- Delta's inaugural Salt Lake City-Incheon, South Korea flight marks Utah's first direct Asia link in over a decade.
- The night flight brings 80% global access within one stop of Salt Lake City.
- The new route boosts international passenger travel, cargo transport and trade opportunities.
SALT LAKE CITY — A small cheer erupted at Gate A25 when a Delta Air Lines gate agent got onto the intercom to welcome passengers to the inaugural flight between Salt Lake City and Incheon, South Korea.
Some passengers were still sifting through meal boxes set up in the corner, including a cookie featuring a logo to celebrate the occasion. A few were also taking photos with Delta's mascot, Widgey, which made an appearance.
A louder cheer broke out moments later when representatives from Salt Lake City and Incheon international airports gathered to cut a ribbon that signaled the opening of this new daily route. The crowd then began eagerly boarding the fully booked Airbus A350-900, which lifted into the hazy blue sky at noon as it began its roughly 13-hour journey.
While this was just one of several flights out of Salt Lake City International Airport that took place Thursday, this new service is major in linking Utah's capital city with the world. It also has importance beyond passenger travel.
This flight marked Salt Lake City's first direct flight to Asia in 15 years, eliminating the need for Utahns to fly to another U.S. city before flying to Asia. That means about 80% of the world is now accessible within one stop of the city, said Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall, speaking at a celebration of the new route earlier in the day.
It makes it easier for Utahns to travel to Asia, and for South Koreans and residents of other Asian countries to visit Utah.
"This is a monumental step forward … and my invitation to Salt Lakers is to start looking out for more visitors from Asia, and welcome them with open arms," Mendenhall said.
What helps is that Incheon International Airport, which is located less than 20 miles from South Korea's capital of Seoul, is also a key hub for Korean Airlines, which coordinates frequently with Delta. That means passengers flying in from Utah can quickly connect to other major Asian cities.
At the same time, it now connects Incheon with all four of Delta's key U.S. hubs, said Daniel Dongik Shin, executive director of the Hub Strategy Group, which oversees Incheon International Airport expansion.
"This new service is more than just an additional route; it is the opening of a new air corridor connecting the U.S. and Northeast Asia," he said.
The Airbus can seat over 300 passengers, much more than most flights in and out of Salt Lake City, which speaks to the benefit of the city's new airport. The old facility could fit similarly-sized planes, but it was a logistical nightmare.
Airlines needed to use three gates just to accommodate its size, which took away from other potential flights in and out of the facility, which is why airlines were hesitant to bring nonstop flights of Incheon size to Utah, Wyatt explained.
"This one would have been extremely difficult to service in the old airport, and now we can line up six of them on the other side," he told KSL.com.
The plane's wider belly means more than just passenger travel, too.
It has enough space that it will be easier for businesses to transport cargo between Salt Lake City and South Korea, Wyatt points out. The new service helps cut travel time for pieces of the state's supply chain.
Utah exports can end up in South Korea, while items manufactured in South Korea — home to Samsung, LG Electronics, Hyundai and other big global brands — can be imported into Utah faster. Salt Lake City and Utah Inland Port Authority officials are expected to travel to South Korea later this year to bolster these new trade opportunities.
It's unclear if the new service to Incheon will open the door for more nonstop flights to Asia, but Wyatt says he does see more international flights in Salt Lake City's future as it is linked even more closely with the world now.
"I see more Europe; I can see more South and Central America, and now we have the facilities to do it, which had always been a constraint here," he said.
