The second phase of the new Salt Lake City airport has opened; here's a first look
There's exciting news for flyers headed to or from Salt Lake City.
On Sept. 15, city officials, as well as Delta, inaugurated a portion of the new airport with the opening of the first phase of Concourse A. But only select passengers have been able to experience the new facility since mid-September. That's because the new terminal and its 25 gates primarily serve Delta flights.
As part of the brand-new concourse, flyers have been treated to dramatic art installations, like The Canyon in the main departures hall, sun-soaked gate areas, a plethora of bathrooms, top-notch retailers and much more.
There's even a brand-new 28,000-square-foot Delta Sky Club welcoming the carrier's premium flyers. It boasts passenger-friendly amenities like an outdoor deck, two buffets and private workstations.
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But what if you're flying another airline?
On Oct. 27, local airport authorities opened the second phase of the new airport — Concourse B. And with the opening, all flyers passing through SLC will now pass through a new gate.
I've already detailed what phase one of the new SLC looks like, so now let's take a peek at how the new B gates compare.
To start, every passenger departing from a B gate will need to clear security in the main headhouse. Then, after passing through The Canyon, you'll need to walk to the underground tunnel connecting the A and B gates.
Related: First look at Delta's largest, brand-new Sky Club in Salt Lake City
The walk from the security checkpoint to the tunnel entrance takes about five to seven minutes, and you'll then need to walk the nearly 1,000-foot tunnel before getting to the B terminal.
Though the trek is long, keep your eyes peeled to the walls — there's a colorful art installation depicting Utah's four seasons.
Fortunately, SLC is building a more convenient underground passageway, but that won't be ready until late 2024. Once open, you'll be able to head to the B gates right after clearing security, saving you at least ten minutes.
Once you ascend the escalators at the end of the tunnel, take a deep breath. (At this point, I was sweating under my mask.)
And once you open your eyes, you'll see that the B concourse is essentially a carbon copy of its older cousin. There are 21 gates, allocated as follows:
- Alaska Airlines — one
- American Airlines — two
- Delta — seven
- Frontier — one
- JetBlue — one
- Southwest — four
- United — two
- Three common-use gates allocated based on demand
As you walk east, you'll appreciate the wide hallways.
Continue walking and you'll approach the end of the concourse near Gates B21 and B24. These gates are primarily reserved for regional jet operator SkyWest since they afford easy access to the ramp for a hard-stand operation.
As you meander through the concourse, you'll notice that there are bathrooms at nearly every turn. Indeed, the new SLC is proud to offer restroom facilities every 150 feet.
Related: Salt Lake City's spiffy new terminal has opened — here's what it was like on day 1
The bathrooms themselves are large, with plenty of stalls and sinks. Each features a different art installation as well.
All 21 gates have a ton of seating, as well as power outlets and — my personal favorite — USB-C ports. As more and more phones support faster USB-C charging (like the new iPhone 12 Pro), this is a feature I hope other airports add soon.
If you're hungry, there are three new restaurants in the B concourse, including Gourmandise Euro Diner and Bakery, Uinta Brewing Company and Wasatch Brew Pub. Indoor dining is currently permitted in the airport, and flyers seemed to be enjoying their meals.
There's also a selection of retailers offering conveniences like drinks and snacks, magazines and newspapers, tech gear and more. As passenger throughput increases, several additional restaurants and shops are slated to open.
Concourse B is large enough to handle current levels of demand. But, hopefully, demand will pick up we recover from the pandemic. If it does, SLC is prepared; the airport has the ability to add eight additional B gates in a second construction phase and 15 more in a third phase.
In the meantime, now that the first phase of B gates is open, construction returns to the A gates. Specifically, the airport is working to complete the demolition of the old C, D and F concourses, as well as the international terminal — all while building 22 more gates in Concourse A East.
All photos by Zach Griff/The Points Guy
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Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits.Pros
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- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
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Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
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- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits.Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.