SALT LAKE CITY — Travelers from St. George or Cedar City who have been dealing with the construction challenges at Salt Lake City International Airport’s “A” concourse can breathe a little easier. There’s light at the end of the runway.
The first flight to depart from SLC International Airport’s Concourse A-east pulled back from Gate A-29 at 7:05 a.m. Tuesday on Delta Air Line’s flight 394 to Atlanta with approximately 200 passengers on board, according to a news release from the SLC airport. During an early morning ceremony, a 45-by-14-foot curtain opened to unveil half of Concourse A-east and the first five operating gates.
It is the first look the public has had of the east side of Concourse A, which will mirror Concourse A-west when completed.
“Our airport is changing and growing to keep up with our capital city and I’m thrilled that these new gates are now open to better serve our residents and travelers,” Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall said in a news release.
It has been 31 months since the last gate opening celebration took place on Concourse B-west in October 2020. During that time, the former airport was demolished and the infrastructure to build the eastern portion of Concourse A began.
“Launching the initial east-side gates is very rewarding,” Bill Wyatt, executive director of Salt Lake City Department of Airports, said in the news release. “We have been working nonstop since opening Phase 1 — more than two years ago — to get to this point. To be here today took a lot of demolition work, a lot of steel and a lot of paving.”
The airport will open an additional four gates on the south side of Concourse A-east on Aug. 22. The remaining 13 gates and all 19 new restaurants and shops will open on Oct. 31, the news release states.
“Delta operates more flights out of SLC than all other carriers combined,” said Adam Ryan, managing director of Delta’s SLC Operations, in the news release, “and the latest phase of this exciting airport project is complete in time to support one of our busiest summer seasons yet. Delta’s Salt Lake City team of more than 5,000 is ready to get our customers where they want to go and we are grateful to the Department of Airports for their partnership in helping us to do that even more efficiently.”
St. George Regional Airport and Cedar City Regional Airport offer daily flights to and from Salt Lake City via the regional carrier SkyWest Airlines. Delta was recently recognized by WalletHub and Forbes as the top airline in the nation.
WalletHub based its rankings on 2021 U.S. Transportation Department data on the nine largest U.S. airlines along with two regional carriers that report to the agency. The data covered 16 key metrics across four major categories: baggage, departures and complaints; animal incidents; in-flight comfort and cost; and safety.
“This award is one among many Delta people achieve as we serve our customers with a safe, on-time and enjoyable experience around the world every day,” Delta spokesperson Morgan Durant told St. George News in an email.
SkyWest Airlines, whose headquarters are based in St. George, ranked third in the same study. SkyWest also operates regional flights out of St. George via United Airlines (United Express), which was fourth, and American Airlines, which was ninth.
Since construction began at Salt Lake City, Delta aircraft that depart from St. George and Cedar City — typically a CRJ, 200, 700 or 900 or an E175 — and land in Salt Lake City most often are parked on the tarmac and passengers ride a bus into the terminal.
A unique feature of the aircraft gates in the new concourse is the Safegate Aircraft Docking System, which provides pilots with active guidance to support safe, efficient and precise automated aircraft parking during all operating conditions.
For passengers, the gate-hold areas have electronic power plugins at each seat for convenience.
In keeping with the art theme of The New SLC-Phase 1, the four new restrooms open on Concourse A-east each have a unique “Whimsy Wall,” artwork created by the following local and national artists: Amy Cheng, “The Happiness and Prosperity;” Traci O’Very Covey, “On the Wing;” Whitni Jo Parry, “Big Horn;” and Adam Bateman, “Books.”
Find more information online about the reconstruction phases.