Salt Lake City International Airport has officially concluded a 12-year, $5.1 billion redevelopment program with the opening of the final section of Concourse B East on Tuesday. The completion of this phase marks the end of a massive construction effort that involved nearly 25,000 craftworkers and 18 million hours of labor. While Delta Air Lines remains the dominant carrier at the Utah hub, United Airlines has secured the majority of the new infrastructure added in this final phase.
United Airlines SLC Gate Allocation
The newly opened section of Concourse B East adds 132,000 square feet of space to the airport terminal. This expansion includes seven new gates and six new concession stands, featuring retailers such as Einstein Bros. Bagels, Monarca, and Swig. The allocation of these new gates highlights a strategic shift for United Airlines at a facility historically defined by Delta Air Lines presence.
Of the seven new gates, five are designated for United Airlines. The remaining two gates are classified as common-use, allowing any airline to utilize them as needed. This allocation gives United a significant foothold in the newly expanded terminal, even though Delta continues to operate the vast majority of flights from the airport.
Bill Wyatt, Executive Director of the Salt Lake City Department of Airports, emphasized the scale of the achievement during a ceremony held on Saturday, October 24. He noted that the project required significant determination to build a completely new airport despite numerous challenges. The celebration, themed ‘Gateway to the World,’ featured a suspended art installation of 2,500 laser-cut acrylic airplanes and a performance by 37 singers and 21 musicians.
Delta Air Lines Dominance Persists
Despite United Airlines securing the majority of the new gates, Delta Air Lines maintains its position as the primary operator at Salt Lake City International Airport. Aviation analytics data from Cirium for November 2026 shows Delta planning 7,182 flights from the hub. In contrast, United Airlines is scheduled for only 593 flights during the same period.
Delta operates 7,182 of the airport’s total 9,733 departures in November, underscoring its overwhelming market share. However, United Airlines has demonstrated stronger year-over-year growth metrics compared to its rival. United’s flight total for November 2026 is 2.8% higher than the previous year, while Delta’s growth stands at 1.6%.
Seat capacity trends further illustrate the diverging paths of the two carriers. Delta’s seat capacity has actually decreased by 0.5% year-over-year, despite an increase in the number of flights. United Airlines, on the other hand, has seen its seat capacity rise by 1.8%. This suggests that United is focusing on optimizing its current network rather than simply adding more flight frequencies.
The redevelopment project, known as the New SLC Redevelopment Program, began in July 2014. It has been executed in multiple phases, with the third phase opening in October 2024. The airport has already received numerous awards for its operational efficiency and design improvements during the phased openings since 2020. A new 48,000-square-foot facility is also set to open by 2027, which is expected to further enhance operational efficiency for Delta and the airport overall.
The final phase of the rebuild officially closes the book on the ambitious construction project. The airport now stands as a fully modernized hub, ready to handle increased passenger traffic and evolving airline demands. United Airlines will begin utilizing its new gates immediately, marking a tangible change in the terminal’s layout and airline distribution.
Source: Simple Flying
