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…