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 is possible for more international flights to depart from SLC, which would be great. I would love to jump on a plane and fly nonstop 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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