recommends that travelers check live wait times and arrive at least two hours before boarding, advice that matters more when one checkpoint is unavailable.
What Travelers Need To Know
The East checkpoint is not a remote backup tucked somewhere outside the terminal; it is the airport's other primary screening point in Jeppesen Terminal. It opened in August 2025 as a 17-lane mirror of the West checkpoint, as Hoodline previously reported, as part of DEN's broader Great Hall renovation.
The initial closure notice did not say that DEN itself was closed, nor did it announce flight cancellations. For anyone flying out Saturday, the practical instruction is simple: follow airport signage to Level 6 East, check with the airline before leaving for the airport, and allow extra time while officials determine when the west side can reopen.
