A Train to Your Rental Car? DIA’s Next Big Project in Motion

Denver International Airport is inching closer to replacing its outdated “rental car row” with a modern, consolidated rental car facility and potentially, a dedicated people mover to get travelers there.

Airport officials will seek Denver City Council’s approval this week for a $150 million contract with Jacobs Engineering to design and oversee the project.

The contract spans 10 years and includes planning both the new facility and a transit system connecting it to the terminal. If approved, this would be the most tangible step forward since the idea was first floated by DIA CEO Phil Washington in 2022.

Currently, travelers rely on branded shuttles to reach surface parking lots along 78th Avenue. The new facility would replace those with a four-story, 5-million-square-foot structure, offering up to 17,000 parking spaces, EV chargers, and streamlined operations for major rental brands like Enterprise, Avis, Hertz, and Sixt.

The new site will take over the current employee parking area north of Peña Boulevard, just under a mile from the terminal. The goal is to improve efficiency and eliminate more than 250,000 shuttle trips annually.

While there’s no confirmed transit option yet, DIA hopes to implement something akin to the underground train that links its concourses. The project will be funded through a $10 daily customer facility fee added to car rentals.

Once the current lots are vacated, DIA is considering turning the freed-up 160 acres into additional parking, office space, or another hotel.