Salt Lake City International Airport celebrated the end of its 12-year redevelopment program on Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, with a ceremony featuring a new art installation and a musical premiere. The event marked the final milestone of a project that began with groundbreaking in July 2014.
Artistic Milestone Unveiled
The celebration, themed "Gateway to the World," featured the unveiling of "Crossroads to the World," a suspended art installation by artist Gordon Huether. The piece consists of approximately 2,500 colorful, laser-cut acrylic airplanes that hang from a stainless-steel mesh supported by a 24-foot diameter stainless-steel ring. The installation uses a light-sensitive, reflective dichroic film coating to create dynamic shades of color as lighting shifts throughout the day.
A Sense of Place
The Huether installation mirrors the "Swallows in Flight" piece located in Concourse B-west, which opened in 2025. While the previous work utilized bird shapes to recognize the Great Salt Lake located north of the airport, the new airplane-shaped cutouts serve as the final art piece in the airport's long-term rebuild. The piece is part of a series of over 10 major art projects commissioned by the Salt Lake City Department of Airports (SLCDA) to create a sense of place for passengers.
Musical Celebration
The event featured a musical premiere titled "Lux Altior," or "Higher Light," composed by Utah-based composer Kurt Bestor. The program included performances by 37 singers, including students from Salt Lake’s Madeleine Choir School, and 21 musicians playing instruments from various countries. The celebration also included a 15-minute vignette from a Salt Lake Airport documentary produced by Avalanche Studios.
Decade of Construction
The redevelopment program, which began in July 2014, involved approximately 25,000 craft workers and more than 18 million craft hours. The $5.1 billion project replaced three aging terminals with a central terminal and two linear concourses. The project has earned recognition from publications including Conde Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure, and USA Today, and was named Best Airport in North America in the large-hub airport category by Airports Council International.
Final Phase Details
The final phase of construction, Phase 4, will open to the public on Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2026. This section includes the opening of Concourse B-east, a 132,000-square-foot addition featuring seven new gates and six new concessions. Five of these gates will be used by United Airlines, while two will serve as common-use gates. The new concessions include Einstein Bros. Bagels, Monarca, Moochies Meatballs, Mr. Charlies Chicken Fingers, Swig, and the retailer & Go SLC.
Project Timeline
The airport's development has proceeded through several distinct stages since the project's inception. Phase 1 opened in September 2020, followed by Phase 2 in October 2023, and Phase 3 in October 2024. Four additional gates opened on July 14, 2026, leading into the final expansion this week. Once all phases are complete, the airport will feature a total of 101 concessions, 94 aircraft gates, and four hardstand positions.
Leadership Reflections
Bill Wyatt, executive director of the SLCDA, expressed gratitude to the hundreds of workers, including architects, accountants, planners, and pavers, who contributed to the project. Wyatt noted that the airport was built despite numerous challenges and emphasized that the art installations are designed to captivate the senses from the curb to the gate, ensuring passengers know they are in Utah.
