Salt Lake City International Airport has taken on some serious shine. This week, the airport unveiled its newly expanded Concourse B. Concourse B is a spacious, light-filled space that adds 10 new gates and two much-needed lounges to the growing terminal. This is the latest phase of the airport’s ongoing multi-billion-dollar redevelopment project, which will be rolled out in phases beginning in 2020 (with completion scheduled for October 2026) to meet the demands of one of the nation’s fastest-growing travel hubs.
On October 28, Delta Air Lines opened its second Sky Club at the airport, featuring a nature room, a “dirty soda” bar, and a variety of soundproof booths, while American Express debuted its new Centurion Lounge, the brand’s first in Utah, with a full-service espresso counter and year-round outdoor terrace across the terminal.
Both take design inspiration from alpine ski chalets, feature 360-degree fireplaces, and boast floor-to-ceiling windows with expansive views of the Wasatch Mountains, but each offers something different to travelers passing through the Mountain West city. Afar saw both for the first time. Here’s what you need to know about the new Delta and Centurion Lounges at Salt Lake City International Airport.
SLC’s new American Express Centurion Lounge
American Express’ new Centurion Lounge at Salt Lake City International Airport is currently one of the largest of the company’s 31 Centurion Lounges worldwide, measuring approximately 18,000 square feet and accommodating approximately 350 guests.
The design leans heavily toward the hub’s mountain environment, incorporating woodland-toned furniture, natural wood details, and alpine-inspired artwork, including a textile art installation by Rebecca Whittaker depicting the surrounding mountains and a mixed media collage featuring skiers by Erin Blundell. Other custom installations include a shimmering, hand-flowing glass art piece that hangs over the entrance steps (fashioned to resemble Utah’s salt flats) and lighting intended to evoke the constellations (Utah has the highest concentration of Dark Sky Certified locations in the world).
The food and beverage program is courtesy of The Culinary Collective by The Centurion Lounge, a roster of chefs and bartenders that includes James Beard Award winners Mashama Bailey (Savannah’s The Grey), Sarah Grueneberg (Chicago’s Mr. Monteverde), and Kwame Onwasi (New York’s Mr. Tatiana and D.C.’s Mr. Dogon). Currently, SLC Space’s Culinary Collection options include lemongrass chicken and cucumber salad, smoked salmon carpaccio with herbed goat cheese toast, and Earl Gray panna cotta with ginger apple and maple oat crumble. Travelers can also find snacks such as charred shishito peppers and olives marinated in rosemary and citrus at two non-alcoholic drink stations.
“We want to raise the bar for what people think and expect from an airport lounge,” Chef Sarah Grueneberg said at the lounge’s opening.
The lounge’s central exhibition area, the bar, offers a great selection of wines and local beers, as well as craft cocktails that emphasize regional (like the Park City Sling, made with gin, tart cherry, lemon, and soda water) and season (like La Calabaza, made with tequila, sherry, pumpkin spice, and lime). The year-round outdoor terrace features a second U-shaped bar, fireplace, and cushioned patio furniture for guests looking for fresh air and great views of the mountains.
A full-service Blue Roast by American Express coffee counter is also open in the lounge, serving espresso drinks and nitro cold brew from local Millcreek Coffee Roasters, as well as smoothies, draft kombucha, and snacks like blueberry muffins and overnight oats with apples. And for a few hours in the afternoon, staff will roll out an ice cream cart with two flavors (mixed berry and salted caramel on opening day) and a variety of toppings like Oreos and gummy bears.
It has multiple seating zones to accommodate all types of travelers. There are quiet nooks for work, communal tables for small groups, and plush armchairs perfect for mountain views (each seat is within reach of a charging port). There are also three rooms available for booking, perfect for families or business teams looking for more peace and privacy. Several perks make long layovers more bearable, including first-come, first-serve shower suites (equipped with L’Occitane bath products, Dyson hairdryers, and fluffy cream-colored bathrobes), high-speed Wi-Fi, and a wellness room with Hypervolt massage equipment and Normatec compression boots.
Access to the Centurion Lounge is exclusive to holders of certain premium American Express cards, including the Platinum Card, Business Platinum Card, and Centurion Card, and is subject to availability. Additionally, Delta SkyMiles Reserve and Delta SkyMiles Reserve Business cardholders have access when traveling on Delta Air Lines.
The lounge is located in Concourse B, adjacent to Gate 31, and is open daily from 4:45 a.m. to 11:15 p.m.
Delta Air Lines New Sky Club at SLC
Delta’s new Sky Club in Salt Lake City is a welcome retreat for travelers transiting through Delta’s western hub, and at 34,000 square feet provides plenty of space for up to 600 guests to spread out.
The highlight for many travelers will likely be the Immersion Room, a first-of-its-kind space that plays panoramic video scenes of Utah’s forests, canyons and deserts, and uses ambient lighting and sounds such as rainfall and bird song to mimic Utah’s natural environments, such as Monument Valley and Arches National Park.
Again, the design is inspired by nature, but with more moody, jewel tones than the Centurion Lounge, meant to evoke the state’s lakes and caves. The recessed metal ceiling above the fireplace and swirled blue carpet are meant to appear as if they are reflecting in the water. Similarly, the custom light fixtures above the bar are designed to look like stalactites, and a pebbly hiking path provides inspiration for the terrazzo mosaic flooring throughout.
The double-sided buffet offers most of the dishes you’d expect to find in an airport lounge, such as yogurt and granola, charcuterie, soups, salads, and hummus, as well as interesting main dishes such as apple cider-glazed pork shoulder and mushroom parmesan chicken thigh.
The wraparound bar offers a limited selection of complimentary wines, beers, and spirits. Premium drinks, including fine wines and craft cocktails (like the standard espresso martini or playful Kiwi spritz), can be purchased with cash, card, or Delta SkyMiles. There are two drink stations at each end of the lounge, each with an espresso machine, Starbucks coffee on tap, tea, infused water, and soda. One of them also has a “dirty soda” area, a Utah favorite where soda is mixed with flavored syrups like coconut, peach and cherry, topped with heavy cream and garnished with a maraschino cherry.
There’s a variety of seating options, including leather armchairs, lounge chairs, and banquette seating, each with nearby USB and USB-C ports. The space also includes nine soundproof Framery phone booths, several of which are ADA compliant.
Access to Delta’s lounges is limited to travelers with long-haul premium cabin tickets, Sky Club members, and holders of certain credit cards, such as the American Express Platinum Card and Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express (or the brand’s business card version).
The lounge is located in Concourse B between Gates 24 and 26 (next to the dinosaur skeleton) and is open daily from 5:45 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.
