Denver to Minneapolis Flight Time & Schedules

How Long Does a Denver to Minneapolis Flight Usually Take?

A nonstop journey from Denver International Airport (DEN) to Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) usually takes around 1 hour 50 minutes to 2 hours 15 minutes, depending on the airline and scheduled service. Southwest currently gives an average flight time of 1 hour 56 minutes for the route.

The journey covers approximately 680 miles (1,094 km) between Denver and Minneapolis–Saint Paul. Southwest publishes a route distance of 680 miles, while other schedule databases round it slightly higher to 682 miles.

Travelers currently have several choices for flying without a connection. Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines, Sun Country Airlines, United Airlines and Southwest Airlines all operate nonstop DEN–MSP services.

Connecting flights are also available, although they usually make little sense for passengers primarily concerned with journey time. Some quicker one-stop options take around four hours or slightly more, compared with roughly two hours on a direct service.

For the shortest overall trip, comparing the nonstop schedules first will usually save several hours that would otherwise be spent changing aircraft.

Average Nonstop Journey Time from Denver to Minneapolis

Direct flights from Denver to Minneapolis generally remain close to the two-hour mark.
Current schedules show nonstop services ranging from approximately 1 hour 50 minutes to 2 hours 15 minutes. Southwest, for example, publishes an average DEN–MSP duration of 1 hour 56 minutes.

The nonstop route links:Denver International Airport (DEN) → Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP)
Scheduled direct flights usually take approximately 1 hour 50 minutes to 2 hours 15 minutes. Current Southwest schedules average about 1 hour 56 minutes.
The distance between the airports is around 680 miles (1,094 km).
Denver International Airport also currently lists Minneapolis/St. Paul among its nonstop destinations, confirming that passengers do not need to make a connection when travelling between the two cities.
With numerous direct departures available, a nonstop service is normally the most practical option for passengers aiming to minimise their total travel time.

One possible alternative is to travel through Sioux Falls Regional Airport (FSD) in South Dakota.
Some DEN–FSD–MSP combinations can complete the journey in approximately 4 hours 9 minutes, including the connection. Current route data shows a layover of roughly 54 minutes on one of the quicker combinations.
This is still more than twice the duration of many nonstop flights.
Connection times vary according to the departure date and flight combination, so passengers should check the full elapsed journey rather than expecting every Sioux Falls itinerary to take the same amount of time.

Passengers may also find one-stop journeys through other airports in the northern and central United States.
A route through Bismarck Municipal Airport (BIS) can take approximately 4 hours 11 minutes on some faster schedules.
Another possibility is Rapid City Regional Airport (RAP) in South Dakota. Selected DEN–RAP–MSP combinations take around 4 hours 44 minutes in total.
While these routes provide alternatives to a direct service, both usually involve significantly more travel time than flying straight from Denver to Minneapolis.
A longer connection can increase these totals further, particularly when the two flight sectors are separated by several hours.

Travelers considering an indirect journey have several potential transfer airports.
Depending on schedules, options can include Sioux Falls, Bismarck, Rapid City, Des Moines, Kansas City, Fargo, Madison, Minot, Williston and Cedar Rapids.
Examples of faster published connections include:

Around 4 hrs 9 mins via Sioux Falls
Around 4 hrs 11 mins via Bismarck
Around 4 hrs 44 mins via Rapid City
Around 4 hrs 57 mins via Des Moines
Around 5 hrs 12 mins via Kansas City

These timings are examples rather than fixed durations. Different departure times can result in substantially longer layovers.
When comparing indirect flights, check the complete journey time from Denver departure to Minneapolis arrival. Two itineraries with similar flying times can have very different total durations because of their connection periods.

Denver to Minneapolis Journey Times for Different Routes

Departure Airport	Arrival Airport	Route Code	Estimated Flight Time
Denver International Airport (DEN)	Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP)	DEN–MSP	Around 1 hr 50 mins–2 hrs 15 mins nonstop
Denver International Airport (DEN)	Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP)	DEN–FSD–MSP	Around 4 hrs 9 mins with one stop
Denver International Airport (DEN)	Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP)	DEN–BIS–MSP	Around 4 hrs 11 mins with one stop
Denver International Airport (DEN)	Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP)	DEN–RAP–MSP	Around 4 hrs 44 mins with one stop
Denver International Airport (DEN)	Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP)	DEN–DSM–MSP	Around 4 hrs 57 mins with one stop
Denver International Airport (DEN)	Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport (MSP)	DEN–MCI–MSP	Around 5 hrs 12 mins with one stop

Current schedules support a nonstop range of roughly 1 hour 50 minutes to 2 hours 15 minutes, while the listed connecting options generally take four hours or longer.
These figures should be used as planning estimates rather than guaranteed durations. Airline timetables, connection lengths, weather, air-traffic conditions and operational changes can all affect the final journey.

Airlines Flying Nonstop from Denver to Minneapolis

Delta Air Lines

United Airlines

Southwest Airlines

Frontier Airlines

Sun Country Airlines

Time Difference Between Denver and Minneapolis

Minneapolis is one hour ahead of Denver.

Denver follows Mountain Time, whereas Minneapolis operates on Central Time. Current route data shows Minneapolis one hour ahead of Denver.

Because both locations follow the standard U.S. daylight-saving schedule, this one-hour gap normally remains unchanged throughout the year.

For example:2:00 PM in Denver = 3:00 PM in Minneapolis.

The time-zone change can make the journey look longer when reading a flight itinerary. A flight lasting around two hours may show an arrival approximately three hours later on the clock because the published departure and arrival times use local time at each airport.

Explore More Flight Times & Routes

Planning beyond this route? Explore more flight times, distances, and travel durations using our tools below.

Start with our Flight Time Calculator to estimate journey times worldwide, or browse average travel times from your departure city using the Denver Flight Times.