Salt Lake City International Airport

Travel tidbits: Friday roundup

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It’s been a busy week at Stuck at the Airport headquarters with some exciting projects in the works and we’ve been setting aside these travel tidbits to share with you for this Friday round-up.

Airport and airline news

(The Dreams We Carry,” by Kipp Kobayashi, in Concourse G at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. Courtesy of the Metropolitan Airports Commission)

“The Dreams We Carry” at Minneapolis -St. Paul Int’l Airport

Artist Kipp Kobayashi’s “The Dreams We Carry” sculpture is now installed in the two-story Concourse G Rotunda in Terminal 1 — near gates G18-22 — at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP).

The 45-foot-wide collection of hanging sculptures interacts with the light and hints at the unique stories represented by the more than 300 suspended objects — from everyday companions like favorite pets, cameras and blue jeans to treasured pieces such as rocking chairs, pianos, guitars, houseplants and a beloved teddy bear.

The choice of objects portrayed represents the items Minnesotans and travelers told the artist they most cherished and would bring on an imaginary one-way trip to a destination of their choice.

Airports helping federal employees working without pay

As the government shutdown drags on, federal workers at U.S. airports must continue to work without pay.

A growing list of airports, airlines and community organizations are doing what they can to help these workers make it through.

The latest: Orlando International Airport (MCO) is gathering non-perishable food, toiletries and baby items in a donation drive that runs through October 24th. And West Virginia Yaeger International Airport (CRW) is holding a donation drive on November 4th.

Alaska Air celebrates new nonstop from Seattle to Seoul

We’re sad they didn’t invite us to the party, but we’re glad to see Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) and Alaska Airlines kicking off the airline’s new nonstop flight from Seattle to Seoul with a fun, celebrity-studded party.

No airline ticket needed to visit Salt Lake City Int’l Airport 11/4

Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) is inviting the public to come hang out at the airport on November 8, 2025.

No airline ticket is required. But guests will need to register for one of the 200 available slots ahead of time.

Registration opens October 23 at 9 am.

In addition to taking in the airport’s impressive art installations and doing some shopping and snacking, airport visitors will be able to learn about artist Gordon Huether’s new art installation, “Flight.”

Charleston International Airport Goes Pink

Three “CHS Goes Pink” stations are now installed at pre-security, on the way to baggage claim, at Charleston International Airport (CHS) to surpport the fight against breast cancer.

Airport guests can take selfies at the pink balloon display, leave a note on the Memory Wall and purchase merchandise with the proceeds benefiting the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

United and Jetblue have a new partnership

More tomorrow….

More airports add food pantries for federal employees and refuse to air DHS video

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The Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) is joining the list of airports organizing and paying for food and supply pantries to assist federal employees who are not being paid during the federal government shutdown.

These workers include Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) workers who are considered essentional workers and are required to work without pay.

The pantry is located in the SLC Dept of Airports office and includes everything from bread and pasta to diapers and toilet paper, toothpaste and laundry detergent.

SLC airport officials say they plan to restock and keep the pantry open as long as the federal shutdown is in place.

Some of the other airports that have already put together pantries and support programs for these workers include Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), Reno-Tahoe International Airport (RNO) and El Paso International Airport (ELP).

Several airports will be rolling out similiar programs next week.

Meanwhile, there’s a long – and growing – list of airports that are refusing to run a video at security checkpoints in which Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem blames Democrats for the continuation of the federal government shutdown.

In Detroit, the Wayne County Airport Authority has posted statements and photos explainging that it has requested that TSA stop playing the video at Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW).

“WCAA does not operate the checkpoint monitors, which are located in TSA-leased space. The TSA did not seek approval to play the message.”

The airport has placed these signs near the checkpoint entrances explaining why the videos are running.

Visit Salt Lake City Int’l Airport without a plane ticket

Airport Terminals

Thanks so $5.1 billion worth of renovations, “The New SLC,” as Salt Lake City Internatonal Airport bills itself, is a pretty impressive place.

In addition to new large-scale public art installations, the return of a massive terrazzo World Map, a dinosaur and a cool and convenient underground tunnel connecting Concourses A and B, the airport has many new shops, restaurants and other amenities.

To show it all off, SLC airport is hosting a public open house from 5 pm to 9 pm on June 28, 2025 and allowing 200 visitors to visit the terminal without an airline ticket.

Registration opens June 13 at 8 a.m. MDT and closes June 23. Tickets are limited to four per registrant.

(Image at top: artwork by Gordon Huether, courtesy Salt Lake City International Airport)

Travel Tidbits from Airports Near You

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Winning snowplow names at Bradley Int’l Airport

A second-grade class and a fourth-grade class from Windsor Locks, Connecticut, chose the winning names for two new snowplows at Connecticut’s Bradley International Airport.

The winning names: Snowbelle and Blizzard Wizard.

The story of how Salt Lake City International Airport saved its World Map

This is a great story of the heroic effort to save an iconic world map at Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) first installed in the 1960s.

When the new terminal was being built, the map was removed and word was that it was too complicated to save it and that the map wasn’t coming back.

But it did!

Do you have a vintage photo of standing on SLC’s World Map? Please share it.

Central Tunnel – and more – lands at Salt Lake City International Airport

Airport Terminals

Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) unveiled Phase 3 of its SLC Redevelopment Program, which includes the Central Tunnel, Concourse B Plaza, 12 concessions, 5 Delta Air Lines gates and new art and history installations.

Central Tunnel

The key new element is the Central Tunnel connecting A and B Concourses featuring a large-scale art installation by Artist Gordon Huether titled “The River Tunnel.”

This art installation reflects the rivers that flow through the state’s mountains and canyons. Huether even provides a Spotify playlist with more than 100 songs for the artwork.

As passengers exit The River Tunnel, they enter the Concourse B Plaza where there is an extension of The Canyon and the Northern Light oculus art installations by Huether.

Northern Light weighs 3.1 tons and is fabricated from 500 glass rods and 300 dichroic glass panels.

World Map returns

The Concourse B Plaza is now home to The World Map that once graced the floor of Terminal 1 in the original airport.

The World Map was created by Dallas stoneworker Julius Bartoli based on drawings by Ashton, Evans & Brazier and installed in Terminal 1 in 1960.

And a dinosaur!

A secret until opening day, SLC has made space for “Ally the Dinosaur,” a gift from the Natural History Museum of Utah (NHMU).

The replica fossil skeleton of Allosaurus fragilis—Utah’s state fossil—is the quintessential Late Jurassic carnivorous dinosaur. The giant animal roamed Utah’s landscapes 150 million years ago and is now one of the most popular dinosaurs worldwide.

New Concessions

This new phase at SLC includes a dozen new concessions as well.

Dining options include Bambuza Vietnam Kitchen; Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers; Maggiano’s Little Italy; Sunday’s Best; The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf; and Thirst.

Shops include Cotopaxi; iStore Express; Relay; Travel Right; The Canyon; and Weller Book Works.

The River Tunnel is NOT filled with water

Contrary to what the airport announced on April 1 (April Fools Day), the tunnel is not filled with water.

And it does not have Disney-type boats instead of moving walkways with paddles provided to passengers who want to row their boats.

Though that would be fun…

Travel Tidbits from an airport near you

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New artwork to greet passengers at Salt Lake City Int’l Airport

Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) already has several large-scale artworks by artist Gordon Huether, including the 400-foot Canyon (above).

Coming soon: the completion of his 90-foot outdoor art piece echoing the mountain peaks for which Utah is famous.

SFO Airport is celebrating Dia de Los Muertos

San Fransisco International Airport (SFO) is celebrating Dia de los Muertos (the Day of the Dead) with an altar, a mural, and live cultural performances through November 7 in Harvey Milk Terminal 1 and Terminal 2.

In Harvey Milk Terminal 1, look for the “Tree of Life” altar created in partnership with the Mission Center for Cultural Arts, and feel free to add the names of your loved ones to the altar.

In Terminal 2, artist Adrian Arias will paint a mural titled “Ancestral Hummingbird with Moon,” influenced by his Peruvian background.

Pittsburgh International Airport’s new terminal progressing nicely

XpresSpa company adds another brand: Treat

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The company that offers airport passengers XpresSpa, now with massage and manicure service in 26 locations in 13 airports globally, and ExpresCheck for airport COVID testing, is rolling out a new brand.

This one is called Treat. And it is an upscale airport spa and wellness concept with medical services, state-of-the-art testing, “and a holistic approach to physical and mental well-being.”

The menu of services includes:

  • Relaxation services such as manual massage and hydro massage
  • Self-guided wellness services such as visual decompressions with VR goggles, meditation room, workouts
  • Health services such as IV drips, injections, consultations with providers for acute illnesses, mental health coaching
  • Wellness products to help combat fatigue, relieve stress, boost stamina and promote healthy systems such as adaptogenic herbs and supplements, teas, and tinctures
  • Women’s health products that support reproductive health, pregnancy, and intimacy
  • Beauty and hygiene products such as hydrating masks and lotions, soaps, shampoos, and hand sanitizer
  • Travel products such as compression socks, eye masks, pillows, and blankets.

To schedule an appointment or to see what specific health services are offered and what the charges are, you’ll need to sign up for a free membership on the Treat website or the Treat app.

We took a look at the price list for medical services and found $50 for a flu vaccine or a vitamin injection and $175 to be seen for a wide range of other issues, including eye problems, cold/flu symptoms, sinus infections, wound care, allergic reactions, and pregnancy or STD testing.

The fee for IV therapy or a COVID test is $250.

Under the Wellness Services tab, you’ll find showers (30 minutes for $35), yoga ($30-60), as well fees for meditation time, and a wide variety of fitness programs.

Current Treat locations are Terminal 4 at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Terminal 4 at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX), and Concourse B at Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC).

If you try it out before we do, let us know what your experience is like.

Airport news from Miami and Albany Int’l Airports

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Flying somewhere this week?

If you are, it’s a good bet you may find yourself stuck at the airport somewhere longer than you intended.

But we’re here to keep you up-to-date on some of the on-the-ground amenities that might keep you informed and entertained.

Miami Int’l Airport has a LEGO Store

Salt Lake City International Aiport (SLC) was the first US airport to have a LEGO store. one. And now Miami International Airport (MIA) has one too.

MIA’s 742-square-foot LEGO® store opened in May and is located near gate D14. Hours: daily from 7 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Planting Utopia at Albany International Airport (ALB)

New York’s Albany International Airport (ALB) and its neighbor, the Shaker Heritage Society are jointly presenting work by artist Julia Whitney Barnes.

Barnes spent a year photographing and collecting specimens from over 150 plants growing in the Sharker Heritage Society’s herb garden, which is on the site of the first Shaker settlement in the United States.

The herb garden, and historic Shaker ‘gift’ or ‘spirit’ drawings, are the inspiration for the images and prints Barnes created during her year-long project going on view at Albany International Airport on July 16. There’s also a companion site-specific installation at the Shaker Heritage Society, which is a short walk from the airport.

At the Shaker Heritage Society’s 1856 Drying House, Barnes’ installation includes temporary murals on the exterior of the historic brick building. The images are stark blue and white silhouettes of herbs in bloom climbing the outside of the red brick walls. Inside, there are prints on fabric and hanging bunches of herbs from the garden. The murals and the installation will remain on view through summer 2023.

For the installation at Albany International Airport, Barnes made eight cyanotype paintings on paper with plants collected from the Shaker herb garden. (Cyanotype is an old photographic printing process that creates dark greenish-blue prints.)

These paintings are reproduced on aluminum panels that will be on view for three to five years in the pedestrian corridor linking the new south parking garage with the ticketing area.

On July 16, ALB Airport will also debut a six-month-long exhibition, called Planting Utopia, in the post-security Concourse A Gallery with artwork, preparatory sketches, and a documentary video about the collaboration.

(All images courtesy Albany International Airport)

Swanky new digs for SLC Int’l Airport. Fresh art at SAN Airport. Plus an invite.

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Fresh art at San Diego International Airport

San Diego International Airport (SAN) has a new and very big work of art to share with the public.

Part of the airport art program’s mural series, Plein Air Port is by local artist Aaron Glasso. The 144-foot-long piece combines images of the San Diego landscape and the airport’s architecture with abstract imagery.

Look for this hard-to-miss work along SAN’s interior roadway through 2021 on Admiral Boland Way, which runs between the terminal and the rental car center.

New terminal opens at Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC)

Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) officially opened it new central terminal building to travelers on September 15, 2020.

The opening marks the completion of the first phase of the 7-year, $4.1 billion project and includes the 900,000-sq.-ft. central terminal building and two linear concourses with 45 gates.

A time capsule was part of the opening day events. Items placed in the time capsule include a 1996 Airport Master Plan, a wooden bear carving, eagle feathers and sweet grass. Also in the time capsule: a hard drive with construction drawings and a letter to future airport employees written by current airport employees.

The second phase of the SLC new terminal project is scheduled to be completed in 2024. This phases will include a south concourse with 22 additional gates, allowing the airport to accommodate 34 million passengers a year.

StuckatTheAirport.com is planning an in-person visit to the new SLC terminal as soon as we feel safe to fly. But in the meantime, here are some snaps and a video shared by the airport and HOK, the architectural firm for the facility.

“The Canyon” by Gordon Heuther

The interior atrium is the length of a football field and features a 362-foot-long sculpture titled “The Canyon” by Gordon Huether. The work is designed to evoke Utah’s red rock canyons, alpine peaks, and moving water.

https://youtu.be/ODg05eXF8G0

Sign up for the Travel 2021 Summit

Will we ever be able to travel again? And, if so, what will that be like?

No one knows for sure, but an interesting group of travel experts is going to talk about it on October 7-8 during the online Travel 2021 Summit.

I am on the agenda talking about what airlines and airports are doing to make travelers feel safe now and what air travel may be like in the future.

Want to attend? Here is a link to the Travel 2021 Summit where you can get a discount on tickets. Early bird pricing ends September 17. Use code SEPT50 for $50 off the registration fee.

Airports: “We’re open”

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Restaurants, shops, bars, schools and offices in many communities are closed.

But airports? For now, they’re open.

Although activities in and around the terminals are different, with far fewer passengers and flights than normal.

Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) has opened its garages to free parking. And posting a list of which dining, shopping and service locations are open.

Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) has shifted its dining options to take-out and in-terminal delivery service from At Your Gate.

At San Francisco International Airport (SFO), all restaurants are open for now, but many with reduced hours. Bars are closed. And, as with restaurants in many cities, service is take-out only.

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) is sharing a list of which restaurants remain open for grab-n-go food options.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) have closed the North and South terminal checkpoints.

Here are recent messages from other airports.

As with everything else in the world right now, situations are changing. So if you’re headed to an airport, check ahead.

And, on Wednesday morning, not long after an earthquake was reported near Salt Lake City, the airport tweeted this: