Salt Lake City International Airport
Encyclopedia
Salt Lake City International Airport is a major public airport
in Utah
. A joint civil-military facility, it is located in western Salt Lake City, approximately four miles from the central business district
. It is currently the only airport with commercial airline service in the Wasatch Front
and its surrounding counties, except for a single daily commercial flight to and from Denver at the Provo, Utah airport, and is the closest commercial airport for more than 2.5 million people living in the area. Additionally, the airport is within a 30 minute drive to nearly 1.3 million individual jobs.
The airport is the fourth largest and westernmost hub for Delta Air Lines
and a major hub for Delta Connection
carriers SkyWest Airlines
and Mesaba Airlines
with over 300 daily departures, accounting for a 75.63% market share in 2010. Following Delta and Delta Connection, the remaining of the top five largest carriers serving the airport are Southwest Airlines
(12.36% market share), United Airlines
and United Express
(3.39% market share), American Airlines
and American Eagle
(2.55% market share), and US Airways
and US Airways Express
(1.80% market share).
A total of 21,016,686 passengers flew through Salt Lake City International Airport in 2010, representing a 2.81 % increase from 2009. The airport currently ranks as the twenty-first busiest airport in the United States in terms of total passengers. There were 362,654 recorded aircraft operations (takeoffs and landings) in 2010, representing approximately 994 operations per day. The airport currently ranks fifteenth busiest airport in the United States and twenty fourth in the world based on aircraft operations.
As of June 2009, there were over 450 scheduled airline departures per day to 109 nonstop destinations throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico, as well as daily nonstop service to Paris
and Tokyo
. The airport currently has nonstop service to all of the top 45 destinations based on the U.S. Department of Transportation origin and destination survey.
Salt Lake City International continues to be highly ranked for on time departures/arrivals and fewest flight cancellations among major US airports. The airport ranked 3rd for on time departures, 5th for on time arrivals, and 3rd for fewest flight cancellations as of November 2010.
The airport is owned by Salt Lake City Corporation and is administered by the Salt Lake City Department of Airports. In addition, the city owns and operates two nearby airports, South Valley Regional Airport and Tooele Valley Airport. The airport is financially self-sustaining with revenue generated from airline and passenger fees, concessions, vehicle parking, fuel, and leases for office and hangar space. It is the only major airport in the country with no outstanding debts.
The airport began offering free Wi-Fi
internet access in 2009.
and a team representing the Wright Brothers
to Salt Lake City. World-famous aviator Glenn H. Curtiss brought his newly-invented Seaplane
to the carnival, a type of airplane which had never been demonstrated to the public before. Curtiss took off from the nearby Great Salt Lake
, awing the 20,000 spectators and making international headlines.
For several years after its creation, the new field was used primarily for training and aerobatic flights rather than economic purposes. That would change in 1920, when the United States Postal Service
began air mail service to Salt Lake City. The airport was expanded and hangars and other buildings began to appear. During the same year the airfield was given the name Woodward Field, named for John P. Woodward, a local aviator.
In 1925, the postal service began awarding contracts to private companies. Western Air Express, the first private company to carry U.S. mail, began flying from Salt Lake City to Los Angeles via Las Vegas. Less than one year later, Western Air Express would begin flying passengers along the same route. Western Air Express later evolved into Western Airlines
, which operated a large hub in Salt Lake City.
Charles Lindbergh
visited Woodward Field in 1927 drawing many spectators to see The Spirit of St. Louis. During the next few years, the airport would gain an additional runway, and would span over 400 acres (1.6 km²). In 1930, the airport was renamed Salt Lake City Municipal Airport.
The first official terminal and airport administration building was built in 1933 at a cost of $52,000. By then, United Airlines
had also begun serving Salt Lake City as one of its stops between New York and San Francisco.
As air travel became more popular and the United States Air Force
established a base at the airport during World War II, a third runway was added. The April 1957 OAG shows 42 weekday departures: 18 on Western, 17 United and 7 Frontier. A new terminal was needed and work began on the west side of the airport to build Terminal 1, which was dedicated in 1960 after seven years of work and a cost of $8 million.
In 1968, the airport was given its current name of Salt Lake City International Airport, when non-sop service to Calgary, Canada was awarded to Western Airlines.
Once airline deregulation
occurred in 1978, the need for hub airports became prevalent. Western Airlines, which had ties to Salt Lake City since its inception, naturally chose the airport as one of its hubs and took advantage of its geographical location to connect passengers throughout the country. Terminal 2 was built solely for Western and featured several murals by artist LeConte Stewart
.
During the 1980s, the airport saw further expansion to both terminals as well as runway extension. In 1987, Western Airlines merged with Delta Air Lines. Salt Lake City would continue to serve as a major airline hub and would continue to grow.
In 1991, the airport opened a new short-term parking garage. The airport opened a new runway in 1995 along with the International Terminal and E concourse for SkyWest Airlines. A new 328 feet (100 m) control tower
, new approach control facility, and a new fire station were opened in 1999.
Concourse E was expanded in 2001 for additional gates. SkyWest Airlines opened its new maintenance hangar and training facility during the same year. In 2002, the airport saw heavy crowds as Salt Lake City welcomed over one million visitors for the Winter Olympics
.
Recently, the airport has completed upgrading its main access roads and parking facilities in preparation for a new terminal. Additionally, the airport has completed several minor upgrades to the current airport terminals and concourses including the expansion of baggage claim facilities.
and Frontier Airlines
operate scheduled flights to cities in Canada, Mexico, Japan, and France. From 2006 through 2007, Air Canada
operated by Air Canada Jazz
offered nonstop service to Toronto
. Aeromexico
offered service from Salt Lake City to Hermosillo
and Mexico City
from 2002 through 2005. In November 2008, Aeromexico resumed nonstop service to Mexico City though service was once again unsuccessful.
In June 2008, Delta Air Lines began daily nonstop service to Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport. This marked the first scheduled transatlantic route from Salt Lake City. In November 2008, Delta announced nonstop service to Narita International Airport
near Tokyo
, Japan, mostly as a result of Delta's merger with Northwest Airlines
. The service commenced on June 3, 2009. The nonstop service makes Tokyo the first city in Asia to receive nonstop service from Salt Lake City. The flights to Tokyo are seasonal from June 1 to October 23 unless demand justifies extending the service to a year round schedule.
Various stores and restaurants are located throughout the terminals.
in this direction.
Scheduled Cargo Operators:
presence. In 2008, 19% of aircraft movements at the airport came from general aviation traffic. This is in contrast to most large airports, which encourage general aviation aircraft to use smaller or less busy airports in order to prevent delays to commercial traffic. The airport is able to effectively handle both commercial and general aviation traffic largely in part to the airport's layout and airspace structure. Nearly all general aviation operations are conducted on the east side of the airport, away from commercial traffic. Additionally, smaller and relatively slower general aviation aircraft arrive and depart the airport in ways which generally do not hinder the normal flow of arriving or departing commercial aircraft.
2007 data shows there are 388 general aviation aircraft based at the airport. The airport has two Fixed Base Operator
s, both located on the east side of the airport. The airport has facilities for Air Ambulance
, Law Enforcement, as well as state and federal government aircraft. Additionally, the airport is home to several flight training facilities, including one operated by Westminster College
.
operates Salt Lake City Air National Guard Base
on the east side of the airport. The host wing for the installation is the 151st Air Refueling Wing
(151 ARW), an Air Mobility Command
(AMC)-gained unit operating the KC-135R Stratotanker
.
Wingpointe, an 18 hole golf course
, is located on the south end of the airport.
Delta Air Lines has a maintenance facility at the airport where heavy-duty maintenance and inspections are performed. Delta also operates a call center for reservations and sales as well as regional corporate offices.
SkyWest Airlines opened a new maintenance and training facility at the airport in 2001 where the company has its largest maintenance base. It is also where training is conducted for pilots, flight attendants, and other employees.
Continental Airlines
operated a call center located near the airport, which was demolished in 2009 after Continental moved to the International Center Office Park west of the Airport.
The airport and Salt Lake City Fire Department operate an Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) training facility located on the airport. The training facility has been used to train and certify thousands of fire fighters from departments all over the world, including Antarctica.
In addition to the 328 feet (100 m) Air Traffic Control Tower, TRACON is also located on the airport with the Salt Lake Air Route Traffic Control Center located adjacent to the airport. The Salt Lake ARTCC covers the largest geographical area in the continental United States and controls airspace as far north as the Canadian border.
April 30, 2008 marked a significant date for the airport, as it is now the only large hub airport in the U.S. to be debt free, having retired its remaining bonds, for a payout of nearly US$50 Million. This was done in response to spiking interest rates, but also put the Salt Lake Dept. of Airports in an excellent position for future expansion plans.
In addition to runway reconfigurations, the airport will construct a new terminal and two new concourses. Plans call for a single terminal with an attached concourse consisting of 31 mainline gates and an additional paralleling satellite concourse consisting of 15 mainline gates and 44 regional jet gates. The two concourses would be attached with an underground automated train. The existing terminal and concourses would be demolished and would leave room for additional expansion onto the two new concourses in the future.
Other plans call for a new parking garage and expanded cargo facilities. Construction of the Airport Line of the UTA TRAX
light rail
system from the airport to downtown began in October 2008.
In June 2010, the airport asked for public comments on the airport expansion as well as announcing the start of an environmental study of the master plan which will have public hearings in the summer of 2011.
was filmed at Salt Lake City International Airport.
In the 1994 comedy film Dumb and Dumber, Lloyd Christmas, portrayed by Jim Carrey
, is seen running to gate B2 and falling off the jetway
at Salt Lake City International Airport. Lloyd is also seen sliding across the floor to recover the brief case.
The airport was used for filming the scenes of the fictional Chicago Hoover International Airport in the 2006 film Unaccompanied Minors
.
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
in Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
. A joint civil-military facility, it is located in western Salt Lake City, approximately four miles from the central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
. It is currently the only airport with commercial airline service in the Wasatch Front
Wasatch Front
The Wasatch Front is a metropolitan region in the north-central part of the U.S. state of Utah. It consists of a chain of cities and towns stretched along the Wasatch Range from approximately Santaquin in the south to Brigham City in the north...
and its surrounding counties, except for a single daily commercial flight to and from Denver at the Provo, Utah airport, and is the closest commercial airport for more than 2.5 million people living in the area. Additionally, the airport is within a 30 minute drive to nearly 1.3 million individual jobs.
The airport is the fourth largest and westernmost hub for Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
and a major hub for Delta Connection
Delta Connection
Delta Connection is the name under which a number of individually owned regional airlines and one wholly owned regional carrier operate short and medium haul routes in association with Delta Air Lines Inc...
carriers SkyWest Airlines
Skywest Airlines
Skywest Airlines Pty Ltd is a regional airline company based in Perth, Western Australia, Australia; servicing key towns in the state of Western Australia, Darwin, Northern Territory and Melbourne, Victoria; as well as charter flights to Bali, Indonesia....
and Mesaba Airlines
Mesaba Airlines
Mesaba Airlines is an American regional airline based in Eagan, Minnesota. The airline operates under Mesaba Aviation, Inc. a wholly owned subsidiary of Pinnacle Airlines Corporation...
with over 300 daily departures, accounting for a 75.63% market share in 2010. Following Delta and Delta Connection, the remaining of the top five largest carriers serving the airport are Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines Co. is an American low-cost airline based in Dallas, Texas. Southwest is the largest airline in the United States, based upon domestic passengers carried,...
(12.36% market share), United Airlines
United Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
and United Express
United Express
United Express is a brand name under which eight regional airlines operate feeder flights for United Airlines. They primarily connect smaller cities with United's domestic hub airports and “focus cities,” although they offer some point-to-point service such as Sacramento to Eureka.As of Sept...
(3.39% market share), American Airlines
American Airlines
American Airlines, Inc. is the world's fourth-largest airline in passenger miles transported and operating revenues. American Airlines is a subsidiary of the AMR Corporation and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas adjacent to its largest hub at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport...
and American Eagle
American Eagle Airlines
American Eagle Airlines is a brand name used by American Eagle Airlines, Inc. , based in Fort Worth, Texas, and Executive Airlines based in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in the operation of passenger air service as regional affiliates of American Airlines. All three airlines are wholly owned subsidiaries...
(2.55% market share), and US Airways
US Airways
US Airways, Inc. is a major airline based in the U.S. city of Tempe, Arizona. The airline is an operating unit of US Airways Group and is the sixth largest airline by traffic and eighth largest by market value in the country....
and US Airways Express
US Airways Express
US Airways Express is an airline brand name, rather than a fully certified airline, and as such, the US Airways Express name is used by several individually owned airlines or airline holding companies which provide regional airline and commuter service for US Airways.Operations are conducted from...
(1.80% market share).
A total of 21,016,686 passengers flew through Salt Lake City International Airport in 2010, representing a 2.81 % increase from 2009. The airport currently ranks as the twenty-first busiest airport in the United States in terms of total passengers. There were 362,654 recorded aircraft operations (takeoffs and landings) in 2010, representing approximately 994 operations per day. The airport currently ranks fifteenth busiest airport in the United States and twenty fourth in the world based on aircraft operations.
As of June 2009, there were over 450 scheduled airline departures per day to 109 nonstop destinations throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico, as well as daily nonstop service to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
. The airport currently has nonstop service to all of the top 45 destinations based on the U.S. Department of Transportation origin and destination survey.
Salt Lake City International continues to be highly ranked for on time departures/arrivals and fewest flight cancellations among major US airports. The airport ranked 3rd for on time departures, 5th for on time arrivals, and 3rd for fewest flight cancellations as of November 2010.
The airport is owned by Salt Lake City Corporation and is administered by the Salt Lake City Department of Airports. In addition, the city owns and operates two nearby airports, South Valley Regional Airport and Tooele Valley Airport. The airport is financially self-sustaining with revenue generated from airline and passenger fees, concessions, vehicle parking, fuel, and leases for office and hangar space. It is the only major airport in the country with no outstanding debts.
The airport began offering free Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi or Wifi, is a mechanism for wirelessly connecting electronic devices. A device enabled with Wi-Fi, such as a personal computer, video game console, smartphone, or digital audio player, can connect to the Internet via a wireless network access point. An access point has a range of about 20...
internet access in 2009.
History
In 1911, a site for an air field was chosen in a location known as Basque Flats, named for Spanish-French sheep herders who worked the fields in the then desolate area of the Salt Lake Valley. A cinder-covered landing strip was created, far better than the small fields at the Utah State Fairpark, which had previously been used by aircraft visiting the city. The Great International Aviation Carnival was held the same year and brought aviation pioneers representing Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor CompanyCurtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company
Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company was an American aircraft manufacturer that went public in 1916 with Glenn Hammond Curtiss as president. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, the company was the largest aircraft manufacturer in the United States...
and a team representing the Wright Brothers
Wright brothers
The Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur , were two Americans credited with inventing and building the world's first successful airplane and making the first controlled, powered and sustained heavier-than-air human flight, on December 17, 1903...
to Salt Lake City. World-famous aviator Glenn H. Curtiss brought his newly-invented Seaplane
Seaplane
A seaplane is a fixed-wing aircraft capable of taking off and landing on water. Seaplanes that can also take off and land on airfields are a subclass called amphibian aircraft...
to the carnival, a type of airplane which had never been demonstrated to the public before. Curtiss took off from the nearby Great Salt Lake
Great Salt Lake
The Great Salt Lake, located in the northern part of the U.S. state of Utah, is the largest salt water lake in the western hemisphere, the fourth-largest terminal lake in the world. In an average year the lake covers an area of around , but the lake's size fluctuates substantially due to its...
, awing the 20,000 spectators and making international headlines.
For several years after its creation, the new field was used primarily for training and aerobatic flights rather than economic purposes. That would change in 1920, when the United States Postal Service
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
began air mail service to Salt Lake City. The airport was expanded and hangars and other buildings began to appear. During the same year the airfield was given the name Woodward Field, named for John P. Woodward, a local aviator.
In 1925, the postal service began awarding contracts to private companies. Western Air Express, the first private company to carry U.S. mail, began flying from Salt Lake City to Los Angeles via Las Vegas. Less than one year later, Western Air Express would begin flying passengers along the same route. Western Air Express later evolved into Western Airlines
Western Airlines
Western Airlines was a large airline based in California, with operations throughout the Western United States, and hubs at Los Angeles International Airport, Salt Lake City International Airport, and the former Stapleton International Airport in Denver...
, which operated a large hub in Salt Lake City.
Charles Lindbergh
Charles Lindbergh
Charles Augustus Lindbergh was an American aviator, author, inventor, explorer, and social activist.Lindbergh, a 25-year-old U.S...
visited Woodward Field in 1927 drawing many spectators to see The Spirit of St. Louis. During the next few years, the airport would gain an additional runway, and would span over 400 acres (1.6 km²). In 1930, the airport was renamed Salt Lake City Municipal Airport.
The first official terminal and airport administration building was built in 1933 at a cost of $52,000. By then, United Airlines
United Airlines
United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
had also begun serving Salt Lake City as one of its stops between New York and San Francisco.
As air travel became more popular and the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
established a base at the airport during World War II, a third runway was added. The April 1957 OAG shows 42 weekday departures: 18 on Western, 17 United and 7 Frontier. A new terminal was needed and work began on the west side of the airport to build Terminal 1, which was dedicated in 1960 after seven years of work and a cost of $8 million.
In 1968, the airport was given its current name of Salt Lake City International Airport, when non-sop service to Calgary, Canada was awarded to Western Airlines.
Once airline deregulation
Airline deregulation
Airline deregulation is the process of removing entry and price restrictions on airlines affecting, in particular, the carriers permitted to serve specific routes. In the United States, the term usually applies to the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978...
occurred in 1978, the need for hub airports became prevalent. Western Airlines, which had ties to Salt Lake City since its inception, naturally chose the airport as one of its hubs and took advantage of its geographical location to connect passengers throughout the country. Terminal 2 was built solely for Western and featured several murals by artist LeConte Stewart
LeConte Stewart
LeConte Stewart was a Mormon artist primarily known for his landscapes of rural Utah. His media included oils, watercolors, pastel and charcoal, as well as etchings, linocuts, and lithographs. His home/studio in Kaysville, Utah is on the National Register of Historic Places.-Personal life:Stewart...
.
During the 1980s, the airport saw further expansion to both terminals as well as runway extension. In 1987, Western Airlines merged with Delta Air Lines. Salt Lake City would continue to serve as a major airline hub and would continue to grow.
In 1991, the airport opened a new short-term parking garage. The airport opened a new runway in 1995 along with the International Terminal and E concourse for SkyWest Airlines. A new 328 feet (100 m) control tower
Control tower
A control tower, or more specifically an Air Traffic Control Tower , is the name of the airport building from which the air traffic control unit controls the movement of aircraft on and around the airport. Control towers are also used to control the traffic for other forms of transportation such...
, new approach control facility, and a new fire station were opened in 1999.
Concourse E was expanded in 2001 for additional gates. SkyWest Airlines opened its new maintenance hangar and training facility during the same year. In 2002, the airport saw heavy crowds as Salt Lake City welcomed over one million visitors for the Winter Olympics
2002 Winter Olympics
The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event that was celebrated in February 2002 in and around Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Approximately 2,400 athletes from 77 nations participated in 78 events in fifteen disciplines, held throughout...
.
Recently, the airport has completed upgrading its main access roads and parking facilities in preparation for a new terminal. Additionally, the airport has completed several minor upgrades to the current airport terminals and concourses including the expansion of baggage claim facilities.
International service
In addition to domestic flights, Delta Air LinesDelta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
and Frontier Airlines
Frontier Airlines
Frontier Airlines, Inc., is an American airline headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. The carrier, which is a subsidiary and operating brand of Republic Airways Holdings, operates flights to 83 destinations throughout the United States, Mexico, and Costa Rica and maintains hubs at...
operate scheduled flights to cities in Canada, Mexico, Japan, and France. From 2006 through 2007, Air Canada
Air Canada
Air Canada is the flag carrier and largest airline of Canada. The airline, founded in 1936, provides scheduled and charter air transport for passengers and cargo to 178 destinations worldwide. It is the world's tenth largest passenger airline by number of destinations, and the airline is a...
operated by Air Canada Jazz
Air Canada Jazz
Jazz Aviation LP is a Canadian regional airline based at Halifax Stanfield International Airport in Enfield and Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Chorus Aviation....
offered nonstop service to Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
. Aeromexico
Aeroméxico
Airways of Mexico, SA de CV , operating as Aeroméxico, is the flag carrier airline of Mexico based in Colonia Cuauhtémoc, Cuauhtémoc, Mexico City. It operates scheduled domestic and international services to North America, South America, Central America and the Caribbean, Europe, and Asia...
offered service from Salt Lake City to Hermosillo
Hermosillo
Hermosillo is a city and municipality located centrally in the northwestern Mexican state of Sonora. It is the capital and main economic center for the state and region. It contains almost all of the state's manufacturing and has thirty percent of its population...
and Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
from 2002 through 2005. In November 2008, Aeromexico resumed nonstop service to Mexico City though service was once again unsuccessful.
In June 2008, Delta Air Lines began daily nonstop service to Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport. This marked the first scheduled transatlantic route from Salt Lake City. In November 2008, Delta announced nonstop service to Narita International Airport
Narita International Airport
is an international airport serving the Greater Tokyo Area of Japan. It is located east of Tokyo Station and east-southeast of Narita Station in the city of Narita, and the adjacent town of Shibayama....
near Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan, mostly as a result of Delta's merger with Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines, Inc. was a major United States airline founded in 1926 and absorbed into Delta Air Lines by a merger approved on October 29, 2008, making Delta the largest airline in the world...
. The service commenced on June 3, 2009. The nonstop service makes Tokyo the first city in Asia to receive nonstop service from Salt Lake City. The flights to Tokyo are seasonal from June 1 to October 23 unless demand justifies extending the service to a year round schedule.
Terminals, airlines and destinations
There are two passenger terminals at the airport consisting of five concourses with a total of 90 gates:- Terminal 1 houses Concourse A (gates A1-A8) and Concourse B (gates B1-B22).
- Terminal 2 consists of Concourse C (gates C1-C13), Concourse D (gates D1-D13), and Concourse E (gates E60-E85). Facilities for the handling of international flights are located at gates D2, D4, and D6.
Various stores and restaurants are located throughout the terminals.
| Rank | City | Passengers | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Denver, CODenver International Airport Denver International Airport , often referred to as DIA, is an airport in Denver, Colorado. By land size, at , it is the largest international airport in the United States, and the third largest international airport in the world after King Fahd International Airport and Montréal-Mirabel... |
717,000 | Delta, Frontier, Southwest, United |
| 2 |  Phoenix, AZPhoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located southeast of the central business district of the city of Phoenix, in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States... |
572,000 | Delta, Southwest, US Airways |
| 3 |  Atlanta, GAHartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport , known locally as Atlanta Airport, Hartsfield Airport, and Hartsfield–Jackson, is located seven miles south of the central business district of Atlanta, Georgia, United States... |
510,000 | Delta |
| 4 |  Las Vegas, NVMcCarran International Airport McCarran International Airport is the principal commercial airport serving Las Vegas and Clark County, Nevada, United States. The airport is located five miles south of the central business district of Las Vegas, in the unincorporated area of Paradise in Clark County. It covers an area of and... |
505,000 | Delta, Southwest |
| 5 |  Los Angeles, CALos Angeles International Airport Los Angeles International Airport is the primary airport serving the Greater Los Angeles Area, the second-most populated metropolitan area in the United States. It is most often referred to by its IATA airport code LAX, with the letters pronounced individually... |
433,000 | American, Delta, Southwest, United |
| 6 |  Seattle, WASeattle-Tacoma International Airport The Seattle–Tacoma International Airport , also known as Sea–Tac Airport or Sea–Tac , is an American airport located in SeaTac, Washington, at the intersections of State Routes 99 and 509 and 518, about west of Interstate 5... |
391,000 | Delta, Southwest |
| 7 |  Dallas/Fort Worth, TX |
303,000 | American, Delta |
| 8 |  Portland, ORPortland International Airport Portland International Airport is a joint civil-military airport and the largest airport in the U.S. state of Oregon, accounting for 90% of passenger travel and more than 95% of air cargo of the state. It is located within Portland's city limits just south of the Columbia River in Multnomah... |
293,000 | Delta, Southwest |
| 9 |  New York, NY (JFK)John F. Kennedy International Airport John F. Kennedy International Airport is an international airport located in the borough of Queens in New York City, about southeast of Lower Manhattan. It is the busiest international air passenger gateway to the United States, handling more international traffic than any other airport in North... |
265,000 | Delta, JetBlue |
| 10 |  Minneapolis, MN |
253,000 | Delta |
| Rank | Airport | Passengers | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Paris, France |
89,739 | Delta |
| 2 |  Vancouver, CanadaVancouver International Airport Vancouver International Airport is located on Sea Island in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada, about from Downtown Vancouver. In 2010 it was the second busiest airport in Canada by aircraft movements and passengers , behind Toronto Pearson International Airport, with non-stop flights daily to... |
86,847 | Delta |
| 3 | Calgary, Canada Calgary International Airport Calgary International Airport, , is the international airport that serves Calgary, Alberta, Canada and the surrounding region; it is situated approximately northeast of downtown Calgary... |
56,985 | Delta |
| 4 |  Cancun, MexicoCancún International Airport Cancún International Airport is located in Cancún, Quintana Roo, on the Caribbean coast of Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula. It is Mexico's second busiest airport, after Mexico City International Airport in Mexico City, but the biggest in Mexico and Latin America for International passengers... |
54,157 | Delta, Frontier |
| 5 | Edmonton, Canada Edmonton International Airport Edmonton International Airport is the primary air passenger and air cargo facility in the Edmonton region in the Canadian province of Alberta. It is a hub facility for Northern Alberta and Northern Canada providing regularly scheduled nonstop flights to over fifty communities in Canada, the United... |
27,776 | Delta |
| 6 |  Tokyo, JapanNarita International Airport is an international airport serving the Greater Tokyo Area of Japan. It is located east of Tokyo Station and east-southeast of Narita Station in the city of Narita, and the adjacent town of Shibayama.... |
27,776 | Delta |
| 7 | San José del Cabo, Mexico Los Cabos International Airport Los Cabos International Airport is the seventh busiest airport in Mexico, located at San José del Cabo, Baja California Sur, Mexico. The airport serves Los Cabos area: San José del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas. This airport has three terminals with 4 concourses... |
25,069 | Delta |
| 8 | Puerta Vallarta, Mexico Lic. Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport Licenciado Gustavo Díaz Ordaz International Airport is an international airport located at Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco in Mexico. Located at the Pacific Ocean coast, it receives thousands of tourists all year. It handled 2,645,300 passengers in 2009 and 2,735,300 in 2010... |
24,763 | Delta |
| 9 | Guadalajara, Mexico Don Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla International Airport Guadalajara International Airport , also known as Don Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla International Airport . It opened in 1966 and is located 16 km south of the city centre of Guadalajara. In 2010, the airport handled 6,953,900 passengers, representing a 7.8% increase from 2009... |
15,667 | Delta |
| 10 | Mexico City, Mexico Mexico City International Airport Benito Juárez International Airport , in Venustiano Carranza, one of the sixteen boroughs into which Mexico's Federal District is divided, is a commercial airport that serves Mexico City, the capital of Mexico... |
12,987 | Delta |
Other airport information
The airport spans over 7700 acres (3,116 ha) and has four runways. The runways are generally oriented in a NNW/SSE magnetic direction due to consistent prevailing windsPrevailing winds
Prevailing winds are winds that blow predominantly from a single general direction over a particular point on Earth's surface. The dominant winds are the trends in direction of wind with the highest speed over a particular point on the Earth's surface. A region's prevailing and dominant winds...
in this direction.
Cargo operations
The airport handled 156,319 metric tonnes of cargo in 2008.Scheduled Cargo Operators:
- AmeriflightAmeriflightAmeriflight LLC is an American cargo airline with its headquarters in Hangar 1 on the grounds of Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, California. It is the largest United States FAA Part 135 cargo carrier, operating scheduled and contract cargo services to destinations in 30 US states, Canada, Mexico, and...
- DHLDHLDHL Express is a division of the German logistics company Deutsche Post providing international express mail services. DHL is a world market leader in sea and air mail....
- ABX AirABX AirABX Air, Inc., formerly Airborne Express, is a cargo airline headquartered at Wilmington Air Park in unincorporated Clinton County, Ohio, United States, near the City of Wilmington. ABX Air operates scheduled, ad hoc charter and ACMI freight services. It also provides flight support services and...
- Astar Air CargoAstar Air CargoASTAR Air Cargo is an American cargo airline based in Miami, Florida, USA. It operates regularly scheduled cargo charter services to over 34 US airports and nine international airports, as well as worldwide charter freight services. It provides air freight services to six domestic and foreign...
- ABX Air
- FedEx Express
- FedEx Feeder operated by Corporate AirCorporate AirCorporate Air is a airline based in Billings, Montana, United States. It was established in 1981 and operates primarily domestic scheduled cargo services, Feeder service on behalf of FedEx Express, as well as the United States Postal Service...
- FedEx Feeder operated by Empire AirlinesEmpire AirlinesEmpire Airlines is a charter and cargo airline based in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, USA. It operates over 120 scheduled and charter cargo flights a day in 18 US states and Canada. Its main base is Coeur d'Alene Airport with a hub at Spokane International Airport....
- FedEx Feeder operated by Corporate Air
- UPS AirlinesUPS AirlinesUPS Airlines is an American cargo airline owned by United Parcel Service Inc. . The company is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky. Its home airport is located at Louisville International Airport...
General aviation
Despite being the nineteenth busiest airport in the world in terms of aircraft operations, the airport still maintains a large general aviationGeneral aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
presence. In 2008, 19% of aircraft movements at the airport came from general aviation traffic. This is in contrast to most large airports, which encourage general aviation aircraft to use smaller or less busy airports in order to prevent delays to commercial traffic. The airport is able to effectively handle both commercial and general aviation traffic largely in part to the airport's layout and airspace structure. Nearly all general aviation operations are conducted on the east side of the airport, away from commercial traffic. Additionally, smaller and relatively slower general aviation aircraft arrive and depart the airport in ways which generally do not hinder the normal flow of arriving or departing commercial aircraft.
2007 data shows there are 388 general aviation aircraft based at the airport. The airport has two Fixed Base Operator
Fixed base operator
A Fixed-base operator or commonly abbreviated FBO is a term developed in the United States after the passage of the Air Commerce Act of 1926...
s, both located on the east side of the airport. The airport has facilities for Air Ambulance
Air ambulance
An air ambulance is an aircraft used for emergency medical assistance in situations where either a traditional ambulance cannot reach the scene easily or quickly enough, or the patient needs to be transported over a distance or terrain that makes air transportation the most practical transport....
, Law Enforcement, as well as state and federal government aircraft. Additionally, the airport is home to several flight training facilities, including one operated by Westminster College
Westminster College, Salt Lake City
Westminster College is a private liberal arts college located in the Sugar House neighborhood of Salt Lake City, Utah. The college comprises four schools: the School of Arts and Sciences, the Bill and Vieve Gore School of Business, the School of Education, and the School of Nursing and Health...
.
Military facilities
The Utah Air National GuardUtah Air National Guard
The Utah Air National Guard is the air force militia of the U.S. state of Utah. It is, along with the Utah Army National Guard, an element of the Utah National Guard.-Units of the Utah Air National Guard:...
operates Salt Lake City Air National Guard Base
Salt Lake City Air National Guard Base
Salt Lake City Air National Guard Base is the home base of the Utah Air National Guard 151st Air Refueling Wing.-Overview:Salt Lake City Air National Guard Base lies within the boundary of the Salt Lake City International Airport along a portion of the eastern segment of the SLCIAP. The airport is...
on the east side of the airport. The host wing for the installation is the 151st Air Refueling Wing
151st Air Refueling Wing
The United States Air Force's 151st Air Refueling Wing is a unit located at Salt Lake City International Airport, Utah.-Mission:The mission of the 151st Air Refueling Wing is to organize, train, and equip KC-135R aircraft and personnel to provide in-flight refueling support in the Global...
(151 ARW), an Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command
Air Mobility Command is a Major Command of the U.S. Air Force. AMC is headquartered at Scott AFB, Illinois, east of St. Louis....
(AMC)-gained unit operating the KC-135R Stratotanker
KC-135 Stratotanker
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker is an aerial refueling military aircraft. It and the Boeing 707 airliner were developed from the Boeing 367-80 prototype. The KC-135 was the US Air Force's first jet-powered refueling tanker and replaced the KC-97 Stratotanker...
.
Additional facilities
Golf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
, is located on the south end of the airport.
Delta Air Lines has a maintenance facility at the airport where heavy-duty maintenance and inspections are performed. Delta also operates a call center for reservations and sales as well as regional corporate offices.
SkyWest Airlines opened a new maintenance and training facility at the airport in 2001 where the company has its largest maintenance base. It is also where training is conducted for pilots, flight attendants, and other employees.
Continental Airlines
Continental Airlines
Continental Airlines was a major American airline now merged with United Airlines. On May 3, 2010, Continental Airlines, Inc. and UAL, Inc. announced a merger via a stock swap, and on October 1, 2010, the merger closed and UAL changed its name to United Continental Holdings, Inc...
operated a call center located near the airport, which was demolished in 2009 after Continental moved to the International Center Office Park west of the Airport.
The airport and Salt Lake City Fire Department operate an Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) training facility located on the airport. The training facility has been used to train and certify thousands of fire fighters from departments all over the world, including Antarctica.
In addition to the 328 feet (100 m) Air Traffic Control Tower, TRACON is also located on the airport with the Salt Lake Air Route Traffic Control Center located adjacent to the airport. The Salt Lake ARTCC covers the largest geographical area in the continental United States and controls airspace as far north as the Canadian border.
Financial
Salt Lake City International airport is directly responsible for the employment of over 13,000 people and indirectly provides over 100,000 jobs generating a $2.7 billion payroll. The airport contributed a $5.34 billion economic impact in 2004.April 30, 2008 marked a significant date for the airport, as it is now the only large hub airport in the U.S. to be debt free, having retired its remaining bonds, for a payout of nearly US$50 Million. This was done in response to spiking interest rates, but also put the Salt Lake Dept. of Airports in an excellent position for future expansion plans.
Airport expansion
A revised master plan was released in May 2006 for the airport and is available for the public to view at the airport's website. Future plans call for runway 17/35 to be realigned to more precisely parallel runways 16L/34R and 16R/34L. Plans also call for runway 16L/34R to be lengthened to 15100 feet (4,602.5 m). Plans for a fourth parallel runway west of current 16R/34L are also shown but is more than fifteen years away.In addition to runway reconfigurations, the airport will construct a new terminal and two new concourses. Plans call for a single terminal with an attached concourse consisting of 31 mainline gates and an additional paralleling satellite concourse consisting of 15 mainline gates and 44 regional jet gates. The two concourses would be attached with an underground automated train. The existing terminal and concourses would be demolished and would leave room for additional expansion onto the two new concourses in the future.
Other plans call for a new parking garage and expanded cargo facilities. Construction of the Airport Line of the UTA TRAX
UTA TRAX
TRAX is a three-line light rail system in Utah's Salt Lake Valley, serving Salt Lake City and several of its suburbs throughout Salt Lake County. The system is operated by the Utah Transit Authority ....
light rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
system from the airport to downtown began in October 2008.
In June 2010, the airport asked for public comments on the airport expansion as well as announcing the start of an environmental study of the master plan which will have public hearings in the summer of 2011.
Notable incidents
- On November 11, 1965, United Airlines Flight 227United Airlines Flight 227United Airlines Flight 227 , a scheduled passenger flight from LaGuardia Airport, New York City to San Francisco International Airport , San Francisco, California, crashed short of the runway while attempting a scheduled landing at Salt Lake City International Airport, Salt Lake City, Utah on...
, operated with a Boeing 727Boeing 727The Boeing 727 is a mid-size, narrow-body, three-engine, T-tailed commercial jet airliner, manufactured by Boeing. The Boeing 727 first flew in 1963, and for over a decade more were built per year than any other jet airliner. When production ended in 1984 a total of 1,832 aircraft had been produced...
, crashed just short of the runway at Salt Lake City International Airport, killing 43 of the 91 people on board.
- On December 3, 1974 a Frontier Airlines flight, operated with a Boeing 737Boeing 737The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
, accidentally landed at Salt Lake City Municipal Airport II (U42)Salt Lake City Municipal 2 AirportSouth Valley Regional Airport is a public airport located in West Jordan, seven miles southwest of Salt Lake City, Utah. It is the primary general aviation airport in the area, to offload many flights from Salt Lake City International Airport, the larger, international airport nearby which is...
, a smaller airport directly south and with a runway of the same heading as one at the main airport.
- On December 17, 1977, United Airlines Flight 2860United Airlines Flight 2860United Airlines Flight 2860 was a scheduled cargo flight from San Francisco, California to Chicago, Illinois, with an intermediate stop in Salt Lake City, Utah. On December 17, 1977, operated by one of the airline's McDonnell Douglas DC-8-54AF Jet Traders, registration N8047U, the flight crashed...
, a cargo flight operated with a Douglas DC-8Douglas DC-8The Douglas DC-8 is a four-engined narrow-body passenger commercial jet airliner, manufactured from 1958 to 1972 by the Douglas Aircraft Company...
crashed into a mountain near Kaysville while in a holding pattern prior to landing at Salt Lake City Int'l Airport. The crew was trying to figure out an electrical problem, and did not realize they were adjacent to a mountain. All three people on board were killed in the accident.
- On August 31, 1988, Delta Air Lines Flight 1141Delta Air Lines Flight 1141Delta Air Lines Flight 1141 was a routine domestic passenger flight between Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and Salt Lake City International Airport, Salt Lake City, Utah...
, which was bound for Salt Lake City from Dallas-Fort Worth International AirportDallas-Fort Worth International AirportDallas/Fort Worth International Airport is located between the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas, and is the busiest airport in the U.S. state of Texas...
, crashed after takeoff. Two of seven crew members and twelve of 101 passengers were killed.
- On October 14, 1989, Delta Air Lines Flight 1554, operated with a Boeing 727, caught fire during the boarding process for a flight to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada while the aircraft was parked at a gate. Of the twenty three people who were on the aircraft at the time, five sustained minor injuries. All passengers and crew evacuated, however the aircraft was destroyed. An investigation determined the fire started due to a malfunction with the passenger oxygen system.
Popular culture
The 1974 film Airport 1975Airport 1975
Airport 1975 is a 1974 disaster film and the first sequel to the successful 1970 film Airport. It stars Charlton Heston and Karen Black and is directed by Jack Smight....
was filmed at Salt Lake City International Airport.
In the 1994 comedy film Dumb and Dumber, Lloyd Christmas, portrayed by Jim Carrey
Jim Carrey
James Eugene "Jim" Carrey is a Canadian-American actor and comedian. He has received two Golden Globe Awards and has also been nominated on four occasions. Carrey began comedy in 1979, performing at Yuk Yuk's in Toronto, Ontario...
, is seen running to gate B2 and falling off the jetway
Jetway
A jet bridge is an enclosed, movable connector which extends from an airport terminal gate to an airplane, allowing passengers to board and disembark without having to go outside...
at Salt Lake City International Airport. Lloyd is also seen sliding across the floor to recover the brief case.
The airport was used for filming the scenes of the fictional Chicago Hoover International Airport in the 2006 film Unaccompanied Minors
Unaccompanied Minors
Unaccompanied Minors is a 2006 comedy film directed by Paul Feig and starring Dyllan Christopher, Lewis Black, Wilmer Valderrama, Tyler James Williams, Brett Kelly, Gina Mantegna, and Quinn Shephard. Unaccompanied Minors has been rated PG by the MPAA for "mild rude humor and language"...
.