Doing sim of DEN, looking for data
 

So, I decided to model part of DEN (from check-in to arrival at the concourse) for my final project in a simulation class at school. It's a big project, however we've got four people in our team, and we aren't modeling everything, which should make the problem slightly more tractable...

Anyway, I'm looking for data from people who fly out of DEN. When do you get to the airport relative to your flight? How long do you have to wait in line to check bags/print boarding passes/go through security? How long do those activities actually take? Do you use the curbside bag drop? Do you even check in at the airport, or do you check in online and just go directly to security?

There are a few other questions that I could ask, plus a bunch of questions that, if I got data from an airline I'd love to answer, but I figured I'd start with the above. So, if anyone from UA wants to help on this as well, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks in advance with whatever you're able to provide! More detail is always better, and PM works if you don't want to reply in public.

Fly in and out of Den every Monday and Friday. Give me list of what you would like to know.

Checkin on Phone
Park in Garage Row J West Side
Go to 5th floor for security/train if checking bag go to 6th for bag drop
Use South security gate
Take train
Eat dinner on upper concourse of B terminal (Paradise bakery has 90 Shillings on tap ;)
Walk to gate (b38 or b44 usually)
Arrive 5 mins before boarding

Usually get to airport 6:30-6:45 departure at 7:45

Thanks for offering to help; I'll be in touch, probably tmw, via PM with more particulars of what I'm looking for.

Fly in/out DEN almost every week...

Check in online with electronic boarding pass
Never check bags
Park at Canopy Parking and take the shuttle to the terminal
Go straight to the Clear line
Usually no more than one person in front of me in Clear line, but often have to join a line with many INfrequent travelers in it due to the location of the Clear lane... longest wait is between the exit of the Clear lane and getting through the metal detector

PM if you want any specifics...

I typically fly out of COS and connect in DEN to my destination. For the times that I do fly in/out of DEN my routine consists of:

-E-470 toll road to West side short term parking. Level 4 preferred-otherwise level 5.
-Enter terminal (door 410/412) and use level 5 kiosks by baggage claim to reprint boarding pass (usually check in online night before).
-Almost never check baggage so bypass counter and head straight for south side TSA. (if main terminal security is outrageous I hike over to A bridge checkpoint)
-Elite security line typically takes between 5-10 mins on average.
-Always use slip-on shoes; have liquids baggie ready; laptop backpack has clam-shell zipper so I don't have to remove computer. Phone and wallet stowed prior to doc check. Ticket + ID in shirt pocket.
-Rollerboard goes in first (handle first) followed by computer backpack followed by 1 tub w/ shoes, baggie and jacket.
-I avoid the lines using nude-o-scopes and hope for x-ray only.
-Train to concourse B (middle cars to avoid crowds) and head to RCC if I have more than 10 mins to wait before boarding.
-Head to gate 5-10 mins prior to boarding begins

For timing, I usually give myself roughly 2 1/2 hours prior to departure:
1h:20m for drive to DIA (t-minus 150 min)
10 min to find parking (t-minus 70)
10 min to enter terminal and reach security (t-minus 60)
15 min for security (t-minus 45)
10 min to reach gate (t-minus 35)
boarding begins 30 mins prior to departure

Over the last 6 years I have found these timings to be remarkably consistent. I follow a similar pattern out of COS but the timings for each step are usually cut in about half. As a general rule-of-thumb, I like to be walking in the airport door about an hour prior to departure.

Surveys!
 

Sorry for the lag in posting; the topic moved and had a fair amount of stuff on my plate. Anyway, if anyone wants to provide even more data (thanks!), I've got two surveys to fill out. One is a look at average flying habits; the other looks at per-flight statistics in great detail. The per-flight version has a printable version about the size of a boarding pass that you can print and take with you to the airport, for quicker data collection (though you'll have to enter it online when you get within reach of the Internet).

Thanks in advance for your help.

Overall survey: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/...OFZtcEhKNkE6MQ

Flight-specific survey: http://ian.im/dia

Printable version: http://ian.im/diaprint