Delta to add new nonstop service connecting Salt Lake City to Asia

SALT LAKE CITY — It will soon be easier again for Utahns to connect with South Korea and other Asian countries.

Delta Air Lines announced Friday that it is launching a new daily nonstop route between Salt Lake City International Airport and Seoul-Incheon International Airport. It will be the first nonstop service between Salt Lake City and the airport, located outside of the South Korean national capital of Seoul, and the only route directly linking Utah to an airport in Asia, when service begins on June 12, 2025.

The new service aims to provide American travelers with more nonstop or one-stop travel between the U.S. and South Korea, explained Joe Esposito, senior vice president of network planning for Delta, in a statement. Salt Lake City will join Atlanta, Detroit, Minneapolis-St. Paul and Seattle as the only airports where Delta offers direct flights to the country.

"As Salt Lake City continues to grow as a vital Delta hub, our strong joint venture with Korean Air allows us to offer unmatched connectivity between the U.S. and Asia, leveraging strong hubs on both sides," he said. "This ensures that customers, including those in the interior U.S., have access not just to Seoul but to key destinations across Asia."

Delta plans to use Airbus A350-900 planes for the daily service, which features "lie-flat seating, premium bedding, expanded beverage options and a seasonal chef-curated four-course meal" for Delta One customers, according to the airline. Officials add that wider seats with deeper recline are available for Delta Premium Select customers, while each plane will also have a "curated food and beverage experience" for everyone flying.

The announcement was made as Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and other Utah leaders begin their 11-day trip to South Korea and Japan, where they will seek to build better trade relationships between the two countries and Utah.

Cox was scheduled to lead a "Why Utah" roundtable discussion event on Friday, in addition to meeting the CEO of Hanwha Aerospace & Systems and the South Korean minister of trade, industry, and energy. He said Friday that he'd also discussed the new airline route with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol.

"As we open this new gateway to Asia, I am excited to expand Utah's global reach and foster new cultural and business partnerships," the governor said in a statement. "Delta's commitment to our state underscores Utah's growing role on the world stage."

Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall added that she's also excited about the route. She said it will help connect the city with over 80 other airports in Asia through connections out of Seoul-Incheon International Airport, which can help expand the city's and state's "global reach."

It wouldn't be the first time Utah has directly been connected to an airport in Asia. Delta launched nonstop service between Salt Lake City and Tokyo in 2009, but that service was — according to the Deseret News — quickly scaled back before it was ultimately dropped altogether.

Salt Lake City currently offers 11 international nonstop flights to cities in Canada, Mexico, France, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. Meanwhile, Lee Hag-jae, president of Incheon International Airport Corporation, said he's thrilled that the airport he manages will receive another direct flight to the U.S.

"I'm confident that Incheon Airport will continue to grow as a global hub through our partnership with Delta Air Lines," he said, in a statement on Friday. "Together, we aim to set the standard for airline partnerships, sharing a vision of leading the global aviation market as a top-tier airport and airline."

Related topics