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Denver International Airport doesn't just display art. It makes it.

Driving the news: James Reid, a 25-year-old software developer who lives in southeast England, turns flight tracking information into mesmerizing data visualizations of takeoffs and landings at major airports, including Denver's.

He showcases his work and process on Instagram and sells the renderings on Etsy.

Zoom in: The DIA rendering reflects what Reid calls a "highly proceduralised airport," akin to Atlanta's or Dallas-Fort Worth's, where flight paths are remarkably consistent.

He dubbed DIA "the vertical Atlanta" for its dominant north–south runway flow.

How it works: Denver's piece was generated using 12 weeks of DIA flight data collected over a year.

Arrivals are in pink and purple (see Colorado Springs at the bottom?), while departures shoot out in yellow and green.

A visualization of arrivals at Denver International Airport. Rendering: James Reid/Heatmap Horizons

A visualization of departures at Denver International Airport. Rendering: James Reid/Heatmap Horizons

What he's saying: "I love making things any which way I can, particularly on the computer and in the kitchen," Reid, who is a longtime aviation buff and has a pilot's license, told Axios.

The bottom line: Turns out plane traffic makes pretty stunning wall decor.

Denver airport's flight traffic makes mesmerizing art

Departures and arrivals at Denver International Airport. Rendering: James Reid/Heatmap Horizons

<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Denver International Airport" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2025/02/19/denver-international-airport-great-hall-construction-completion-2027" data-vars-content-id="5f74505a-dce5-4d2f-99a7-5335e0c074de" data-vars-headline="Denver airport&#x27;s flight traffic makes mesmerizing art" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2025/02/19/denver-international-airport-great-hall-construction-completion-2027" target="_self">Denver International Airport</a> doesn&#x27;t just <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="display art" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2025/01/23/mile-highlights-dia-debuts-new-artwork" data-vars-content-id="5f74505a-dce5-4d2f-99a7-5335e0c074de" data-vars-headline="Denver airport&#x27;s flight traffic makes mesmerizing art" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/denver/2025/01/23/mile-highlights-dia-debuts-new-artwork" target="_self">display art</a>. It makes it.Driving the news: James Reid, a 25-year-old software developer who lives in southeast England, turns flight tracking information into mesmerizing data visualizations of takeoffs and landings at major airports, including Denver&#x27;s.

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Metro Atlanta growth defies U.S. immigration-driven slowdown

AA choropleth map of U.S. counties showing estimated population change from July 2024 to 2025. The U.S. overall grew by +0.5%. Kaufman County, Texas, grew the most of any county with a population over 100,000: +5.7%. Pinellas County, Florida shrank the most of any county with a population over 100,000: -1.2%. 

Estimated population change, July 2024 to 2025

Data: U.S. Census; Map: Erin Davis/Axios Visuals

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