SALT LAKE CITY — The Salt Lake City International Airport announced a record-breaking number of passengers through its doors in 2023, surpassing records from before the COVID-19 pandemic.
From January 1 through December 31, the airport recorded 26,952,754 passengers, making it the busiest year ever recorded.
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Previously, 2019 held the record for most passengers with 26,808,014 in total.
The annual numbers are no surprise, considering the Salt Lake Airport shared data over the summer that suggested a travel boom had hit the Beehive State.
The airport attributed the increase in passengers to more international flights coming into and out of the airport.
While domestic travelers counts remained similar, with only an increase of just over 62,000 passengers, international skyrocketed by over 200,000.
“Three-plus years ago when The New SLC opened its doors I couldn’t have predicted such a tremendous rebound in passenger traffic,” said Bill Wyatt, executive director, Salt Lake City Department of Airports. “The robust Utah economy has certainly played a role in the growth as has the incredible partnership with our hub carrier, Delta Air Lines, and the connectivity they provide, with their global partners throughout Canada, Europe and Mexico.”
As the Salt Lake Airport continues to be renovated, leaders predict travel numbers will only grow. When work is expected to be completed in late 2026, the airport is designed to accommodate 34 million passengers.
