A Guide to Every Denver Airport Conspiracy Theory

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Discover alien symbols, mysterious tunnels, hidden imagery & more
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From artwork that foreshadows the apocalypse to rumors of underground bunkers, Denver International Airport (DIA) has been fueling conspiracy theories since it opened in 1995. And while some of these conspiracies are easily disproved (like the “alien symbols” that are actually just Navajo words), others are a little harder to debunk. We’re here to break down all of the tantalizing conspiracy theories about the Denver airport—including the truth behind them.

Top Conspiracy Theories About the Denver Airport

  • The airport was constructed to hide underground bunkers.
  • An underground tunnel links the airport to a NORAD facility.
  • Masonic symbols indicate that the airport was built for the New World Order.
  • The blue horse statue represents a Horseman of the Apocalypse.
  • Murals depict a fascist, apocalyptic future.
Section 1 of 3:

Construction-Related Conspiracies

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  1. Construction of Denver airport took about 16 months longer than originally scheduled. The design reportedly changed several times during the delay, and the project changed hands during construction. Some people believe that this was a way to make sure the public wouldn’t know that the airport was being constructed on top of massive underground bunkers and a network of subterranean tunnels. [1]
    • Some people believe that the bunkers are hiding places for the wealthy elite, lizard people, aliens, or secret societies. Others believe it could be a prison complex, Satanic cathedral, or a chemtrail production site.
    • One person who purportedly worked on the construction site said that 5 buildings were built underground, with tunnels connecting the buildings.
    • What’s the truth? The construction delays were real, and while there’s no evidence that the airport is hiding underground bunkers, it can’t really be ruled out, either.
  2. 2
    Theory: The coordinates were dictated by aliens. In Steven Spielberg’s 1977 movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind , there’s a scene where aliens transmit a set of coordinates to earth. Some people believe that those coordinates pinpointed what would eventually be the site of the Denver Airport, more than 10 years before construction began. [2]
    • What’s the truth? The coordinates are close to the airport—sort of. They actually point to a spot about 51 mi (82 km) northwest of the airport, so this one is kind of a stretch.
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  3. Denver Airport is the biggest airport in the US by area—at nearly 35,000 acres (around 52 sq mi (130 km 2 )), it’s almost twice the size of the next largest airport, Dallas Fort-Worth, which covers 26.9 sq mi (70 km 2 ). And while the airport has grown to be the third busiest in the US by traffic, that wasn’t always the case—making some people wonder why it was built so big. [3]
    • What’s the truth? The official word is that the airport covers enough ground that it will be able to expand to meet growing air travel demands in the future.
  4. 4
    Theory: The airport was designed in a swastika shape. If you look at a top-down map of the airport, you’ll see radial lines (the airport’s runways) emanating out from a central point. Some people believe that if you trace and connect these lines, you’ll find the infamous Nazi hate symbol hidden in the design. [4]
    • What’s the truth? The airport does have a pinwheel-like shape that could be construed as a swastika, but it takes a little imagination. And designers claim that the runways are angled in different directions so the entire airport wouldn’t have to shut down during Denver’s periodic high winds.
  5. The North American Aerospace Defense (NORAD) Command Center is located in Colorado Springs, which is about 90 mi (140 km) south of the airport. Some people believe that a tunnel was constructed to connect the Denver Airport to NORAD—presumably to facilitate the secretive transfer of powerful world leaders to the secret bunkers under the airport. [5]
    • What’s the truth? There are tunnels under the Denver airport, but digging one that long would take years, requiring the removal of immense amounts of dirt and rock. It seems unlikely that a project of this scope would be able to be carried out in secret.
  6. 6
    Theory: An underground automated baggage system is a cover-up. When the Denver airport was being built, designers planned for it to have an intricate, cutting-edge automated baggage handling system. When it was finally time to unveil the system, it failed spectacularly, crushing bags, shredding clothing, and crashing carts into each other. In fact, it was such a failure that the project is used as an engineering case study today. [6]
    • Implementing the baggage system was the primary cause of the airport’s construction delays.
    • The expensive, time-consuming project was never fully functional and was eventually abandoned altogether, leaving some to wonder if it was just a cover-up to explain the airport’s underground construction. [7]
    • What’s the truth? Engineers raised concerns about the complexity and planned timeline of the baggage system project early on, so it probably failed due to bad project management and was just too expensive to fix. [8]
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Section 2 of 3:

Artwork & Design Conspiracies

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  1. Standing at the entrance of Denver International Airport is a giant, rearing blue horse with red glowing eyes, a skeletal rib cage, and creepy veining on its face and sides. Standing 32 feet (9.8 m), this eerie statue—”Mustang” by artist Luis Jiménez—is nicknamed “Blucifer,” inspiring theories that it’s a symbol of the End Times. [9]
    • What’s the truth? A piece of the statue fell on the artist and killed him before it was completed, and it’s certainly spooky-looking, so there’s no wonder there are rumors about it. But Jiménez said that the red eyes were an homage to his father’s neon shop, where he developed his love for art.
  2. 2
    Theory: Large murals depict the impending New World Order. Two massive murals by artist Leo Tanguma have sparked controversy and conspiracies since they were placed in the airport. Titled “Children of the World Dream of Peace” and “In Peace and Harmony with Nature,” these installations (which are currently in storage) feature frightening, apocalyptic imagery [10]
    • The first half of “Children of the World Dream of Peace” shows a soldier in a gas mask armed with a gun and holding a sword that’s stabbing a dove. Children sleep curled up in rubble, parents wail in mourning, and there’s a letter from a 14-year-old Auschwitz victim in a bottom corner. The second half of the image shows children from around the world celebrating the fallen statue of the gas mask soldier.
    • The first half of “In Peace and Harmony with Nature” features dead or caged animals, a burning forest, and mourning people. The second half shows happy children and lush nature scenes.
    • What’s the truth? Tanguma has said that he created the pieces to show the dangers of our modern society while still showcasing a future full of hope. The imagery is stark and disturbing, but he insists there was nothing sinister behind his motives. [11]
  3. When construction was completed on the Denver airport, a granite capstone was placed over a time capsule. The capstone features the Square and Compasses symbol of the Freemasons and bears the words “New World Airport Commission.” [12] [13]
    • Some people also believe that a Braille tablet on top of the capstone is actually a secret keypad used to communicate with aliens or release biological warfare. [14]
    • Freemasons are often associated with the Illuminati, and these symbols lead some to believe that the Illuminati helped fund the airport project, which ended up being nearly $2 billion over budget. [15]
    • What’s the truth? The granite capstone was dedicated to the airport by local Masons, which is why it’s inscribed with their symbol. [16] And the “New World Airport Commission” was a temporary committee formed to oversee the opening of the airport—it was supposedly named for Dvořák’s New World Symphony .
  4. 4
    Theory: The gargoyles in the baggage claims area are Satanic symbols. As passengers wait to claim their luggage in the Denver Airport, they’ll notice two gargoyle statues perched on top of stone suitcases mounted high on the walls. The installation, named “Notre Denver” by artist Terry Allen, look like demonic imagery to some people. [17]
    • What’s the truth? According to Allen, the statues are meant to be protectors, like gargoyles in the Gothic tradition—watching over people’s luggage to ensure it gets to the right destination.
  5. One eyewitness claims that in the airport’s earliest days, the tram system wasn’t working and passengers traveled to their destination through corridors that were later closed off to the public. He claims that these corridors featured intricate mosaics inlaid with gold leaf—raising questions of why so much work (and expense) would be put into art that won’t be seen. [18]
    • What’s the truth? Claims of the mosaics can’t be confirmed, but considering the City of Denver spent millions of dollars on a non-functional baggage handling system, this one can’t be ruled out, although the purpose is unclear.
  6. 6
    Theory: Strange symbols represent aliens or biological warfare. As you travel through the Denver Airport, you may see unusual markings on walls and buildings, or the symbol “Au Ag” inlaid on the floor. Some people believe that the markings are fragments of an alien language, and that “Au Ag” referred to “Australia antigen,” which some conspiracists believe is a dangerous virus that could be intentionally spread to bring about the New World Order. [19]
    • What’s the truth? This one is surprisingly easy to debunk. The mysterious markings are actually the language of the native Navajo and refer to various landmarks in the Denver area. And the symbols “Au Ag” likely refer to Colorado’s mining history—representing the chemical symbols for gold and silver. [20]
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Section 3 of 3:

What does the airport say about the theories?

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  1. Instead of ongoing denials, the airport has leaned in, allowing the buzz to become part of their identity. They’ve partnered up with Roswell International Air Center as “sister airports,” installed a talking gargoyle, and held special events like a screening of Close Encounters of the Third Kind . [21]
    • Instead of standard construction signs, the airport has erected cheeky signs featuring lizard people and referencing theories about the Illuminati, underworld, and secret tunnels.

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      References

      1. ↑ https://nymag.com/news/features/conspiracy-theories/denver-airport-bunker/
      2. ↑ https://www.denver7.com/news/local-news/a-dive-into-the-most-popular-wildest-conspiracies-surrounding-the-denver-international-airport
      3. ↑ https://www.airport-technology.com/features/largest-airports-north-america/?cf-view
      4. ↑ https://www.travelandleisure.com/airlines-airports/denver-airport/denver-international-airport-conspiracy-theories
      5. ↑ https://www.travelandleisure.com/airlines-airports/denver-airport/denver-international-airport-conspiracy-theories
      6. ↑ https://www5.in.tum.de/~huckle/DIABaggage.pdf
      7. ↑ https://www5.in.tum.de/~huckle/DIABaggage.pdf
      8. ↑ https://peimpact.com/the-denver-international-airport-automated-baggage-handling-system/
      9. ↑ https://www.travelandleisure.com/airlines-airports/denver-airport/denver-international-airport-conspiracy-theories
      1. ↑ https://www.travelandleisure.com/airlines-airports/denver-airport/denver-international-airport-conspiracy-theories
      2. ↑ https://www.rmpbs.org/blogs/rocky-mountain-pbs/dia-mural-conspiracies-story
      3. ↑ John Paul Gomez. Freemason. Expert Interview
      4. ↑ https://www.travelandleisure.com/airlines-airports/denver-airport/denver-international-airport-conspiracy-theories
      5. ↑ https://www.thrillist.com/travel/nation/denver-airport-conspiracy-theories
      6. ↑ https://nymag.com/news/features/conspiracy-theories/denver-airport-bunker/
      7. ↑ John Paul Gomez. Freemason. Expert Interview
      8. ↑ https://www.travelandleisure.com/airlines-airports/denver-airport/denver-international-airport-conspiracy-theories
      9. ↑ https://www.thrillist.com/travel/nation/denver-airport-conspiracy-theories
      10. ↑ https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/61740/5-weird-conspiracy-theories-surrounding-denver-international-airport
      11. ↑ https://www.denver.org/blog/post/myths-denver-airport/
      12. ↑ https://www.forbes.com/sites/brittanyanas/2023/10/30/why-the-denver-airport-started-embracing-its-conspiracy-theories/

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