Think You Know How to Design an Airport? Tell SLC
Lots of frequent fliers believe they could advise airlines how to improve things. Well, here’s your chance to advise an airport.
The new Salt Lake City Airport (SLC) is actually asking for your thought. City planners have decided to invest nearly $2 billion in a new airport for the city, northwest of the existing terminal. Plans call for a new 700,000 sq ft terminal, replacing the three older terminals that date back as much as 50 years. The new airport will offer better facilities and use of space for the projected 15% increase in passenger traffic. Their time estimate: five years to complete the main terminal, another 3-5 years to finish the rest.
Here is your chance to tell them how to do it right.
I hope they model it after HKG or SIN airports but still keep a local atmosphere that makes you feel you’re in SLC!
You wrote that it’s a new airport, but I think it’s a new terminal for the existing airport. Maybe it will replace the existing terminal, but the airport is not moving like DEN did
Thanks for your comment, Carl. You are correct, they are not building a new airport at SLC but this will be an entirely new terminal from the ground up as opposed to adding to what they now have. I believe they intend to demolish the older terminals when this is completed. Like T3 at JFK, kind of sad to see an old friend go.
Model it after the North Terminal at Detroit Metro airport. That is the easiest terminal to get around anywhere. Each airline has their own security checkpoint near the check ins and gates. I’m unable to walk long distances but the North Terminal at DTW is one of the few that I can avoid having a wheelchair. Less than 1/4 mile to the gates for any airline that uses that terminal.
A new airport can improve the SLC experience a lot. The current airport design has a lot of shortcomings, including the extremely long corridors along the front of the terminal building that actually connect you to the concourses – they are long and fairly ugly, with few amenities. It is also a very long hike between the Skywest complex and many of the mainline flights. I’m sure they will come up with something that has some attractive dining and shopping and high ceilings in a common area, with better paths to the gates.
Hi Joey, SLC will never have the international O&D traffic like those two but yes, I think those airports will serve well as models with some tweaks. Hopefully $2 Billion is enough to make this the premier smaller airport in the U.S., something that Delta just has to love since it is their Western hub.