Last week, we talked about the international flights from SLC. Yes, there are several, but nowhere near what an international airport should operate at. Let’s take a look at those flights.
Compare
Before we get to the possible flights, let’s look at some other airports.
| Airport | Code | Nonstop int’l | Context |
| SLC | SLC | 13 | A focused Delta hub; high efficiency lower volume |
| Denver | DEN | 31 | The regional big brother; heavy service to Europe and Central America |
| Phoenix | PHX | 26 | Stronger focus on Mexico and a growing long-haul list (London, Taipei, Frankfurt |
| Minneapolis | MSP | 36 | A primary Delta gateway to Europe and Asia with More “legacy” routes. |
| Dallas/FW | DFW | 70+ | A massive global “mega-hub” for American Airlines. |
| LAX/JFK | LAX/JFK | 100+ | The primary coastal gateways where almost every major airline lands |
So you can see that SLC is lagging way behind in the international flights area. Only having 13 total nonstop international flights. It is like a small airport.
Possible Non-Stop
Here are some flights I would like to see depart from SLC.
| Destination | Nonstop Available | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Rome, Italy | No | While Delta and other carriers offer seasonal service to Europe (like London, Pairs and Amsterdam). |
| Spain, Madrid/Barcelona | No | There are currently no direct flights to any city in Span from SLC. Most travelers connect throught Madrid or Barcelona Via New York, London, or Dallas |
| Dubai, UAE | No | No direct service. The most common routes. involve a layover in Seattle, San Francisco, or London. |
| Hong Kong | No | There is no direct flight. You will typically connect through San Francisco (SFO), Los Angeles (LAX) or Seattle (SEA) |
| Auckland, NZ | No | Similar to Syndey, you will need to fly to a West Coast gateway like San francisco or Los Angles to catch a nonstop trans-Pacific flight. |
Now you are thinking, “That is great, Justin,” but are these flights doable from SLC?
Doable
Delta and Alaska just launched flights from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEATAC) to Rome, Italy. So yes, these are doable.
| Destination | Distance | Make it | Top Aircraft Candidates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rome, Italy | 5,130 nm | Yes | Boeing 787, Airbus A350, A330neo |
| Madrid, Spain | 4,740 nm | Yes | Boeing 787, Airbus A350, A330neo |
| Dubai, UAE | 7,070 nm | Yes | Boeing 777-200LR, 787-9, Airbus A350 |
| Hong Kong | 6,450 nm | Yes | Boeing 777-300ER787-9, Airbus A350 |
| Sydney, Australia | 7,010 nm | Yes | Boeing 787-9, Airbus A350-1000 |
| Auckand, NZ | 6,570 nm | Yes | Boeing 787-9, Airbus A350-900 |
Yes
It would be great if more international flights could depart from SLC. I would love to jump on a nonstop flight to Rome. Fly to Sydney, that would be great, no connection in LA, JFK, Atlanta, etc.
So why not have these flights?
Numbers
It is all about numbers; in order to be profitable, you would have to fill the plane. That is why they push people from SLC to other airports to ensure the larger planes I mentioned above are filled.
I mean if SLC could fill the planes on a weekly basis, then it could happen. But for right now, SLC will have 13 destinations for non-stop international flights.
Next Week
We will be talking about the longest flight from SLC.
YouTube
Yep, I did one.
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