Today was a big day for Delta in Utah as it moves to a brand new concourse. The airline’s operated the first flight in the new Concourse A at Salt Lake City. With 78 gates in the concourse, there is more than enough room for Delta’s breadth of services; there is also plenty of room to expand in the future.
The first flight out of Concourse A
Delta flight 2020, an apt number, departed Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC), heading for Atlanta’s Hartsfield Jackson International Airport (ATL). The flight marked the end of years of construction on the new concourse and furthered Delta Air Lines‘ commitment to the region.
Speaking on the new concourse, Delta’s CEO, Ed Bastian, stated the following in a press release viewed by Simple Flying:
“I want to congratulate the Salt Lake City leadership for their vision and partnership in creating this iconic new air travel experience. On behalf of Delta’s global workforce, and the more than 4,000 employees based in SLC, we look forward to welcoming and serving our customers traveling to, from and through the Mountain West region.”
The new Salt Lake City Airport
The newly opened concourse is about 900,000 square feet (~83,600 square meters) and, once all construction is completed, will have 78 gates, all with jetbridges. There will also be six dual-use international gates. This is an upgrade from the airport’s current 55 gates with jet-bridges and three international gates.
The unveiled Concourse A is the first phase of the Concourse A redevelopment. There are currently 25 gates in the Concourse A-west, of which six are international gates. The rest of the gates will open in the future as the airport continues its redevelopment. Until then, the airport will also offer a temporary bridge to connect the new terminal to the original airport concourses until October 27th, when Concourse B-west will open with 20 gates for Alaska, American, Frontier, JetBlue, Southwest, and United.
The redesigned airport offers a far better baggage-handling system that accommodates more bags, in various shapes and sizes, so that passengers can more easily check their luggage, including skis.
A new Delta Sky Club
The largest Delta Sky Club can be found in Salt Lake City. Clocking in at 28,000 square feet (~2600 square meters), there is plenty of room for lots of travelers. The Sky Club also features a covered outdoor Sky Deck, which overlooks the Wasatch Range. This will be open year-round.
Inside, Delta has gone for a modern design scheme with artwork inspired by the mountain west region. There are two food stations, two full-service bars, and five coffee and beverage stations.
For lounging, Delta’s offered plenty of seating areas, power outlets at nearly every seat, and high-speed WiFi. There is also a 360-degree fireplace in the middle of the lounge.
Delta’s Salt Lake City hub
When people think about Delta hubs, the first thought for a lot of people is usually Atlanta. However, out west, Salt Lake City is the airline’s primary hub. Funneling passengers to smaller destinations in the mountain west, some destinations on the West Coast, and even offering international connections from across the country, the hub is an important one for Delta.
With a lease running through 2034, there are plenty of opportunities for Delta to grow out of the airport. Though Salt Lake City is the airline’s fourth-largest hub, the airport lacks a nonstop flight to Asia, which, in the last year, speculation of flights to Seoul has grown with Delta’s executives publicly stating it was an option. However, Delta has not launched anything thus far and likely will not for a few years.
Still, when Delta does launch flights to Seoul, Salt Lake City International Airport will be ready to receive them in the new Concourse A. For now, the airline is focused on rebuilding its network.
Are you excited to fly through Delta’s new home Salt Lake City’s Concourse A? Let us know in the comments!